REDLANDS United secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Ipswich FC on Saturday afternoon, claiming three valuable points in their Round 4 FQPL1 clash at Briggs Road.
The Red Devils made the perfect start, taking the lead in just the fourth minute following a sustained period of early pressure.
A corner delivered into the Ipswich box created immediate danger, with the ball eventually deflecting off Ipswich defender Deng Deng and into the net for an own goal as Redlands attackers closed in.
The early breakthrough lifted the tempo of the contest, with both sides pushing forward in an open and attacking encounter.
Ipswich responded strongly and created several chances, but the Red Devils’ defensive line stood firm.
Goalkeeper Oli Thiganoff was kept busy and produced several important saves as Redlands scrambled to repel the home side’s advances.
At the other end, Redlands also looked dangerous, but Ipswich’s defensive unit — marshalled by goalkeeper Pat Millard — managed to shut down several attacking forays.
The home side threw everything forward in the final 20 minutes in search of an equaliser, but the Red Devils maintained their composure and defensive structure to keep Ipswich at bay and secure the narrow win.
With a strong team effort across the park, it was difficult to single out one standout performer, but Jayden Balarezo was recognised for his tireless display, earning the Redlands United Sea Fuel Man of the Match award.
After the match, Redlands head coach Graham Fyfe said he was pleased to come away with the result.
“It was good to get the win. Obviously, it’s not easy winning football games,” he said.
Fyfe said while his side had perhaps played better with the ball in other matches this season, their effort without it had been the strongest performance so far.
He said the return of several players from injury was beginning to make a difference for the squad.
“Having some boys coming back from injury now that haven’t really played this season definitely helps,” he said.
Fyfe praised the commitment shown across the entire team, including the impact of players coming off the bench.
“I thought the boys dug in from minute one to the very last minute, even the boys coming off the bench,” he said.
He said grinding out results was important for building momentum.
“It’s what we need to do to try and win some games at the moment,” he said.
“Winning games gives you confidence and I think this will help us even more in the coming games.”
Fyfe also pointed to the team’s defensive structure as a key factor in the result, saying the side had pressed and dropped together well — something they had been working on in training.
Despite the win, Fyfe was quick to deflect credit to his players and staff.
“I’m just really happy for everyone,” he said.
“It’s not for me — it’s the players and all the other staff. I’m just happy for everyone.”
Redlands will return home tomorrow (Friday) night when they host southside rivals Holland Park Hawks at Amcal Arena, with the Under-23s kicking off at 6.30pm before the senior match at 8.30pm.
