July 8, 2013
by Martin Stern
Football South Burnett
In a very entertaining First Division match on Saturday, officiated by A-League referee David Walsh, Nanango defeated Gunners 4-2 after Gunners initially led 2-0.
Gunners started the match off very well, taking control of the midfield.
In the 11th minute of the match Ike Sililat was brought down in the Nanango penalty box, and Reise Braund made no mistake with the kick, giving Gunners the lead.
Gunners continued to dominate possession and the midfield.
In the 27th minute, the in-form Ryan Mooney latched onto a high cross from Reise Braund and hammered it home to give Gunners a 2-0 lead.
Gunner’s defender, Peter Collins, came off with an injury which Nanango took full advantage of, with Kieran Mangan scoring from a deft pass from Thomas Mangan in the 31st Minute.
Five minutes later Damien Walters tried his luck with a long range shot at goal from 35 metres out which beat Gunners’ Keeper Hayden Mashford to make it 2-2 at halftime.
When the teams returned after the break, Gunners were without key defender Bailey Raines who succumbed to an ankle injury.
This left Gunners’ already depleted defence in tatters, but even worse was to follow.
Nanango came out playing with more conviction and took advantage of the possession they were starved of in the first half of the game.
Three minutes into the first half Kieran Mangan scored his second from a well-weighted Damien Walters’ pass to give Nanango a 3-2 lead.
Disaster struck Gunners again when striker Ryan Mooney was stretchered off with a broken ankle.
Gunners tried bravely to hold on and never gave in, but in the 72nd minute David Ashby extended Nanango’s lead with a brilliant header from a corner kick.
Best on the park for Nanango was Kieran Mangan, Damien Walters and Thomas Mangan while for Gunners it was Sam Murray, Anthony Lindholme and Ryan Mooney.
In the Women’s game, the unbeaten Nanango women stayed unbeaten, winning 1-0 against Gunnettes in a lacklustre game.
Both teams had opportunities to score but poor passing let both sides down. In the 24th minute Nanango took the lead with a well-taken wide shot from Karrie Ashby.
Gunnettes had more possession in the second half but could not take advantage of it.
Best for Nanango were Jacquie Downie and Raegan Campbell and for Gunners, Chrissy McBride and Katrina Parsons.
In Second Division, Nanango dropped their first points of the season in a 1-1 draw with Gunners.
The match was of a very high standard and very evenly matched.
Gunners had the majority of possession early on, but it was Nanango who scored against the run of play through a fine individual effort from young Aiden Connolly in the 34th minute – definitely a player to watch in the future.
Nanango took their lead into halftime.
Nanango came out in the second half and enjoyed more possession and both sides had some close chances in an exciting half of football.
Seven minutes from full time, Gunners equalised after a long Reise Braund goal kick sailing towards the Nanango goal was headed backwards into the Nanango net by their own defender to make it 1-1.
Best on park for Gunners were Kevin Barnes and Steve Copas and for Nanango Luke Dobe and Aiden Connolly.
It shows the competition is getting a lot tighter, which is great news for the game.
In Kingaroy
1st Division: Nanango 4 (Kieran Mangan 2, Damien Walters, David Ashby) defeated Gunners 2 (Reise Braund, Ryan Mooney)
Women’s: Nanango 1 (Karrie Ashby) defeated Gunnettes 0
2nd Division: Gunners 1 (Own Goal) defeated Nanango 1 (Aiden Connolly)
In Murgon
1st Division: Barambah 4 (David Eagleson, Chris O’Loughlin, John Burton, Andrew Fennell) defeated Wests 3 (Trent Faunt, Joel Cooper, Harry Sterling)
Women’s: Wests 2 (Cathy Firman, Jacqui Trace) defeated Barambah 0
2nd Division: Barambah 1 (Joel Sommerfeld) defeated Wests 1 (Christian Langford)
Evolution Solar Football South Burnett League Table
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| (League table supplied by Football South Burnett) |
- Related article: A-League Experience Comes To Kingaroy
