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Sydney FC v North Queensland Fury 5-December-2009

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,26446420-5000940,00.html?from=public_rss

Sydney FC keep heat on A-League leaders with 4-1 win over Fury
Two Alex Brosque goals helped reignite Sydney FC’s A-League campaign as the Sky Blues cruised to a 4-1 victory over North Queensland Fury at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Sydney, who went into the game on the back three successive defeats, produced a dominant first-half performance to effectively seal the result by half-time with strikes from John Aloisi and Brosque putting them 2-0 up in front of a crowd of 11,871.

Aloisi, who was only restored to Vitezslav Lavicka’s starting line-up due to an injury to Mark Bridge, broke the deadlock after 14 minutes when he took advantage of some poor defending from the Fury to lash the ball past Justin Pasfield from close range.

Brosque, whose pace was a constant thorn in the visitors’ side, doubled Sydney’s lead five minutes later with an extraordinary strike from the edge of the box.

The move was started by Steve Corica who won the ball midway inside the Fury half and put Brosque through on goal.

But with the home supporters pleading for a penalty after a clumsy looking challenge from Robbie Middleby floored the former Brisbane Roar hitman, Brosque swung out a leg whilst on the ground to sweep the bouncing ball past Justin Pasfield.

Sydney maintained their dominance and should have been well out of sight by the interval with Aloisi, Sung-Hwan Byan and Brosque all spurning decent opportunities.

And on the stroke of halft-ime centre-half Stephan Kellar was denied one of the goals of the season by a last-ditch tackle from Matthew Smith after he embarked on a 40-metre run from defence.

Terry Cooke’s curling effort just before half-time was the Fury’s only notable chance in a disappointing opening period that saw them create little, with Robbie Fowler cutting a frustrated figure in attack due to the lack of decent service.

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first with Sydney firmly in control and seven minutes after the restart Brosque grabbed his second when he crept unmarked into the Fury box to nod home from close range.

The home side continued to press forward with Aloisi just failing to connect with a Stuart Musialik cross, but it was the Fury who found the net on the hour mark when Cooke’s free-kick was touched in by Rostyn Griffiths.

But normal service was resumed three minutes later when more shocking defending from the visitors gifted Sydney skipper Corica with a rare headed goal to restore his side’s three-goal cushion.

Sydney boss Vitezslav Lavicka’s praised his side’s performance and said he was especially pleased with the way his players bounced back following last week’s 3-1 home defeat to struggling Newcastle Jets.

“It has been a tough week for the players, but we were very good in the first half and used the wide spaces well and created plenty of chances to score,” Lavicka said.

“I was really happy with how we performed and I was delighted that we could produce such a good win for our supporters.”

Fury boss Ian Ferguson slammed his players after an ineffectual display.

“It is a very difficult place to come but even more so when you don’t turn up for 25 minutes,” he said.

“We were second best to everything, they won the second balls and we were well beaten and some of our defending at times was amateurish.”
December 05, 2009

Duration : 0:9:6

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North Queensland Fury v Brisbane Roar 5 – Sept – 2009

http://www.a-league.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=29140

Fury frustrated again

North Queensland Fury was forced to settle for a 1-1 draw with Brisbane Roar at Dairy Farmers Stadium on Saturday night.

The homeside’s Robbie Fowler showed his class with a deft touch in the box before slotting the ball calmly past goalkeeper Liam Reddy in the seventh minute.

The visitor’s Matt Nichols dug his side out of a loss in the 82 minute after a shot deflected off him and into the top off the goal.

North Queensland deserved the points and had the ascendancy for majority of the night with and un-impressive Brisbane slow off the blocks.

They were rocked midway through the first half, however, when defender Paul Kohler was sent off after consecutive yellows cards for fouls on a galloping Sergio Van Dijk and Robbie Kruse on the wing.

It was one of many indiscretions in the encounter which was littered with 31 fouls.

North Queensland coach Ian Ferguson said his side was unlucky to remain winless in their maiden Hyundai A-League season.

“Again there were lots of positive from it but unfortunately you can’t do anything about the goal that was scored, it was a deflection, it could have gone anywhere unfortunately for us it went into the net,” he said.

“It was a fantastic gutsy performance, we worked hard, we defended well, it was 10 men for about an hour.”

Brisbane coach Frank Farina admitted his side stole a point they didn’t deserve.

“We definitely stole a point, we can play better than that,” he said.

