July 11, 2016
Barambah had a remarkable turnaround in its fortunes on Saturday.
The team secured points in all three divisions against Wests when the two teams met on Barambah’s home ground at the Murgon Soccer Fields.
It was the first time this year the Bears have played on their home ground.
It was also the first time this season the Bears’ 1st Division squad have scored a point.
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In the 2nd Division match, Barambah delivered Wests a 3-nil defeat, thanks to first half goals by Duare Moses (41st) and C. O’Laughlin (44th), and a second half goal by C. O’Laughlin in the 65th minute.
Then in the Women’s Division, the two sides shared the points thanks to a 2-all draw after a see-sawing match that saw the Barambah secure the lead twice, only to be equalised by Wests soon afterwards.
Taylah Berlin started the lady Bears’ fortunes on the right foot with a goal in the 21st minute, and her side retained the lead right up until four minutes before half time when Wests’ Laurie Sims equalised with a goal of her own.
In the second half, Emma Sippel regained the lead for the lady Bears with a goal just five minutes in, but Chelsea Carroll pulled the score back to evens for Wests in the 68th minute.
After this, neither side was able to find the back of the nets again before the full time whistle.
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It was the 1st Division match that held the greatest surprise of the day, though, when Barambah and Wests fought it out to a 1-all draw.
A shortage of 1st Division players all season has meant Barambah have been fielding exhausted 2nd Division players to make up the numbers.
This hasn’t proven a successful strategy for the Bears, with the team unable to record a single point in the season’s first 11 rounds.
In Saturday’s match, however, neither side was able to gain the upper hand until five minutes into the second half when H. Steene sank a rocket into the back of the net for Wests.
At this point, spectators could be forgiven for thinking they were about to witness another 1st Division defeat for the Bears.
But when Duare Moses shot a reply for Barambah just eight minutes later to equalise, the shock that went through Wests’ side was almost palpable.
If Wests had been hoping for a walk-over, it was not to be.
The Bears maintained a solid defence that Wests were unable to break all the rest of the match.
* * *
In Nanango, the points went all the home team’s way when the Panthers took on Gunners.
Although the match was originally scheduled to be played on Gunners’ home ground at Kingaroy, it was relocated to the Panthers home ground at Nanango at the eleventh hour.
This proved an advantageous change for the big cats.
In 2nd Division game, Nanango delivered a 3-1 defeat to Gunners; then the lady Panthers followed it with a 9-nil thrashing of the plucky Gunnettes, who have suffered the same sort of season in Women’s Division the Barambah Bears have had in 1st Division.
And in the 1st Division clash, the Panthers held onto their unbroken 2016 record when they delivered Gunners a 5-2 defeat.
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Results Round 12:
Barambah v Wests in Murgon
- Division 1 – Barambah (Daure Moses 58th) drew with Wests (H Steene 50th) 1-all
- Division 2 – Barambah 3 (C O’Loughlin 44th, 65th, Daure Moses 41st) defeated Wests 0
- Women’s – Barambah (Taylah Berlin 21st, Emma Sippel 50th) drew with Wests (Laurie Sims 41st, Chelsea Carroll 68th) 2-all
Nanango v Gunners in Nanango
- Division 1 – Nanango 5 defeated Gunners 2
- Division 2 – Nanango 3 defeated Gunners 1
- Women’s – Nanango 9 defeated Gunnettes 0
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Next week’s games (July 16):
- Barambah v Nanango in Murgon
- Gunners v Wests in Kingaroy
Times for both venues are:
- Division 2 – 2:00pm
- Women’s – 3:30pm
- Division 1 – 5:00pm
