Bulls enter the ring
A NAIVE FNQ Bulls outfit needs to wisen up quickly if it is to trouble the heavyweights in the 2009 Queensland State League soccer premiership.
The Bulls kicked off their campaign with a 2-1 opening round loss to Capricorn Cougars at Mareeba’s Borzi Park on Saturday night.
The home side showed plenty of promise but was unable to counter two soft goals conceded to the Cougars, who finished well out of finals contention in last season’s premiership.
Bulls coach Peter Tokesi remained upbeat after the match, believing the competition newcomers were naive but showed plenty of promise.
"I think it was always going to be the case that they (the Cougars) would start off strong and we were going to be nervous at the start," he said. "I believe that we dominated the game.
"But that’s the cruel thing about soccer, the best team does not always win."
The shrill of the opening whistle had barely finished sounding when a jittery Bulls defence let Tristan Fraser through to score in the third minute.
Spurred on by a vocal home crowd, the Bulls regrouped.
Young striker Steven Cater capitalising on lead-up work from Glenn Hurney in the 18th minute.
FNQ produced most of the attacking play in the first half with George Koroma and Bird causing havoc on the flanks and Dennis Allen and Hurney threatening to capitalise inside them.
The Bulls came close to snatching the lead six minutes from halftime when a brilliantly worked free kick found Koroma on the end of a Victor Madrid pass, Koroma’s cross then finding Allen, whose header missed the target.
The score remained locked at 1-1 at halftime and it took a misread from Bulls goalkeeper Angelo Serafin off a tricky corner in the 56th minute for the Cougars to strike a second time.
A Michael Cay corner drifted over Serafin’s head and into the goal to give the visitors the advantage and to blemish an otherwise solid match from Serafin.
The Bulls looked to have levelled with nine minutes remaining when Joe Rusch found the back of the net, the crowd erupting with joy but oblivious to the linesman’s flag outstretched to signal Rusch was offside.
FNQ continued to pepper the Cougars’ defence in a desperate bid to snare the equaliser but a second goal proved elusive.
Tokesi said fitness and inexperience told against the Bulls but believed there were more positives than negatives to take from the match.
Bulls skipper Madrid was outstanding in defence for the beaten side with Kane Alderton also proving reliable in the backline.
The Bulls play away to Logan United on Saturday before hosting Sunshine Coast at Borzi Park the following Saturday.
Round one results: Capricorn Cougars 2 (Tristan Fraser, Michael Cay) d FNQ Bulls 1 (Steven Cater); Sunshine Coast FC 4 d Bundaberg Spirit 0; NQ Razorbacks 2 d Logan United 1; Brisbane Strikers 5 d Queensland Academy of Sport 1; Olympic FC played Redlands City Devils last night. Whitsunday Miners bye.
Share this article
In the line of fire: Cougars player Liam Willams takes a free kick during the Queensland State League round one clash against the Bulls on Saturday night.
Maher goes into bat for Nash
QUEENSLAND cricket great Jimmy Maher has called on West Indies' selectors to retain fellow FNQ product Brendan Nash for the second Test against Australia in Adelaide.
Northern Pride player kicked man unconscious
A NORTHERN Pride rugby league footballer has been fined and faces club sanctions after a drunken fight in which he kicked a man unconscious then switched clothes with a mate to elude police.
Cairns Taipans players' fears allayed
CAIRNS Taipans' players are confident in the club's position this season despite a leaked Cairns Regional Council report painting a bleak picture of the financial future.
Jawai's Timberwolves notch a win
IT'S taken 14 games but Nathan Jawai has finally notched his first win with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Cairns Taipans' Boody is back
GARY Boodnikoff will be back in Cairns Taipans colours on Wednesday night, revelling in the atmosphere of the NBL's most ferocious derby.