“Many teams have done it to us but we got but we got one that we most probably didn’t deserve.”

“It helps even up the ledger.”

“I think were flat we treating the ball like a hand grenade and we refused to keep a hold of it.”

North Queensland’s James Robinson pummelled the ball long to find Fowler who slotted the goal to put his side in front early with just seven minutes on the clock.

David Williams found space in the midfield and tried his luck with a rocket from 25 metres out but just scraped the cross bar.

The game took a turn when Kohler was marched off for a tackle on Kruse.

Brisbane then found momentum against a reduced opposition and enjoyed improved field position and possession.

David Dodd had a crack after sustained possession in the box but couldn’t get it past the legs of a stacked defensive line.

The Fury continued to dominate after the break but the Roar were looking more and more threatening.

Williams and McBreen were substituted for Chris Grossman and Dyron Daal to defend their precious lead.

Robinson fired a thunderbolt into defenders which rolled to Fowler at the far post but his best effort to snag a goal from close wasn’t good enough.

The Roar pushed their troops forward with players lining up on the goal line waiting to knock in a header but couldn’t capitalise.

A gasping Fowler was substituted in the 77th minute for Fred Angius to plug the defensive gaps.

The Roar sustained pressure and it paid off in the 82nd minute with a strike from Van Dijk deflecting off Nichols and into the top of the goal.

North Queensland Fury (Fowler 7)
Brisbane Roar (Nichols 82,)
Crowd 7,173 at Dairy Farmers Stadium

Saturday, 5 September 2009
by Llendl Ryan at Dairy Farmers Stadium

Duration : 0:4:8

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North Queensland Fury v Brisbane Roar 5 – Sept – 2009

http://www.a-league.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=29140

Fury frustrated again

North Queensland Fury was forced to settle for a 1-1 draw with Brisbane Roar at Dairy Farmers Stadium on Saturday night.

The homeside’s Robbie Fowler showed his class with a deft touch in the box before slotting the ball calmly past goalkeeper Liam Reddy in the seventh minute.

The visitor’s Matt Nichols dug his side out of a loss in the 82 minute after a shot deflected off him and into the top off the goal.

North Queensland deserved the points and had the ascendancy for majority of the night with and un-impressive Brisbane slow off the blocks.

They were rocked midway through the first half, however, when defender Paul Kohler was sent off after consecutive yellows cards for fouls on a galloping Sergio Van Dijk and Robbie Kruse on the wing.

It was one of many indiscretions in the encounter which was littered with 31 fouls.

North Queensland coach Ian Ferguson said his side was unlucky to remain winless in their maiden Hyundai A-League season.

“Again there were lots of positive from it but unfortunately you can’t do anything about the goal that was scored, it was a deflection, it could have gone anywhere unfortunately for us it went into the net,” he said.

“It was a fantastic gutsy performance, we worked hard, we defended well, it was 10 men for about an hour.”

Brisbane coach Frank Farina admitted his side stole a point they didn’t deserve.

“We definitely stole a point, we can play better than that,” he said.

“Many teams have done it to us but we got but we got one that we most probably didn’t deserve.”

“It helps even up the ledger.”

“I think were flat we treating the ball like a hand grenade and we refused to keep a hold of it.”

North Queensland’s James Robinson pummelled the ball long to find Fowler who slotted the goal to put his side in front early with just seven minutes on the clock.

David Williams found space in the midfield and tried his luck with a rocket from 25 metres out but just scraped the cross bar.

The game took a turn when Kohler was marched off for a tackle on Kruse.

Brisbane then found momentum against a reduced opposition and enjoyed improved field position and possession.

David Dodd had a crack after sustained possession in the box but couldn’t get it past the legs of a stacked defensive line.

The Fury continued to dominate after the break but the Roar were looking more and more threatening.

Williams and McBreen were substituted for Chris Grossman and Dyron Daal to defend their precious lead.

Robinson fired a thunderbolt into defenders which rolled to Fowler at the far post but his best effort to snag a goal from close wasn’t good enough.

The Roar pushed their troops forward with players lining up on the goal line waiting to knock in a header but couldn’t capitalise.

A gasping Fowler was substituted in the 77th minute for Fred Angius to plug the defensive gaps.

The Roar sustained pressure and it paid off in the 82nd minute with a strike from Van Dijk deflecting off Nichols and into the top of the goal.

