By Brian Stockwell
NOOSA LIONS SOCCER
A big week for junior first division players at the Noosa Lions – back to school on Monday and first pre-season game against the Moreton Jets on Saturday.
The more highly credentialed NPL sides were not the only challenge the young Lions had to grapple with, as the temperature soared above 30C in the shade throughout the day.
The Moreton Region’s National Premier League sides had the better of the Noosa sides, but not by much.
Growing confidence in the Noosa Under 17s saw them lead for the majority of their match.
It wasn’t until some late game substitutions that the visitors slotted home two late goals to go one up.
Similarly, the Reserve Grade men led until the last minute of their game when the Jets managed to find an equaliser.
The Noosa Premier Men came out clearly the better side in the first quarter of their match, but a momentary lapse, just before the end of the first quarter, saw the visitors go one up.
After the drinks break the visitors stepped up, but certainly didn’t dominate. Moreton’s persistent pressure saw them go two up in the last minute of the half.
Missing some of their normal strike weapons on the bench, Noosa couldn’t find the back of the net despite numerous promising raids.
While the final scoreline of 3-0 wasn’t flattering, coach Kevin Aherne-Evans, saw enough in his boys’ performance, against a team from the next competition level up, to be quietly confident going into the season opener in a couple of weeks’ time.
