BOAMBEE FC progressed to the fourth round of the FFA Cup with 3-0 win over Coastal Premier League rivals Sawtell FC at Ayrshire Park last Saturday.

Sawtell started strongly and hit the post in the first ten minutes but it was Thomas Frewen for Boambee who opened the scoring with a towering header from a Brady Parker corner to give the Bombers a 1-0 lead at half time.

Both teams had chances in the second half but it was veteran striker Brady Parker who added to the Bombers tally with a trademark strike from 25 yards.

As the game progressed, the young team from Sawtell poured forwards in search of an equaliser but against the run of play the Bombers counter attacked and Adam Pickup secured the Bombers a ticket into the fourth round with a composed penalty into the bottom left corner.

Boambee player/coach Troy Hearfield played in the Hyundai A-League for over 7 years with the Newcastle Jets, Wellington Phoenix and Central Coast Mariners where he won A-League grand finals for both the Jets and the Mariners in a distinguished playing career.

Troy spoke to News Of The Area prior to kickoff.

“I will be playing in central defence, it’s a position where I can influence the game more and help shape the team from the back,” he said.

The veteran A-League star was vocal from the first minute shaping the team into his favoured 4-3-3 formation, encouraging his team mates to pass the ball from the back and find pockets of space through the middle.

Hearfield’s vision and passing range allowed him to ping the ball around the park turning defence into attack for the Bombers.

For long periods of the match Sawtell matched last year’s North Zone champions and instilled their own brand of passing football, and there were plenty of positives and things to take to the training ground for Sawtell Coach Joe Skrtic.

“It was great to finally get back out onto the pitch and have a game of football, I thought my side did well considering we have a lot of new players and they are still trying to gel with one another.

“We had some good moments during the game that we can build on, Boambee stretched us across the park and were quick in transition.

“There are a lot of positives we can take out of the game and we are looking forward to the start of the CPL season,” said Joe.

By David WIGLEY