Match of the Week SW Div.1------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ West End vs Salisbury Bapt 1-3 (H/T:1-2)------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Referee: Josiah Turnbull & Asst Refs: Lachlan Snow & David O'Connor ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For the home team, West End, this was a crucial encounter as a victory here would enable them to retain 2nd place and the double-chance in the finals series. With a number of key players out in midfield and in defence, they were up against a red-hot Salisbury Baptist team who were not going to feel sorry for them. In fact, the youngsters toppled West End earlier in the season and were looking for the double over them.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The first half hour was reasonably uneventful with neither side able to break down the resilient defences. It all changed in the 27th minute, after Salisbury's coach, Dean Hicks, pulled a master stroke by moving Ilone Hicks out of midfield and onto the right flank. Almost immediately he encourage Ilone to,"Take them on and go yourself!" She duly obliged and beat the defender on the flank and cut in before unleashing a powerful shot. West End's gk Jamie-Lee Cosgrove got down low but could only parry it away towards the open goal, where Katie McPartland reacted first and smashed the ball into the open net for the opening goal.--------- West End woke from their slumber and began to take control and shots by Amy Duxfield and Rebecca McCue just flashed wide of the goals. Then, in the 35th minute, after a long clearance from Jamie-Lee Cosgrove, determined play from Jeane Diane Badon saw the ball deflect to Aleisha Dunn who chipped Salisbury's gk, Kate Schultz, for the reply. The game was inching towards the half-time break when heeding her coaches' urging to, "Go yourself," in the last play of the first-half, Ilone Hicks receives the ball about 25 metres from goal. She turns the defender with the first touch and unleashes a wicked shot that spins out of Cosgrove's right hand and into the top corner. The sizeable Salisbury crowd rise as one and give out an almighty cheer!----- The two stand out players in the first half were - Amy Duxfield for West End and Taneisha Deen-Fisher for the Salisbury girls, although Salisbury's captain, Ilone Hicks, was the difference between the two teams.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The 2nd half proved to be bruising affair with neither side taking a backward step in the challenges. In one such case, it was heartening to see Salisbury's Karen McPartland assist West End's Jeane Diane Badon from the field after she received a knock on the knee. This is the flow-on effect of Blackstone's example towards the Salisbury girls last week. Inevitably, the game was won in style in the 82nd minute when a diagonal pass to the wing from Ilone Hicks in the centre of the field found the speed and wizardry of Olivia Georges down the right flank. She too the ball down the wing and cut back to Ilone on the edge of the penalty box. Her first touch took her past two defenders and a toe-poke bead the gk rushing out to narrow the angle. So the 3-1 scoreline dampened West End's prospects for the upcoming finals, but, underlined the improvement of the youngsters from Salisbury in the 2nd half of the season. With one year under their belt, Coach Hicks' goal for his team will be to get into the top four and enjoy the spectacle of the finals.----------------------- The stand out players for the home team West End were: Amy Duxfield, Amy Schroter, Aleisha Dunn, plus Rachel De Leon and Eva James (in the 2nd half). For the visitors, gk Kate Schultz, Olivia Georges, Sofie Moore, Taneisha Deen-Fisher, Holly O'Connor and of course their inspirational leader, Ilone Hicks, with two goals and an assist for the match. The match officials did their part by allowing the game to flow and be enjoyed by players an spectators alike. Well done Josiah in the centre, and to Lachlan and David on the lines. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Senior Women's Wrap-Up of Rd.16---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- With West End slipping 1-3 at home to Salisbury Baptist, this allowed Westminster to slip into 2nd position with an emphatic 7-0 win over Logan Uniting. In a goal-fest, North Pine Baptist assured themselves of finals football by sneaking into 4th position with an exciting 5-3 win at Logan Metro. By doing so, thy denied Rosewood United 4th place on goal difference, even though they had an emphatic 2-1 win over the league leaders, Blackstone United. Raceview fell one point short of 4th place even though they had a comfortable 3-0 win away to Brisbane Valley.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So, with the 18 rounds completed - Blackstone United are crowned premiers and Westminster runners-up. West End and North Pine Baptist make up the top four. Rosewood United (a wonderful 1st season in Div.1) are unfortunately consigned to 5th with Raceview in 6th (last year's G/F winners) a point behind. Salisbury Baptist finished off the season strongly whilst Logan Uniting got into 8th but fell away at the end of the season.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Logan Metro and Brisbane Valley will make the step down to Div.2 most likely in 2016.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In SW2, Whitehill ran away with the premiership and Silkstone Baptist Pink got 2nd place. Both these teams will return to the top flight - a year older and wiser!------------------- In SW3, Beaudesert just pipped Northside Christian FC in the end but both teams will do well in Div.2 next year!--------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The finals will see a shaky West End meet the quiet achievers in Noth Pine Baptist in the minor semi-final, whilst Westminster will attempt to avenge their previous loss to high-flying premiers, Blackstone United. Both games should be beauties!!!----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Senior Men's Wrap-Up of Rd.18---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In an excellent game, North Pine Baptist travelled to Mansfield Eagles and won in a thriller, 5-3, and dented any chance of the home team's finals aspirations. This left the fixture between Sunnybank Saints and Logan Metro to decide 4th placing with Metro only needing a draw. The exciting Saints returned to their very best and trounced their opponents 5-0 to feel buoyant leading up to their semi-final clash next week. Their opponents in next week's minor-semi, Westminster, had their scoring boots on as they won comfortably 11-0.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- St Paul's went back to the top temporarily after defeating Blackstone United in a close tussle 2-1. Eventually, St Paul's were overtaken over the weekend and finished in a creditable 2nd place, after leading the competition for the most part of 2015.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- But, the celebrations broke out at Pinkenba after Brisbane Athletic's 4-0 win over the Latin Golden Boys. Athletic's coach, Carlos Ferreira, was pleased for the club and the players in his team for achieving the ultimate prize, the premiership. In his own words, "I'm out of Portugal. But it's very difficult to get the Portugal out of me. We just won the premiership and that's what counts for me!" Congratulations Carlos and to the Brisbane Athletic club. In a nice gesture by the host club, both sets of players and their families continued into the night with dinner and entertainment (with young and old celebrating) to finish off the season.----------------------------------------------------- In SM2, Whitehill are the premiers and Northside FC runners-up, with both teams making the step up to the top flight in 2016.-------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In SM3, West End went through the season willing all 18 games and securing the premiership, with Westminster Warriors as runners-up.------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In SM4, Brisbane Valley edged out West End for the premiership on goal-difference.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In SM5, Westminster Warriors were the premiers and Silkstone Baptist runners up.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In SM6, Logan Uniting were premiers and Mansfield Eagles were runners up.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ In SM7, St Catherines were premiers and Rosewood United were runners up.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Congratulations to all players and teams for being part of the QCSA competition. We cannot all win, but, it's competing that counts. There's always hope (very significant if you're a Christian) for better things next year!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Best of luck to all teams in the finals!!!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------i-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------i-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------i------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------i------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------i------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------