Redcliffe Leagues 3 (James McAlpine 2, Matthew Swann) defeated Pine Rivers St Andrews-Norths 0 at Mary Nairn Fields, Redcliffe.
Former Pine Rivers St Andrews-Norths player James McAlpine overcame a yellow card to score two goals as Redcliffe Leagues downed his former club 3-0. McAlpine, who was sidelined last year following a knee reconstruction, was sent from the field for dissent in the 13th minute. Saints had the first chance to score following McAlpine’s departure, but Redcliffe Leagues goalkeeper Daniel Pink made an excellent save. In a scrappy first half, Redcliffe Leagues’ Matthew Swann scored the first goal in the 26th minute after his team received a contentious short corner. McAlpine scored the first of his two goals five minutes into the second half after some sloppy play inside the circle. Frustration began to get the better of some players and Redcliffe Leagues’ Peter Dillon and Pine Rivers St Andrews-Norths’ Craig Richards were given yellow cards. While Richards was repenting, McAlpine scored with a strong reverse stick shot from the top of the circle to give the home side a three-goal lead.
- Liam Hauser
Bulimba 5 (Luke Paine 2, Liam Brown, Ben Flemming, Jarrod Cutler) defeated QUT 3 (Mark Masefield, Ryan Taylor, Kieran Dunning) at the State Hockey Centre, Colmslie.
QUT showed they are ready to shake off their easybeats tag after pushing competition heavyweights Bulimba all the way, before falling 5-3. After scoring a 1-1 draw and twice leading in a 5-2 loss to Bulimba last season, QUT were again a thorn in the side of the Bulls, leading after just three minutes through Mark Masefield’s goal. QUT’s resilient defence kept Bulimba scoreless for the next quarter of an hour, before goals to Liam Brown and Luke Paine gave the Bulls a 2-1 halftime lead. Bulimba looked to have the game in their keeping when Paine and Ben Flemming - finding the net after QUT goalkeeper Chris Grew had made two excellent close range saves - scored within five minutes to claim a three-goal lead. Like their club mascot the ibis, QUT’s Ryan Taylor and Kieran Dunning were scavengers in the circle, both scoring for the students to trail 4-3 with five minutes left. But Bulimba’s Jarrod Cutler scored with two minutes remaining, ending QUT’s revival.
- Lee Oliver
Easts 6 (Darran Bisley 2, Matt Gohdes, Jason Wilson, Peter Morris, Treva Mills) defeated Valley 1 (Jaydon Eckert) at Mary Nairn Fields, Redcliffe.
Easts continued its good start to the season with a five-goal win over Valley, last start winners against Redcliffe Leagues. Easts opened the scoring in the 14th minute when Darran Bisley scored after good lead-up work from three team-mates. But Valley hit back immediately when Jaydon Eckert scored following a short corner. Easts regained the lead when Jason Wilson scored, also from a short corner. Valley hooked a potential equalising goal just wide, and the Tigers led 2-1 at the break. Although Easts’ Michael Bates was given a yellow card for dissent, his side extended its lead while one player short, before Bisley scored his second goal when Valley looked mixed up in defence. Valley agonisingly missed two chances in successive minutes to peg back the two-goal deficit when shots at goal hit the crossbar. Valley ran out of legs as it suffered a few injuries in the second half, and Easts capitalised to score three times in the last 13 minutes to blow out the score.
- Liam Hauser
Labrador 2 (Brad Puleosi, Jake Baldry) defeated University of Queensland 1 (Greg Collins) at Keith Hunt Park, Labrador.
The skies opened but it didn’t rain on Labrador’s parade as the home side outscored University in the wettest game of the season. The crowd at Keith Hunt Park was on the edge of their seats as they watched Labrador sneak home in a tight contest. University came out firing, twice hitting the post in the opening minutes. Labrador scored first after Brad Puleosi beat some poor defense, before University goalkeeper Adam Dinsdale stopped Mark Harris’s penalty stroke attempt. Both sides continued to play well despite inclement weather soaking the field in the second half. The highlight of the game came late in the half when Labrador made a mistake and University’s Brendan Lane was quick to pick up on the error, setting up Greg Collins to score. But Labrador was quick to respond and regained the lead less than a minute later when Jake Baldry scored, following good lead-up work by Harris. Both teams came close to scoring several times late in the match, but both teams’ excellent defensive skills prevailed.
- Alex Kessaram and Lee Oliver
Commercial 7 (Jacob Burns 2, David Brain 2, Tom Brough, Wayne Barry, Chris Beale) defeated United 1 (Ash Randall) at the State Hockey Centre, Colmslie.
A slick Commercial outfit confirmed their status as one of the premiership favourites with a clinical six-goal win against United. Despite playing with a kicking fullback for two-thirds of the game after goalkeeper David Reid suffered an ankle injury in the seventh minute, Commercial - led by halfback Kye Hawgood and forwards Jacob Burns and David Brain - were too classy. Held scoreless until the 20th minute, the Cobras found the back of the net four times in the next 11 minutes to take a healthy lead into halftime. Ash Randall scored soon after the break to hint at a United revival, but Wayne Barry’s 45th minute goal, scored with one of his first touches after earlier playing as a makeshift keeper, sealed Commercial’s win. The Cobras’ attacking prowess was again highlighted at the tail end of the match, when Brain netted his second goal just 30 seconds after Chris Beale had scored from a penalty corner flick.
- Lee Oliver
POINTS:
Commercial 6, Easts 6, Bulimba 6, Pine Rivers St Andrews-Norths 3, Redcliffe Leagues 3, Labrador 3, Valley 3, University of Queensland 0, QUT 0, United 0.
LEADING GOAL SCORERS:
5 - David Brain (Commercial)
3 - Darran Bisley (Easts)
- Luke Paine (Bulimba)
2 - Tim Bates (Easts)
- Liam Brown (Bulimba)
- Jacob Burns (Commercial)
- Dean Butler (Bulimba)
- Greg Collins (University of Queensland)
- Troy Elder (United)
- Tobias Figura (Valley)
- Ben Flemming (Bulimba)
- Matt Gohdes (Easts)
- James McAlpine (Redcliffe Leagues)
- Brad Puleosi (Labrador)
- Luke Reddiex (Pine Rivers St Andrews-Norths)
- Matthew Swann (Redcliffe Leagues)
- Jason Wilson (Easts)
Bulimba's Duncan Mahoney tackles QUT's Kieran Dunning from behind.
QUT's German import Andre Pohl makes a run.
Bulimba's Kyle Richardson makes a tackle on QUT's Jonathan Kairuz.
Compiled by Lee Oliver.
