Review Round 18
Monday, 26 July 2010
BUNDABERG Toyota Spirit tried their hearts out but again came up short in their Hyundai State League Round 18 home clash with Capricorn Cougars on Sunday, going down 2-1 to almost certainly be consigned to their third straight wooden spoon.
After a score-less first 62 minutes, Tom Evans broke through for the Cougars, but the Spirit equalised eight minutes later via the ever dangerous Laurie Stephenson.
However the Capricornians edged ahead again with Matt Smillie’s first State League goal in the 77th minute, and that’s how it finished despite both sides creating a number of chances in an end-to-end battle over the last 13 minutes of regulation time and couple of minutes of added time.
By their win, the Cougars moved to equal-fifth place with QAS on 17 points, three clear of Whitsunday Miners and eight in front of Bundaberg.
With three rounds to go, to climb out of the cellar, the Spirit must now achieve the improbable of winning at least two of their games, against second-placed Brisbane Strikers (home), Miners (away) and leaders
Sunshine
Coast (home), as well as rely on other results going their way.
Coach Richard Mitchell was naturally disappointed with the result and its implications, but he said he “can’t fault the players’ endeavour and effort’’.
“We had enough chances to win two games – we just lacked a wee bit of execution at the end and the game is about taking chances and getting goals – we also made a couple of errors at the back, but overall I was pleased with the lads,’’ Mitchell said.
“It was a good hard game with the score at nothing each for the first hour and it could have gone either way, but it fell for them, and despite their record, they are not a bad team and it was no disgrace.’’
The win was sweet revenge for the Cougars after the Spirit had beaten them 2-1 at home when they previously clashed on 5th June, and it also gave them the honours 2-1 in their three clashes for the season after being 1-0 victors in their first encounter.
Mitchell said their “back four did well’’.
“Our new centre-halves combination of Lucas Read and Tom Kimber did a good job, and so did John Cullen at right back and Millsy (Mathew Mills) at left back, the midfield (Stephenson and captain Brett Kitching) were good and so were the boys up front (Nick Fitzgerald and Shane Youngberry) – we played some decent football up to the 18-yard box, and I was pleased with everybody,’’ he said.
“The disappointing thing is that we needed to win to be a chance of getting off the bottom of the ladder, but all is not lost – it will be tough but all we can do is do the best we can in our last three games – Cory Haack will be back (from suspension) next week and that will help, and Adam Ormsby will be back the week after.’’
The Strikers will be on a high after a 1-0 victory over
Sunshine
Coast on the weekend.
The day had started well for the Spirit with their Youth side causing an upset in recording their second win over Gold Coast, getting home 2-1 after putting their stamp on the game with a 2-0 first half.
Coach Steven Bates was delighted with the performance against the fourth placed team, whom they have also drawn with, but he could only ponder what may have been as it was just the Spirit’s third victory and they are second-last on the ladder.
“Both our goals were in the last 20 minutes of the first half – Brendan Davis scored the first and Lukey Leggett scored the second, and only a deflection cost us a goal 10 minutes into the second half,’’ Bates said.
“We created lots more opportunities but didn’t finish, but in saying that, we were the most dominant side on the park and the boys created the whole game, which was the pleasing thing.
“I changed the shape from 4-4-2 the previous week to 4-3-3, and the boys played nice stylish football and we were more controlled around the park, which is pleasing because Gold Coast had knocked off the Strikers last week and South West the week before, and they have also knocked off
Sunshine
Coast.
“The boys dug deep and played 90 minutes of football, which was another pleasing thing – I gave them an easy week with a pool session on Tuesday, but they found the park on Thursday night and I pushed them into the ground for two hours and they came back to repay me.’’
Bates applauded a “superb team game’’.
“Lukey Leggett wore the captain’s arm-band this week and he certainly led by example from the front, Mitchell Broom was once again excellent in the midfield, and of course our fullbacks (Jacob Miles, Michael Coleman, Brady Watts and Aaron Mackie) were solid this week but everyone played well.
“Even the bench players stood up – a surprise performance was Tim Merrett – I normally start him on the bench but he had a very solid game in the midfield in the first half and full credit to him – always as a coach you like to see second-phase players reward you with effort when they make a start.’’
Despite thumping the Coast 4-1 for their maiden win back on 18th April, Bates said this win was “certainly more domineering although the score-line didn’t really demonstrate the performance the boys put in’’.
“And if we continue to create and show some dominance on the park, we should be able to finish the season out with some more victories,’’ he said.
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