North Queensland Fury (Fowler 7)
Brisbane Roar (Nichols 82,)
Crowd 7,173 at Dairy Farmers Stadium

Saturday, 5 September 2009
by Llendl Ryan at Dairy Farmers Stadium

Duration : 0:4:8

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North Queensland Fury 1 v Wellington Phoenix 1 Goals 17- October – 2009

http://www.a-league.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=30071

Fowler saves Fury

The Wellington Phoenix was forced to settle for a 1-1 draw with the North Queensland Fury at Dairy Farmers Stadium on Saturday night.

Wellington took the lead in the 5th minute courtesy of a Tim Brown header before North Queensland levelled the scores in the six minutes from time minute with a Robbie Fowler header into the back of the net.

The Phoenix and the Fury had their chances in the first half but it was the visitors who managed to capitalise before both sides found their attacking flair in the second period.

The draw marks a record sixth consecutive draw for the visitors and a fifth consecutive draw for the home side, which is still looking for a win at home.

Wellington coach Ricki Herbert said there were some positives in another draw.

“I think we created a bit of a record tonight, it is not one that you want to have but the Fury was really hard to beat,” he said.

“You can say we are the hardest teams to beat in the league this year but we would like three points.”

North Queensland coach Ian Ferguson said he was glad to walk away with a draw after conceding the early goal.

“After the start of the game we had, being one down again early, it is the same old cliches (but) the boys have been fantastic,” he said.

“It was a game of two halves again, Wellington was the better team in the first half and we were the better team in the second.”

“We couldn’t slot it in but it would be more worrying for me if we were not making chances.”

North Queensland had a golden chance in the first minute when a pin-point through-ball allowed James Robinson to gallop past the defensive line to be one-on-one with the goalkeeper but he pulled his shot wide.

Wellington responded in the fifth minute with Paul Ifill rampaging down the right wing before delivering an inch-perfect cross for a Tim Brown header into the net.

The two sides had their opportunites for the remainder of the half with numerous crosses and breakaways but could not capitalise.

The Fury pushed forward after the break with Jeremy Brockie charging down the right wing before driving a cross into the path of a sliding Daniel McBreen but he failed to take control and the ball bounced off his knees and over the touch line.

Dyron Daal came off the bench after one hour and showed a set of clean heals to stride past defenders and swing in a cross to a sliding Robbie Fowler, but he also could not slot it past the goalkeeper.

McBreen then dashed passed a huddle of defenders to receive a controversial free kick but skied the ball over the charging goalkeeper which sparked a small scuffle as the ball should have been played back to the opposition who was in possession before time was stopped for an injury.

The Phoenix had its opportunites, none better then when opposition goalkeeper Paul Henderson came out of his box and to the right to make a clearance but it went straight to an attacker.

Daniel was left on the turf after a strong challenge and had to be stretched off which gave both sides a welcome drink break from a warm night.

Chris Tadrosse afterwards sprinted down the left win and hammered a cross to an unmarked Fowler who showed his class to head it into the net in the 84th minute.

North Queensland Fury 1 (Fowler 84)
Wellington Phoenix 1 (Brown 5,)
Crowd 6,191 at Dairy Farmers Stadium

Saturday, 17 October 2009
by Lendl Ryan, Dairy Farmers Stadium, Sportal

Duration : 0:3:50

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North Queensland Fury 1 v Wellington Phoenix 1 Goals 17- October – 2009

http://www.a-league.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=30071

Fowler saves Fury

The Wellington Phoenix was forced to settle for a 1-1 draw with the North Queensland Fury at Dairy Farmers Stadium on Saturday night.

Wellington took the lead in the 5th minute courtesy of a Tim Brown header before North Queensland levelled the scores in the six minutes from time minute with a Robbie Fowler header into the back of the net.

The Phoenix and the Fury had their chances in the first half but it was the visitors who managed to capitalise before both sides found their attacking flair in the second period.

The draw marks a record sixth consecutive draw for the visitors and a fifth consecutive draw for the home side, which is still looking for a win at home.

Wellington coach Ricki Herbert said there were some positives in another draw.

“I think we created a bit of a record tonight, it is not one that you want to have but the Fury was really hard to beat,” he said.

“You can say we are the hardest teams to beat in the league this year but we would like three points.”

North Queensland coach Ian Ferguson said he was glad to walk away with a draw after conceding the early goal.

