United's Brad Puleosi makes a run into the circle against University of Queensland.

University's Julian Wright puts pressure on United's Dave Carlson.

Sam Acutt on the attack for United.

BRISBANE HOCKEY LEAGUE – Round 12


Easts 3 (Brad Mathers, Todd Watson, Scott Boyd) defeated Bulimba 2 (Liam Brown, Matt Nolan) at Mary Nairn Fields, Redcliffe.

A depleted Easts side scored one of their most memorable victories in recent history, coming from behind twice to topple Bulimba. Bulimba had chances to open the scoring, the best opportunity seeing Dan Ginnow unable to deflect in Liam Brown's shot. Brown broke the stalemate six minutes before halftime, flicking the ball into the goal following an assist from Blake Wallis. Despite missing eight regular first-graders due to injury and representative commitments, Easts pulled level one minute before the break through a Brad Mathers goal. Bulimba regained the lead in spectacular fashion when a  crossfield overhead pass from fullback Dean Butler was bunted over the head of Easts goalkeeper Casey Lee by Bulls right winger Matt Nolan.  Easts were unable to capitalise on Jaryd Cutler being sent off, with Bulls defender Allan Dale making the first of two saves off the line.  A fiercely debated goal from Todd Watson tied the game with 15 minutes left, although it appeared Watson endangered a Bulimba defender with a swinging stick in his first attempted shot at goal.  After Brown had a shot saved following a skillful 25-metre solo run, 15-year-old Scott Boyd, in his run-on debut, snatched victory for Easts when his backstick shot beat the Bulls' former Australian goalkeeper Stephen Lambert – Lee Oliver.


Pine Rivers St Andrews 6 (Ryan Kilpatrick 3, Brent Garske, Kurtis Ashford, Michael Stokes) defeated Labrador 2 (Joe Reardon, Sam Barker) at the State Hockey Centre, Colmslie.

A second hat-trick in three weeks to striker Ryan Kilpatrick helped Pine Rivers St Andrews to a historic defeat of Gold Coast rivals Labrador.  Having failed in their previous eight attempts, Saints recorded their first victory over Labrador since the  Tigerstix entered the competition in 2007.  With Saints duo Ryan Gibbs and Andrew Richards and Labrador’s Kookaburras squad member Brent Livermore on state duties, the question was which side could cope better in the absence of their stars.  Labrador immediately looked dangerous, and midfielder Joe Reardon opened the scoring in the eighth minute.  Saints were being starved of possession and forced to scramble in defence, yet in the space of four minutes, Kilpatrick, Brent Garske and Kurtis Ashford had goaled, stunning the Tigerstix.  The momentum stayed with Saints, as a sliding Kilpatrick completed a perfectly executed corner, and their defensive battery repelled repeat Labrador corners on halftime.  Labrador needed to be first to score after the break to have any chance of winning, but striker Michael Stokes extended the Saints' lead before Kilpatrick netted his third goal following a weaving run.  Labrador’s Sam Barker scored from a penalty corner on the siren, but it was little consolation for the Tigerstix – Nicholas Bolton.


University of Queensland 5 (Hamish Baron 3, Ashley Hennegan, Shane Johnston) defeated United 0 at the State Hockey Centre, Colmslie.

A dominant five-goal victory has kept University’s finals hopes alive and put a major dent in United’s chance of making their first finals series.  Ashley Hennegan opened University’s account in the third minute, and Shane Johnston followed to make the advantage 2-0 after 10 minutes. It was Adam goalkeeper Dinsdale though who was the hero for University as he stopped a number of great United scoring chances in the first half, denying Adam McClelland, Dave Carlson, Brad Puleosi and Belema Dede on his way to keeping United goalless for the first time in 32 matches. Hamish Baron then hit home a wonderful reflex shot in the 28th minute, after a penalty corner save from United’s Aaron Duff looked to go past Baron’s waist. Baron continued the scoring just three minutes into the second half after a defensive lapse by United allowed him a shoot from the top of the circle, and he duly put a terrific strike past Duff. The half then petered out into a slugfest as both sides struggled to gain some rhythm in attack, with some superb saves by both keepers. Baron collected his hat-trick with two minutes to play, when he walked the ball in to the net after beating Duff with a clever touch, giving University their first five-goal victory since Round 17 in 2007 – Jim Moloney.


