Well, overall with a couple of minor exceptions excusable in the rush by the club to be ready, I think the night was a success. After no rain here in Brisbane for weeks on Friday night there was a thunder storm just to remind us that Thor is with us still in spirit. Yesterday was a typically hot and humid Brissie day and I was mentally hoping the conditions would suit our rapid new team on the wide spaces of the new home ground, but bugger me if a cooling (actually freezing according to some who chose the exposed Up for the Strikers Stand on the Eastern side) Westerly sprang up soon before kick off so that any advantage was lost.
I arrived very early to help distribute the Free Kick and have a look around. There was lots of evidence of the spring cleaning - new paint, new turf on the mounds and the surface looking fair. I heard that the venerable Clem Jones in good old Gabba wicket style spent about three hours on the turf gardening until about 4.15PM, so I hope we can imply from that that he is in good nick! It was so good to buy a beer or two and know any profit would be channelled into our club at last. Drink up for the STRIKERS!
The punters tended to arrive late due no doubt in many cases to another sporting event that had occurred in Melbourne that afternoon - the final score of which was greeted with acclaim from the stands. As a result I was able to have a look at the STRIKERS youth side going through their paces versus Olympic youth. We lost 1-2, but what really mattered to me was to actually see a Brisbane STRIKERS youth team in action - another significant sign of the winds of change which are refreshing the game up here. The samba drum band arrived and started up about half an hour before seven o'clock and the two stands gradually filled, eventually 2,600 odd being the count which is a fair start (which is how we are all looking at it I think) and certainly it was a delight not to be looking at cavernous wastes opposite.
Several club suits made on ground speeches which we could not hear in the Banana Army sound box and out came the sides for the New Dawn. There were many faces I had never seen before and a few old favourites too. A quick rendition of "Waltzing Matilda" when the National Anthem was announced (I still feel it inappropriate at club games) before we duly sang with fair reverence about our being "girt" and so on.
Olympic came at us vigorously and the new defence had to work hard and did very well - young Karl Dodd looking an especially useful find - and gradually the STRIKERS began to display the new system of 3-5-2 and the wing backs were doing a lot of damage out wide. It was, for me, such a joy to see especially Stefanutto overlapping to the extent that for long periods he was an out and out winger - and GETTING TO THE LINE at last! Our mid field got stuck in and really took control for long periods, but no substantial chances were made and I think we need what every team needs, a goal poacher. It's early days, so perhaps I'm a little harsh on our forwards.
0-0 at half time and the consensus was that we were doing alright. In the second half we had Fitzsimmons overlapping up the near wing and he was doing some good work too. Eventually we earned a free kick just outside their penalty area and just to the left. I don't know if it was indirect, but there seemed to be a little touch to Pilic who lifted an exquisite ball over the wall to hit the far post just below the bar and drop in. 1-0 and we may have been top of the league.
The lead didn't last very long and ten minutes later Bakic somehow made a breakthrough. It looked as though defender and keeper were unsure who should do what and he flicked over the first and chipped the second for a class goal. I don't recall a goal anywhere being greeted which such silence and it took our lot at least a minute to recommence our verbal support which had been good all night and it was wonderful to hear the Taringa voices back for the STRIKERS providing at leat two loci of chanting and songs. To be honest, the sound of the drum band opposite was carried away by the breeze into the night air, though they kept a rhythm going pretty well continuously all night.
I thought we dropped our heads a little at the loss of the goal, because we really had just started to dominate the game following ours. In the last ten minutes or so, however, the quality of the team became apparent again and we may well have taken the winner, with one hard and low shot ( I think from Rose) cleared off the line with their keeper nowhere. Finally, I think we probably shaded Olympic, but a draw was a reasonable outcome. I suspect those who turned up would have enjoyed what was a good game of football between two ball playing and competitive sides. I certainly am looking forward to seeing these kids blend and mature this season.
Chant of the night? For me it was directed at the parasites who have always plagued Perilous Park by watching through the fence behind the Southern goal "You're so tight it's unbelievable". I hope the club will soon block that off - we need the dough.