“After the start of the game we had, being one down again early, it is the same old cliches (but) the boys have been fantastic,” he said.

“It was a game of two halves again, Wellington was the better team in the first half and we were the better team in the second.”

“We couldn’t slot it in but it would be more worrying for me if we were not making chances.”

North Queensland had a golden chance in the first minute when a pin-point through-ball allowed James Robinson to gallop past the defensive line to be one-on-one with the goalkeeper but he pulled his shot wide.

Wellington responded in the fifth minute with Paul Ifill rampaging down the right wing before delivering an inch-perfect cross for a Tim Brown header into the net.

The two sides had their opportunites for the remainder of the half with numerous crosses and breakaways but could not capitalise.

The Fury pushed forward after the break with Jeremy Brockie charging down the right wing before driving a cross into the path of a sliding Daniel McBreen but he failed to take control and the ball bounced off his knees and over the touch line.

Dyron Daal came off the bench after one hour and showed a set of clean heals to stride past defenders and swing in a cross to a sliding Robbie Fowler, but he also could not slot it past the goalkeeper.

McBreen then dashed passed a huddle of defenders to receive a controversial free kick but skied the ball over the charging goalkeeper which sparked a small scuffle as the ball should have been played back to the opposition who was in possession before time was stopped for an injury.

The Phoenix had its opportunites, none better then when opposition goalkeeper Paul Henderson came out of his box and to the right to make a clearance but it went straight to an attacker.

Daniel was left on the turf after a strong challenge and had to be stretched off which gave both sides a welcome drink break from a warm night.

Chris Tadrosse afterwards sprinted down the left win and hammered a cross to an unmarked Fowler who showed his class to head it into the net in the 84th minute.

North Queensland Fury 1 (Fowler 84)
Wellington Phoenix 1 (Brown 5,)
Crowd 6,191 at Dairy Farmers Stadium

Saturday, 17 October 2009
by Lendl Ryan, Dairy Farmers Stadium, Sportal

Duration : 0:3:50

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Sydney FC v North Queensland Fury 12 – Sept – 2009

http://www.a-league.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=29276

Fowler fires Fury home

A Robbie Fowler moment of magic has helped North Queensland Fury to their first ever Hyundai A-League victory with a 1-0 win over Sydney FC at the SFS on Saturday night.

After Fury keeper Paul Henderson had saved a first-half penalty from John Aloisi, Fowler scored one of the goals of the season to give North Queensland the lead early in the second half.

Despite a desperate Sydney in the final stages, Fury held on for an historic victory.

In front of 16,699 fans, which included a good number in Liverpool shirts in honour of Fowler, it was all North Queensland early with a flurry of throws down the left for long-throw specialist Shane Stefanutto to exploit.

Rostyn Griffiths’ curling shot from the edge of the box was another warning shot for Sydney as the visitor dominated the opening 20 minutes on a beautiful night for football in Sydney.

But against the run of play, the home side had the chance to go one up on 24 minutes.

A well-worked free-kick on the edge of the box saw Sung-Hwan Byun release Alex Brosque and as he ran onto the ball, the referee adjudged Henderson had made contact after the striker was left sprawling on the deck.

Up stepped John Aloisi but the North Queensland keeper pulled off a super-stop to his left.

The Fury should’ve made Sydney pay minutes later after the skilful James Robinson worked hard to win possession, release Griffiths but the former Blackburn Rover’s low shot whistled just past Clint Bolton’s left hand post.

North Queensland continued to threaten with Ufuk Talay’s teasing free-kick on the edge of the box deflected over the bar.

And the Fury had the ball in the net but Robinson’s deflected goal was ruled offside as the visitor went into the break feeling it had the better of the opening 45 minutes.

Sydney upped the tempo in the second half but was left stunned on 53 minutes when Fowler latched onto a through ball and from 25 metres out smashed a brilliant looping shot past Bolton.

This moment of magic, Fowler’s fourth goal of the season, ignited the Fury and they should’ve been 2-0 up minutes later.

Talay’s vision picked out McBreen in an attacking position wide left and his early ball into Fowler was poked just wide of the post by the former Liverpool hero.

After 65 minutes Sydney FC brought on starlet Kofi Danning for Aloisi to help drag the momentum back but it was the Fury still creating chances.

Talay wriggled free inside the Sydney box and his low shot from an acute angle was palmed out for a corner as the game moved into its final 20 minutes.

