Match Reports

University's Damien Quiesser works his way through the Valley defence.

BRISBANE HOCKEY LEAGUE - ROUND 12

United 4 (Matt Freeman 2, Adam McClelland 2) defeated Redcliffe Leagues 2 (Shane Kenny 2) at Mary Nairn Fields, Redcliffe.

United scored the most vital win of their short existence to move within striking distance of a finals berth in just their second season.  After the start of the game was delayed by 10 minutes, United, whose win was thanks largely to a sterling defensive effort from fullback Dane Robinson, better adapted to the flooded pitch early.  On a night when overhead passes were a player’s best friend, United’s Adam McClelland rocketed a backstick shot past Redcliffe Leagues goalkeeper Daniel Pink for the game’s first goal.  McClelland then gave the last pass for Matt Freeman to score from a clever backstick deflection, and United led 2-0 at halftime.  Two goals from Shane Kenny - one from a penalty corner and one a spectacular diving deflection from a Jordan Harle pass - saw the home side draw level with 10 minutes to go.  But late goals to Freeman, a diving deflection from an Alan Dickson long corner hit, and then McClelland, sealed the win for United, who are now just two points behind fifth-placed Redcliffe Leagues.

Valley 1 (Braydon O’Callaghan) defeated University of Queensland 0 at the State Hockey Centre, Colmslie.

Two days after losing 6-0 to Commercial, Valley ended a four-game losing streak to move ahead of University on the ladder thanks to a low scoring win against the students.  A fairly dour match came to life in the final five minutes of the first half, when each side was denied a goal by the post.  First University’s Timbi Poon hit a cracking shot from a penalty corner that beat Valley goalkeeper David Watts but hit the crossbar.  Then Valley’s Duncan Stewart saw his penalty corner flick strike the post.  Coaching against the club of which he is a Life Member, Richard James led University to a 6-3 win against Valley earlier this year - the students’ first over the Diehards since 2005 - but that authority in attack was missing this time around.  Valley’s 1-0 win, courtesy of a 59th minute field goal to Braydon O’Callaghan, confirmed their recent dominance over University.  The latest result was Valley’s seventh victory from their past eight matches against the students. 

Labrador 3 (Brad Puleosi 2, Sam Barker) defeated Bulimba 1 (Liam Brown) at Keith Hunt Park, Labrador.

Labrador continued its recent dominance over Bulimba to leap-frog the Bulls into third position on the ladder with a solid win on the Tigerstix home turf.  Brad Puleosi moved to within two strikes of Commercial’s David Brain at the top of the list of the season’s goal scorers, netting a double against the Bulls, who have now lost their past three games against the Tigerstix.  The teams looked set to go into the halftime break both scoreless, until Labrador’s Sam Barker found the back of the net three minutes before the break.  One minute after Bulimba’s Liam Brown scored to tie up the game for the Bulls, Puleosi re-established the home team’s advantage.  Puleosi then gave his side a vital two-goal break with 14 minutes left to go, when he beat Bulimba goalkeeper Cameron Wickbold from the penalty spot.  The final result mirrored an historic day for Labrador last year, when they beat Bulimba 3-1 on the final day of the season at Keith Hunt Park to qualify for the finals in their first year in the BHL.

Easts 5 (Treva Mills 2, Jarrod Black 2, George Clutton) defeated QUT 0 at Mary Nairn Fields, Redcliffe.

A 10-goal improvement has seen strugglers QUT produce one of their best efforts of the season, despite losing to Easts in atrocious conditions at Redcliffe.  After being humiliated 15-0 by a red-hot Bulimba outfit in their previous match, the Ibis players walked off a soggy field with their heads held high after holding the Tigers - the competition’s most potent attacking side - to just five goals.  Aided by a waterlogged pitch which stifled Easts’ fluent attack, QUT, who had lost 8-0, 9-0 and 12-3 to the Tigers in their three previous meetings, trailed only 2-0 at halftime after Treva Mills twice beat QUT goalkeeper Chris Grew.  While Easts rested five of their young stars who helped Queensland to victory at the national under-21 championships the previous weekend, they still had plenty of attacking potency.  Jarrod Black scored two goals for the Tigers, while George Clutton also found the back of the net.  QUT will no doubt take positives from the result, although they did not score for the fourth time in their past seven games.

Commercial 4 (Cale Cramer 2, Chris Beale, Wayne Barry) defeated Pine Rivers St Andrews-Norths 1 (Nick Bolton) at the State Hockey Centre, Colmslie.

Three quick goals proved to be the difference as Commercial maintained a strong grip on second place with victory over Pine Rivers St Andrews-Norths.  With the game scoreless after 23 minutes of the tight contest, the Cobras hit the back of the net with a three goal burst - with scores to Cale Cramer, Chris Beale and Wayne Barry - to blow open the match in the lead-up to halftime.  Cramer’s second goal took Commercial to a four-goal lead in what was otherwise a fairly even match, just like the first meeting of the two teams earlier this year, a match won 2-1 by the Cobras.  After scoring his first top-grade goal in Saints’ previous match against Redcliffe Leagues, Nick Bolton helped in Craig Smith’s penalty corner flick to get his side on the scoreboard late in the game.  But the goal was too little, too late for Pine Rivers St Andrews-Norths, who appear likely to fight out the fifth and final playoff position with Redcliffe Leagues and United over the coming weeks.

BRISBANE HOCKEY LEAGUE - ROUND 7

Rescheduled match due to washed out fixture on May 17 and washed out replay on May 29.

Commercial 6 (David Brain 3, Wayne Barry 2, Chris Beale) defeated Valley 0 at Burringbar Park, Chermside.

POINTS:

Easts 36, Commercial 31, Labrador 23, Bulimba 22, Redcliffe Leagues 16, Pine Rivers St Andrews-Norths 15, United 14, Valley 9, University of Queensland 8, QUT 1.

LEADING GOAL SCORERS:

15  -  David Brain (Commercial)
14  -  Jason Wilson (Easts)
13  -  Brad Puleosi (Labrador)
12  -  Tobias Figura (Valley)
      -  James McAlpine (Redcliffe Leagues)
11  -  Cale Cramer (Commercial)
      -  Adam McClelland (United)
10  -  Darran Bisley (Easts)
  9  -  Liam Brown (Bulimba)
      -  Duncan Mahony (Bulimba)
      -  Ian Schulz (Redcliffe Leagues)
  8  -  Hamish Baron (University of Queensland)
      -  Tim Bates (Easts)
      -  Jarrod Black (Easts)
      -  Mark Harris (Labrador)
      -  Luke Paine (Bulimba)

Valley's Cameron Dunning, Alex Dayz, David Watts and Matt Denning set to defend
a penalty corner.

University's Kieran Powyer passes past Valley's Lee Rendell.

Compiled by Lee Oliver.