Redcliffe Leagues goal scorer David Halliday pressures Kurtis
Ashford of Pine Rivers St Andrews.

Alex Swann and Ryan Kilpatrick fight it out on the backline.

Redcliffe Leagues goalkeeper Daniel Pink tries to clear the ball away from former
teammate Ryan Gibbs.

Andrew Richards (Pine Rivers St Andrews) and Corey Kreis (Redcliffe Leagues) only
have eyes for the ball.

Damien Budd challenges Saints player-coach Dylan Elliott.

BRISBANE HOCKEY LEAGUE – Round 15


Commercial 3 (Kris Glass 2, Joel Torrisi) defeated University of Queensland 1 (Jake Burns) at the Clem Jones Sports Centre, Carina.

Commercial wrapped up their third Minor Premiership in six years, overcoming a fiery University side in the second half. Within two minutes of the starting buzzer Julian Wright from University and Kris Glass from Commercial clashed after a tackle, resulting in both players being sent to the sin bin. Commercial's Joel Torrisi scored first when he collected a pass in front of the circle, beat two defenders and flicked the ball past University goalkeeper Adam Dinsdale. Commercial maintained possession for most of the first half leaving University under pressure. In the final 30 seconds of the first half, University charged down field and received a corner which Jacob Burns punched into the net, levelling the score as the halftime buzzer rang. As the second half started it was difficult to tell who was first on the ladder and and who was eighth, so even was the contest. Commercial was awarded their second consecutive corner which Glass hit cleanly to score and put the Cobras back in the lead. An aggressive tackle from behind on Daniel Biase-McInally by the Cobras' Kye Hawgood landed him a yellow card. With eight minutes left on the clock, Commercial landed a corner that was passed to Glass who again sent the ball sailing straight to the top corner of the net, sealing the Cobras' win – Andrew Beard.


Labrador 5 (Mark Harris 2, Joe Reardon 2, Craig Bigham) defeated United 1 (Shane Cowling) at Keith Hunt Park, Labrador.

Three unanswered second half goals helped Labrador virtually end United's finals hopes, while keeping alive hopes of the Tigerstix making the playoffs every year they have contested the Brisbane competition.  Mark Harris opened the scoring when he rounded United goalkeeper Aaron Duff, after good lead-up work by Joe Reardon and Sam Barker. In the 22nd minute United drew level when Shane Cowling converted his team's first and only penalty corner. The teams looked destined to head into the dressing sheds on even terms, before Reardon hit in a penalty corner shot – Labrador's sixth of the half – one minute before halftime. The Tigerstix wasted no time asserting their authority on the match when the teams returned to the field, with Reardon setting up Harris to score his another field just one minute into the second period. A yellow card and five-minute suspension to Labrador's Jamie Want for backchat didn't stifle the home side's momentum. With the Tigerstix playing with 10 men, Craig Bigham scored with a reverse stick shot after he collected a rebound off Duff's pads. With turnovers starting to creep into United's game, the visitors found themselves a fourth goal in arrears with 15 minutes left when Reardon scored a diving goal following a solo run that started midfield and saw him beat several defenders - Lee Oliver.


Redcliffe Leagues 3 (Nick Budd, David Halliday, Matt Raynham) drew with Pine Rivers St Andrews 3 (Ryan Kilpatrick 3) at Burringbar Park, Chermside.

Pine Rivers St Andrews have come from two goals down to deny an understrength Redcliffe Leagues outfit victory in a fiery draw.  Despite entering the clash without their five Queensland Under 21 representatives, the baysiders took an early lead courtesy of Nick Budd.  Stung into action the Saints began to gain the ascendency, only for poor finishing to prevent an equaliser.  Instead, it was Redcliffe Leagues who doubled their lead in controversial circumstances through a goal to David Halliday.  Budd was given a green card for an illegal challenge on Saints’ Kurtis Ashford in the lead up to the goal, yet amazingly play had been allowed to continue. At the same time Saint Luke Reddiex joined late withdrawal Cameron Richards on the sidelines with a hamstring problem.  However the Saints responded, with Ryan Gibbs setting up Ryan Kilpatrick to halve the margin.  After the break it was the Saints who continued to create the bulk of the scoring chances, but a 48th minute strike from Redcliffe Leagues' Matthew Raynham had the Redmen in a commanding position.  Although as they did against Easts, the Saints overturned a 3-1 deficit in the final minutes, with Kilpatrick completing his fourth hat-trick in six games. However, in a further blow to the Saints, Gibbs suffered a serious finger injury - Nicholas Bolton.