Danning wide right was beginning to influence proceedings as the Sky Blues threw everything they had at the Fury.

Rhyan Grant created an opening with a tricky piece of skill and cross and Byun’s curling cross was dangerous but without reward.

Fowler was subbed off to a standing ovation on 83 minutes as the Fury brought on David Williams.

The visitor held its nerve to record a win much to the delight of the traveling fans.

Sydney FC 0
North Queensland Fury 1 (Fowler 53)
Crowd: 16,699 @ Sydney Football Stadium

Saturday, 12 September 2009
by Aidan Ormond at the SFS, Sportal

Duration : 0:6:19

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Wellington Phoenix v North Queensland Fury 20 – Sept – 2009

http://www.a-league.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=29429

Phoenix concede late

A late strike by Chris Grossman has seen North Queensland Fury grab a share of the spoils with a 1-1 draw in its Round 7 Hyundai A-League clash against the Wellington Phoenix.

The midfielder struck deep into stoppage time at a sun-soaked Westpac Stadium just when the Phoenix looked on course for its second win of the season.

The Phoenix led for most of the game thanks to a sixth minute effort from Leo Bertos but in truth the home side only has itself to blame after wasting several clear cut chances as it did in last weekends 1-1 draw away at Melbourne.

Paul Ifill was again the pick of the Phoenix and although the big forward did not get on the score sheet his high work-rate meant he was a constant thorn in the side of the North Queenslanders.

He set up Bertos goal, delivered some great ball into the box which went unrewarded and show deft touches as he regularly beat the defence but he was forced from the field with a hamstring strain with well over half-an-hour remaining.

It was Ifill who beat two defenders to set up Bertos opener. Having jinked his way past the defence he lobbed the ball into the box where it bounced off Andrew Durantes shoulder into Bertos path and the midfielder stabbed it home.

The Phoenix could have been 3-0 up inside the first 20 minutes but for the goalkeeping of Paul Henderson.

The Fury stopper produced a fine save to deny Tim Brown after a great ball in from the left from Tony Lochhead.

Then a couple of minutes later he got his hand to a cross from the right from Ifill which then bobbled off Daniels legs and inches past the post.

The Fury was not without its chances though as James Robinson saw an effort hit the side netting,

A cross by the midfielder which Daniel McBreen got his head to then forced Mark Paston to make a smart save.

The Phoenix keeper was called into action again late in the first half, getting a hand to Robbie Fowlers free-kick from just outside the box.

The Fury marquee man had a quiet first half but with his side behind in the possession stakes and the Phoenix spending more time in the oppositions half it was no surprise.

Daniel missed another glorious chance 10 minutes into the second half after a great break out by Lochhead and Ifill from deep inside their own half.

A superb ball by Ifill put the big defender in space and his cross into the box from the left saw Henderson weakly punch it away but Daniel couldnt control it and Scott Wilson, who came on for Karl Dodd, late in the first spell, got his foot in to clear close to the line. It was Ifills last involvement in the game and he was replaced by Troy Hearfield.

Chris Greenacre then forced a save from Henderson after dispossessing John Tambouras on the edge of the box before Fowler found the back of the net in the 78th minute after Grossman dragged the ball across the face of goal for the former Liverpool man to tap home but he was ruled offside.

The Fury continued to press hard for the equaliser and it was a free-kick into the box from Fowler that ricochet around the box before falling at Grossmans feet and he made no mistake.

Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert was bitterly disappointed his sides failure to take its chances had again cost them points.

Its kind of what weve been like for the last three weeks and weve done enough again, especially first half, to win three games.”

But we havent put them away and weve got punished at the death. Its probably the hardest one to swallow, the one today.

Fury coach Ian Ferguson felt some sympathy for his opposite number.

I feel Rickis pain. This has happened to us on a couple of occasions where weve lost late goals and points have been whipped away from us.”

But its our joy and Im delighted with the boys in the second half. I thought they played really well and controlled the second half for long spells.”

We were lucky to go in 1-0 down at half-time and we rode our luck a bit but Im delighted with the result.”

Im really pleased for the boys. We dug in deep and we battled well for 90 plus minutes which is great.

Wellington Phoenix 1
Bertos 6′
North Queensland Fury 1
Grossman 94′

Sunday, 20 September 2009
by Emma Stoney at Westpac Stadium, Sportal

Duration : 0:9:59

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