Sport
13 April, 2026
Heartbreak loss
THERE was no love lost between Stratford Dolphins and the Mareeba Bulls as the Bulls played away, desperate to put their first win on the board after three rounds.
It was a tough opening for Mareeba, with Stratford dominating the first half hour and applying constant pressure.
The Bulls struggled to break down a well-organised Dolphins’ defence while also being forced to absorb waves of attack.
That pressure told in the 13th minute when a dangerous ball into the area resulted in an own goal, handing Stratford an early 1-0 lead.
To their credit, the Bulls regrouped and found a way back into the contest.
Gradually lifting their intensity, Mareeba began to create opportunities and were rewarded when Wayne Srhoj stepped up to take a free kick just outside the 18-yard box.
His strike slipped through the hands of stand-in goalkeeper Angelo Serafin and over the line, levelling the scores at 1-1 heading into the break.
The second half became a tight contest, with both sides battling for control but unable to find a breakthrough.
However, the game shifted dramatically in the final 15 minutes. Srhoj, already on a yellow card, was shown a second for ungentlemanly conduct following an altercation in the penalty area. Moments later, striker Darcy McCormack was given a straight red, leaving Mareeba with just nine men for the closing stages.
Facing the odds, the Bulls showed immense courage and resilience, defending desperately against a sustained Stratford onslaught. Despite being two players down, Mareeba held firm for much of the closing period and looked set to earn a hard-fought point.
But heartbreak came right on full time when Stratford found the decisive goal, snatching a 2-1 victory and leaving the Bulls to reflect on what might have been.
Mareeba Bulls coach Victor Madrid praised his side’s character in adversity.
“What I’m most proud of is for those 20 minutes we were down to nine men, the effort and the intensity and hunger shone through,” Madrid said. “I feel for the guys; they worked hard and to lose at the death was a hard pill to swallow.
“Looking forward, we need to stick to our principles. We gave away too much ball in the first half, our decision making needs to be better. There are no excuses, we need to keep building and move forward.”
The Bulls play the Redlynch Strikers at home this Sunday.
