Brisbane City take home the points in physical encounter

Brisbane City continued their rise up the Brisbane Premier League ladder with a hard fought 1-0 win over North Pine in a physical affair at Spencer Park on Sunday.

Looking for their third win in four weeks Brisbane City had the best of the early opportunities and took the lead after only 12 minutes.

Kyang Jeong streaked down the wing beating three North Pine defenders before unleashing a deadly cross that was impeccably finished by striker Jared Austin, hammering the ball in to the back of the net.

Only eight minutes later the goal scorer Austin continued to terrorize going close to doubling his tally when he volleyed across the goal before it was cleared by a desperate North Pine defence.

Brisbane City keeper Aurelian Berson was forced to put his body on the line in the 26th minute making an acrobatic save on the back of a dangerous shot from North Pine’s Marc Wheeler.

North Pine had another great opportunity to level in the scores in the 36th minute when Wheeler beat his marker and unleashed a deadly shot from just inside the box, however 'keeper Berson once again showed off his class pulling off an amazing diving save.

Brisbane City went into the break with a narrow 1-0 lead; however neither side had truly taken control of the match.

The sky blues looked to put their foot down from the outset of the second half, again looking to the dangerous Austin out wide to spark an attack.

It was Austin that gave City their best chance early on after he was taken down just outside the 18 yard box however his free kick sailed wide and high.

North Pine looked to strike back quickly and went inches away from scoring in the 55th minute when a James Macintyre cross was misjudged by both the City defence and goalkeeper Berson, the ball going just outside the left upright.

Both sides dug in as the second half progressed with no side creating any genuine chances.

Referee David Wiebe gave North Pine a golden opportunity to steal an equalizer when he awarded them an indirect free kick just on the edge of the box in the 80th minute.

However Craig Parker’s powerful curling effort just sailed wide.

City and North Pine both lifted the intensity in the final stages of the match, with both sides determined to take maximum points from the encounter.

North pine looked to have one final chance to tie the match however the stingy Brisbane city defence held strong to guarantee the three points and the win.

Brisbane City -1 (J Austin 12’) North Pine - 0