Football GPS SEASON 2014 – BACK-TO-BACK-TOBACK PREMIERSHIPS!
TSS Football followed up a successful 2013 season with some great football across the grades in 2014. With the introduction of the Years 5 and 6 teams into the GPS system, the season was bigger than ever before. Most weekends TSS fielded in excess of 25 teams, which represents in excess of 300 boys playing football.
JOSHUA MCQUEEN
Director of Football
The TSS First XI looked to keep their title defence throughout the season and came up against a host of schools who were looking to upset the boys of Southport. With two weeks to go, the equation was simple: win the last two remaining fixtures to be ensured at least a share in the Premiership. Round 8 saw TSS travel to the cold and windy Toowoomba, who were on their own at the top of the table. A win would see us on equal points with them. In a tough clash that included two red cards to TSS players and three penalty kicks (one of which to TSS), our boys held firm with nine men for the last 20 minutes to win 3-2. In the final match of the season, TSS hosted BGS and needed a draw to secure a share of the premiership with Nudgee after Nudgee had defeated TGS 1-0 in a midweek encounter. TSS looked to be more dominant than BGS, but could not convert their many chances. A 1-0 lead was not enough to win the match outright, with BGS converting a free-kick in the dying minutes to upset a victory for TSS. Regardless, this was a fantastic achievement and one that each of the boys in that team can be proud of – back-to-back-to-back GPS Premierships! This is something that has not been done before in GPS Football history, so it is something to be savoured!
Our 9D and 11D teams also shared in some of the success after going through the season undefeated. Our Second XI, Third XI and 11As also did well to finish second or third in their divisions. The 9D team secured the honour of Team of the Year on the final day of competition, being the only team to play all eight GPS rounds and not drop any points. UHLSPORTS CUP
The TSS First XI also entered into the UHLSports Cup again in 2014, looking to step it up from the QF loss last year. In the early pool stages, TSS played off against All Saints Anglican School, Emmanuel College and St Michael’s College. After a nervous start against ASAS, TSS managed to claw back a 1-1 draw during round 1. In round 2, a much more dominant display by TSS saw a 5-0 victory over Emmanuel. In round 3, TSS was again much more dominant than St Michael’s College, beating them 6-0. This left TSS at the top of the pool – an important result given this meant we were rewarded with a home game for the round of 16 clash.
Following the pool stage, TSS entered the knockout phase of the competition and met St Laurence’s College in the round of 16 match. Here TSS was very dominant and accounted for St Laurence’s with a 3-1 win after coming from 1-0 down after an early goal. In the quarterfinal, TSS had a rematch against GT, the team who we had a 0-0 draw against in the GPS season. In a very one-sided contest this time around, TSS dominated with a number of goals, leading them to a semi-final against Ipswich Grammar School.
THE SOUTHPORT SCHOOL SOUTHPORTONIAN 2014
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