Suburbs stun Queensland football sides
The Nelson Suburbs Girls’ U13 football team: Abi Platt, back left, Alexandra Magrane, Evita Espenan, Meg Inwood, Saskia Barney, Emma Stuart, Izzy Roberts, Isobelle Rooney, Gill Morgan, Libby Harrison, front left, Milan Mahony, Isla Roache Sophie Morgan and Florence Donald. Photo: Supplied.
The Nelson Suburbs Girls’ U13 football team has returned from a giant-killing run at the Premier Invitational age grade football tournament on the Gold Coast.
The young outfit, coached by senior players Gill Morgan and Abi Platt, went all the way to the final of their 28-team division.
Suburbs won its three games on the opening day, then upset Melbourne Victory and secured two draws on the second day.
“We knew if we could hold Gold Coast United to a draw in our final game, we would qualify for the quarterfinals,” says Gill.
They achieved that, 0-0, and then faced United again in the play-offs and won that 2-1.
The competition was even tougher in the semi-final as Suburbs took on Brisbane City, the No.1 ranked junior development club in Queensland.
Locked 0-0 at the end of two 15-minute halves, the sides went to penalties and the Nelson team nailed its five to reach the final against the defending champions Logan Lightning.
They traded goals with the Queensland club until just before full-time when a refereeing blunder enabled the Lightning to score and win 3-2.
“It was a drop ball, but the ref let them play it as if it was a free kick,” rues Gill.
But the result couldn’t take the gloss off three great days at Runaway Bay football centre.
“The girls played so well and the results certainly exceeded our expectations going into the tournament,” declares Gill.
The matches were nine-a-side so Suburbs only took a 12-girl squad with no specialist goalkeeper.
“We had six different goalies but won the Golden Glove award for conceding the least number of goals.”
So, of course, the girls want to return next year to the invitational which attracted a staggering 680 teams playing at four large Gold Coast venues over 10 days.
They were one of five Suburbs sides competing, with the U13 boys finishing a creditable 16th out of 56 teams.
“We wondered whether sending five sides to the tournament for the first time was maybe too big an undertaking,” says Suburbs rirector of football ‘Skippy’ Stewart, who was coaching the U13 boys.
“But it was amazing and such a good event.”