Bluebirds rev up to maintain form

AFTER a solid win, Bluebirds coach Gary Skinner is delighted to report he plans no changes for today’s match with Berserker.

Both teams won their first-round games against Gladstone opposition but even Bears coach Craig Porter would have to admit Bluebirds faced the more difficult task in overturning champion Clinton.

Skinner was happy with his team’s display against Clinton and that is why he was delighted to say “no changes”.

It is a big call as returning this week is Gerard Kelly, a player who would take a place in all Capricorn League teams either as a goalkeeper or in his preferred position of striker. “I plan to start with the same 11 with Gerard on the bench,” Skinner confirmed.

Skinner is not taking the threat of Berserker lightly.

Last week the Bears were hardly extended in beating Central 7-3 and that makes Skinner believe his defence will need to be switched on for the 90 minutes.

“Berserker are capable of finishing their opportunities but we’ve got a plan of attack to nullify their danger players,” the Bluebirds coach said.

Another interesting clash tonight is at Jardine Park where Southside host Capricorn Coast.

Few would argue the Coast’s credentials for a Wesley Hall Cup win but Southside has a knack of turning up and surprising more fancied opposition.

Club spokesman and veteran defender Blair Grice sees 2010 as a transition period for the Southside club as coach Trevor Woods tries to bring a new work ethic to the team by promoting promising young players into the first team squad. While such a policy makes Southside vulnerable this year it can only be good for the future of the club.

Coast has the best man-for-man squad in the competition and began its program with a 6-0 demolition job on the Young Cougars. While Coast won’t find Southside so easy, it should have enough talent in the line-up to win.

Frenchville could be the dark horse of the 2010 competition as John Ganley gets his message through in his second year with the squad.

In 2009 Frenchville was beaten at Parkana in the opener but improved throughout the season while the win against Frenchville was the highlight for the Parkana season before the club’s top team went into a late-season meltdown.

Last week Parkana was unfortunate to lose to Southside 1-0 as it rattled the framework of the Southside goal three times and played good football in its build-up work.

Nerimbera will have tomorrow’s clash with the Young Cougars marked as a “must win” after a poor start in losing 5-3 to Yaralla.

Like Southside, Nerimbera is into a re-building phase with coach Adam Wratten prepared to look at some of the young players coming through the club ranks.

Against a Young Cougars team still finding its feet, it would appear to be an opportunity to blood some of those youngsters.

CAP LEAGUE Rd 2

Today: Southside v Cap Coast at Jardine Park, Berserker v Bluebirds at Elizabeth Park, Parkana v Frenchville at Parkana.

Central v Yaralla at Gladstone. All are 7.30pm kick-off

Tomorrow: Nerimbera v Young Cougars at Pilbeam Park, 4pm kick-off.