Easts 7 (Simon Mills 3, Brad Mathers 2, Dylan Wotherspoon 2) defeated Valley 2 (Andrew McGuckin, Alecz Day) at Burringbar Park, Chermside.

Easts again demonstrated their remarkable depth of playing talent, doing enough to account for Valley in just one half of hockey. Again taking the field without a host of Queensland representative players such as Jacob Webber, Jake Farrell, Dale Gohdes, Ben McCarthy and Jacob Whetton, the Tigers led early thanks to a Simon Mills goal from a penalty corner.  Andrew McGuckin equalised for Valley three minutes later, finishing off a long range movement in which Tobias Figura eliminated Easts goalkeeper Casey Lee. Brad Mathers scored as the Tigers regained the lead, before two goals in as many minutes, to Mills and a classy backstick finish by Dylan Wotherspoon, put Valley back on their heels. A second score to Mathers on the stroke of halftime was the sixth goal of the first period, one that saw Easts lead 5-1. Staring down the barrel of a big hiding, Valley's defence was more rigid in the second period, holding out Easts for half an hour until Wotherspoon netted. Alecz Day flicked in Valley's second goal with one minute left, before Mills sent his third penalty corner push into the corner of goalkeeper Corey Harper's net after the siren. The Tigers dedicated their win to Billy Gardiner, an Easts Life Member who passed away earlier in the week - Lee Oliver.


Bulimba 4 (Allan Dale, Liam Brown, Tom Newport, Dan Ginnow) defeated QUT 0 at the State Hockey Centre, Colmslie.

Bulimba continue to keep their noses in front of Labrador in the race for a finals spot, scoring two goals in each half to beat a spirited QUT side. The match didn't start well for QUT, with the Bulls hitting the front after just five minutes when Allen Dale scored from a penalty corner. After Steve Bullion had a goal disallowed, his Bulimba teammates continued to have good scoring chances, with Dan Ginnow shooting over the top of the net and Tom Newport having a shot saved by QUT goalkeeper Blair Burden. Following an earlier warning, Bulimba's Jaryd Cutler received a yellow card for a poor tackle, which helped QUT enjoy a good period of attacking play. Just before halftime the Bulls doubled their lead after Bullion's pass found Liam Brown unmarked on top of the circle. Two goals in four minutes not long after the break snuffed out QUT's chances of a comeback. First Newport put the ball into the net at the second attempt after Burden had smothered Brown's initial shot, after Bullion made the most of an ill directed back pass from Ibis halfback Simon Ford. Ginnow then gave the Bulls a four-goal break when he skied a shot into the top of the net after Cutler's initial shot was saved by Burden, who made no fewer than 10 quality saves in a match that remained scoreless in the final 28 minutes – Lee Oliver.


POINTS: Commercial 45, Redcliffe Leagues 35, Easts 34, Pine Rivers St Andrews 24, Bulimba 22, Labrador 21, United 15, University of Queensland 13, Valley 12, QUT 0.


LEADING GOAL SCORERS:

20  -  David Halliday (Redcliffe Leagues)
18  -  Ryan Kilpatrick (Pine Rivers St Andrews)
      -  Adam McClelland (United)
      -  Jacob Webber (Easts)
16  -  Blair Brown (Commercial)
14  -  Michael Bates (Easts)
13  -  Nick Budd (Redcliffe Leagues)
      -  Jacob Burns (University of Queensland)
      -  Cale Cramer (Commercial)
      -  Mark Harris (Labrador)
12  -  Joe Reardon (Labrador)
11  -  Chris Beale (Commercial)
      -  Jacob Whetton (Easts)
10  -  Shane Kenny (Redcliffe Leagues)
  9  -  Ian Schulz (Redcliffe Leagues)
      -  Craig Smith (Pine Rivers St Andrews)

Bulimba tackler Tom Elmer puts pressure on QUT's Alex Short running the ball out of
defence. Photo by Katerina Down - www.katdown.com

Bulimba striker Steve Bullion takes a shot at goal for the Bulls. Photo by Katerina
Down - www.katdown.com

QUT goalkeeper Blair Burden makes a save from a Bulimba penalty corner. Photo by
Katerina Down - www.katdown.com

QUT's Rob Kruger met by Bulimba fullback Sean Quinn.

Bulimba's Matt Nolan passes the ball away from QUT's Mark Beaumont.

Compiled by Lee Oliver.