Mixed fortunes for Tassie youth sides on opening day at Coffs Harbour
By Walter Pless
Tasmania beat Queensland 2-1 on the opening day of the Under-14 National Soccer Championships at Coffs Harbour on Saturday.
Hugh Foley put Tasmania ahead with a fine 18-metre left-footed shot to give his side a 1-0 lead at half-time.
Substitute Ethan Engel made it 2-0 with 15 minutes to go before Queensland pulled a goal back in the 84th minute.
“We played a 4-4-2 in hot conditions and didn’t panic and kept our discipline,” said Tasmania’s coach, Dale Itchins.
“They pumped high balls at us and scored six minutes from the end, but we defended well and held out for the final few minutes.”
Tasmania’s Under-15s took the lead against Western Australia but trailed 4-1 at the interval and eventually lost 7-2.
Sam McIntyre gave Tasmania the lead after only two minutes with a free-kick, but Western Australia recovered and scored three quick goals and then another before the break.
Western Australia piled on three more goals after half-time to lead 7-1 before Brayden Mann netted Tasmania’s second near the end.
On Sunday, Tasmania’s under-14s went down 4-0 to Victoria after trailing 2-0 at the break.
The Under-15s trounced the Northern Territory 7-0 after leading 4-0 at the interval. Brayden Mann hit a hat-trick and Jamie Singleton, Will Abbott, Ben Phillips and Sam Jacob netted a goal apiece.