Cougars need to fire

WEBBERS Retravision Cougars may have improved their playing stock from last year but the side still needs to put together a solid 90 minutes of football for coach Brad Smith.

Yesterday the Cougars travelled to the Sunshine Coast, a difficult trip with the team flying on the morning of the game and then playing the match in the early afternoon.

However, Smith was critical of his players as they were not focused on the task of beating one of the best sides in the region.

“We were 4-0 down before we started playing,” an upset Smith stated. “We did not have the desire to win.

Giving a good team a big advantage makes it very difficult to strike back but Smith admits the Cougars did get back into the contest scoring two goals through Justin McMullen and Michael Cay.

It was too little, too late as the damage had been done and the Cougars are now three games into the Hyundai QSL program and with just one point to show for their efforts. The gamble of playing injured defender Dai Thomas was hardly successful as he was replaced on the hour.

That was not the first substitution Smith had been forced to make as, with the game barely 25 minutes old, he took off defender Joe Burke after he had received a booking and the coach fearing it was just a matter of time before the colour of the card changed to red. Smith said Sunshine Coast did not spring any surprises, using Sean Blackman as their target and then getting players up in support.

Four games into the season and next week’s clash with Bundaberg Spirit at Gladstone is a “must win” if the team are to get into contention for the finals.

QSL ROUND FOUR

Sunshine Coast 4 bt Cougars 2

Brisbane Strikers 2 bt Whitsunday Miners 0

FNQ Bulls 3 bt NQ Razorbacks 1

QAS 1 bt Bundaberg Spirit 0

http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/story/2010/04/12/cougars-need-to-fire/

Fire fights off fast Cougars

Travis Meyn

IF there was a lesson to be learnt from yesterday’s match it would have been to never write off a pack of Cougars.

The Sunshine Coast Fire coasted to a 4-0 lead against Capricorn at Kawana, only to see the struggling team score two goals in as many minutes.

The Fire held strong though to record a 4-2 victory and cruise into outright first place on the Queensland State League ladder.

Star Fire player Tyson Holmes opened the home team’s account when he calmly slotted the ball home.

When Corey Towle fouled a Cougar in the penalty box Fire keeper Antony Hall pulled off a stunning save from the Tristan Fraser strike.

Yuta Gonai gave the Fire a 2-0 lead before halftime.

Greig Henslee slotted the Fire’s third goal, then substitute Jai Cross made it 4-0 in his first match of the year.

But the Cougars mounted a late charge following Cross’s goal, scoring immediately from the restart, then netting a second just one minute after the next restart.

When a drinks break was called because of the early time slot the Fire regrouped for victory.

Hall said he was happy to have saved Fraser’s penalty at a crucial time of the match.

“I know Tristan pretty well. I’ve played against him for many years,” he said.

“It’s always a bit of a guess but generally depending on where the angle of foot is you can figure it out. He hit it pretty well but I was fortunate to save it.

“Those things can change the game. At 1-1 they’ve got the heads up. But we pushed on and scored straight away. Then I thought we were in control.”

Hall said it was disappointing to let Capricorn back into the game.

“They got a couple of really quick goals and we dropped our heads,” he said.

“They had the momentum. We made a few changes, had a breather and we kept it tight at the back.

“We’ve conceded a few goals this season and that’s definitely something we have to look at, maintaining that shape throughout the game.

“There’s a 15-minute period here and there where we have to keep our composure and keep tight.”

Next weekend the Fire faces second-placed Brisbane Strikers, the team it beat in the 2008 grand final.

“We’ve got a good rapport with them. We’ve had some tough challenges over the years and it’s going to be a great game,” Hall said.

“We just need to keep our intensity and our shape throughout the 90 minutes, which we haven’t been able to do so far this season.”

FIRE 4

Tyson Holmes, Yuta Gonai, Greig Henslee, Jai Cross

COUGARS 2

Justin McMullen, Michael Cay

Standings: Fire 9pts, Strikers 6, FNQ 6, NQ 4, QAS 3, Bundberg 1, Whitsunday 1, Capricorn 1.

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2010/04/12/fire-fights-off-fast-finishing-cougars/