Commercial 5 (Cale Cramer 2, Tom Brough 2, Wayne Barry) defeated Redcliffe Leagues 1 (Shane Kenny) at Mary Nairn Fields, Redcliffe.

Commercial extended its lead at the top of the table to eight points, and won some silverware in the process, after beating a depleted Redcliffe Leagues side.  In a match that doubled as the Memorial Cup final between the competition's top two teams, Commercial led early through a Wayne Barry goal. But the Cobras didn't gain a decent advantage on the scoreboard, against a side missing six first-team regulars, until Blair Brown laid on two goals for Cale Cramer in six minutes late in the first half. The first goal saw Cramer tap the ball over the shoulder of advancing Redcliffe Leagues goalkeeper Daniel Pink, with his second goal coming after a defensive error by James McAlpine.  A huge score looked on the cards when Commercial extended to 5-0 within six minutes of the start of the second half.  First Tom Brough tapped in the ball at the post after Cramer had sliced through the Redcliffe Leagues defence, before Kye Hawgood set up Brough to fire home his second goal just one minute later. The home side held out the Cobras for the next 30 minutes and gained some consolation when makeshift centre half Shane Kenny scored with three minutes left. Commercial has now won five of the past six Memorial Cup titles, some of 12 trophies the Cobras have collected in the past five years – Lee Oliver.


Valley 5 (Callan Short 2, Chris Ahern, Andrew McGuckin, Lachlan Brownhalls) defeated QUT 2 (Alex Short, Chris Gilmore) at the Clem Jones Sports Centre, Carina.

QUT looked on track to score their first competition points in two seasons, before four second half goals saw Valley storm home to a victory that keeps them in the hunt for a long awaited finals berth.  Valley opened the scoring through Chris Ahern's penalty corner flick in the sixth minute, with Alex Short equalising for QUT nine minutes out from halftime, after the match had developed into an arm wrestle between the two sides.  Two goals in nine minutes after the break, to Lachlan Brownhalls and Callan Short, saw Valley stretch out to a handy 3-1 lead. When Short flicked another ball in to the back of the net from a penalty corner play, this time via the upright, it appeared Valley would run away with the match. However, a resurgent QUT lifted in the final 15 minutes and gave themselves a sniff of a potential comeback when Chris Gilmore scored to reduce the margin to two goals with 10 minutes remaining. But Andrew McGuckin scored for the second week in a row to seal Valley's victory, after latching on to a Bronwhalls cross. After winning just one of eight matches to open the season, Valley has now won three of their past four games. It is the fourth straight year the Kalinga-based club has won more games in the second half of the season that it has in the first half – Lee Oliver.


POINTS: Commercial 36, Redcliffe Leagues 28, Easts 25, Pine Rivers St Andrews 20, Bulimba 16, Labrador 15, University of Queensland 13, United 12, Valley 12, QUT 0.


LEADING GOAL SCORERS:

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


BRISBANE HOCKEY LEAGUE TRIVIA:

41.  United's Brad Puleosi was the highest goal scorer for which Division 1 team in the 2008 season?  Labrador.

42.  Which two Labrador players finished equal second behind Redcliffe Leagues' Matthew Swann in polling for the 2007 BHA Medal for Player of the Year?  Matt Riley and Mark Harris.

43.  Which was the last Division 1 team to miss the finals despite having scored more goals than they conceded during the season?  Pine Rivers St Andrews-Norths missed the 2008 finals after scoring 46 goals and conceding 40.

44.   Against which side did QUT lose a first-grade match despite scoring six goals?  University of Queensland beat QUT 8-6 in Round 8, 2007.

45.   Which was the last team to win a Division 1 match on forfeit?  Bulimba beat Pine Rivers St Andrews on forfeit in Round 9, 2005.

Redcliffe Leagues' James Hawley challenges Commercial goal scorer Tom Brough.

Shaun Furtado confronted by Cobras tacklers Kye Hawgood and Chris Beale.

Commercial fullback Matt Lagerroth stops the progress of Marcus McKinnon.

Rookie Edwin Hammill on the run for Redcliffe Leagues.

Redcliffe Leagues defender James McAlpine tackles Cobras midfielder Tom Brough.

Compiled by Lee Oliver.