Brisbane Roar Youth were out-muscled 2-1 by Brisbane Strikers in their PlayStation4 National Premier Leagues Queensland clash at Perry Park tonight.
The loss ended the Young Roar’s unbeaten run of seven games.
The youngsters bounced back after a disappointing first half tonight and could have snared a share of the points thanks to two young players promoted from the club’s Under-18 ranks.
With a minute remaining Daniel Leck weaved down the left and crossed to Dane Ingham.
But Ingham’s hurried shot under defensive pressure just looped to the side of the near upright.
The Young Roar, who made two changes at half-time for a tweaked combination, really took the game to the Strikers in the second period and were rewarded in the 57th minute.
Determined running by the hard-working Shelford Dais put pressure on the Strikers defence and a goal begged when he slipped the ball to Stephen O’Neill inside the six-yard box.
The Strikers defence scrambled and blocked O’Neill’s shot but another Roar teenager Thomas Miller was on hand to pounce on the scraps and net his first goal at senior level.
Miller’s night though ended unhappily when some hefty attention from the Strikers left the youngster with a badly cut lip.
The Young Roar bench raced ot the sidelie in protest and coach John Sime was still fuming after the match.
“It’s physical game, I am the first to admit that, but I was very upset with the treatment Miller received today,” Sime said.
“I’m not looking for any special favours, not by a long shot, but some of the tackling today, on and off the ball, was absolutely disgraceful.”
The Young Roar were hoping to avenge a 5-1 “smashing” when the two teams last met in April but were outplayed in the first 45 minutes tonight.
The Strikers flexed their muscle early and Young Roar were awarded four free kicks inside the first six minutes.
The aggressive play seemed to put the Roar youngsters off their usual passing game and the Strikers began to dominate.
They had chances in the 11th minute (Sam Knight headed over from close range) and 15th minute (an unmarked Trent Clulow skied a golden opportunity from in front of the goal), so it was no surprise when the Strikers opened the scoring two minutes later.
A Sam Coulson corner curled deep to the far post where the Strikers Cameron Draper shuffled the ball into the net for a 17th minute lead.
The Young Roar were failing to make an impact against a well-organised Strikers defence and Strikers goalkeeper Fraser Chalmers, who switched clubs mid-week, was called on to make only one routine save in the first 45 minutes.
The Young Roar’s best chance of the half was a 24th minute short corner between Sam Sibatuara and Stephen O’Neill.
The ball was then passed short to a charging Cameron Crestani but the Young Roar skipper’s momentum saw him blast his shot high and wide of the goal.
The Strikers threatened again in the 26th minute when Coulson set up Clulow but his chipped shot from outside the box hit the crossbar. Sadly, for the Roar, it was a warning of what was to come.
Three minutes later Coulson gloriously switched play from the left to Fraser Hills on the right, who brilliantly turned his defender and found Clulow unmarked in the middle. It was no woodwork this time as Clulow clinically slotted away his shot for a 2-0 lead for the Strikers.
“In the first half we didn’t cope with it. You can’t give a team like the Strikers a 45-minute start,” Sime said.
In the earlier game, striker Rahmat Akbari netted four goals in the Roar Under-18’s 7-0 win over the Strikers.
PlayStation4 National Premier Leagues Round 15, Saturday 27 June at Perry Park
Brisbane Roar FC Youth 1 (Miller 57′)
Brisbane Strikers FC 2 (Draper 17′, Clulow 29′)
Half-time: 0-2
Brisbane Roar FC Youth: Bilic, Walker, Crestani (c), Miller, S O’Neill, Sibatuara (Ingham 46′), Gorry, Ludwik, C O’Neill (Leck 60′), Lyvidikos (O’Bryan 46′), Dais.
Substitutes not used: Crickmore, Krsic.
Yellow cards: Dais 82′
Red cards: Nil
Brisbane Strikers FC: Chalmers, Maher, Coulson, Salin (King 41′), Ahem (Duimpies 81′), Angus (c), Knight, Draper, Hills (Ukuno 68′), Clulow, Macuace.
Substitutes not used: McVey, Gwynn-Jones.
Yellow cards: Maher 47′
Red cards: Nil
Referee: Matt Gillett
