A SUPERB performance by goalkeeper Daniel Wilesmith ensured Mareeba a valuable three points after Saturday night's 1-0 FNQ premier league soccer away victory over Stratford.
Playing at the picturesque Stratford ground has not been a pleasant experience for Mareeba in recent seasons, the Bulls struggling with the smaller confines compared to its more spacious Borzi Park.
The result favoured the visitors this time but not before having to withstand a relentless Dolphins' push for an equaliser in the final 30 minutes.
The Bulls' lone goal came in the 33rd minute when Alex Plowman's header found the back of the net after Dolphins goalkeeper Phil Sorrenson spilt a free kick when jostled in the contest for the ball.
Mareeba had looked dangerous on a number of occasions in the first half with Angelo Tatti Sr, James Joyce and David Ruiz combining well on the right side of the field, but were repeatedly repelled by the Stratford defence.
Stratford came within centimetres of hitting back early in the second half when a deflection off the head of Mareeba's John Concalves cannoned into his own crossbar but Wilesmith ensured that was as close as the Dolphins got.
He stopped two well-struck Peter Lansana shots within the space of seconds in the 65th minute, repeating the feat just two minutes from fulltime when diving saves denied Craig Usher and James Rodger in quick succession.
Wilesmith was thrilled to get his season off to a good start after missing the first round victory over Douglas when celebrating his grandfather's 90th birthday in Townsville.
"I was pretty happy with it and happy with the way the boys played," he said.
"It's my first game this season and we were a bit scratchy in places but it was enough to win us the game in the end."
The Mareeba custodian summed up his second-half pounding by the Dolphins attackers as being an occupational hazard.
In other premier division encounters, Edge Hill beat Douglas 4-0 and Leichhardt handed defending champions Marlin Coast its second successive loss of the year with a 3-1 away win last night.
