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With points still up for grabs and the middle of the ladder changing week to week, Round Sixteen of the QSL was an important stage of the competition.Whitsunday Miners 3 - 1 Gold Coast Stars
Hosting the Gold Coast Stars on Saturday night, Whitsunday returned from the bye victorious with a come from behind 3-1 victory.
With just ten points between first and sixth spot on the QSL table and other teams hot on their feet, Whitsunday needed to win in order to remain one spot above the Stars. But the game initially didn't go as planned.
Both teams were kept scoreless in the early tussle but when the Miners had a man red carded the Stars took the advantage with zippy midfielder Liam McCormick scoring on the stroke of half time.
The Miners however were not done and dusted. In familiar fashion they toughed it out and came out after the break ready to turn the match on its head. And they did.
Jordan Corte scored a double to give his team the lead and Aaron Craig topped it off in the 88th minute to seal a memorable 3-1 win for the Miners.
Far North Queensland Bulls 5 - 0 Bundaberg Spirit
Local fans who turned out on a chilly Saturday night in Far North Queensland were rewarded with their team smashing Bundaberg Spirit 5-0.
Once again the depleted Spirit just could not match the forward momentum of the more seasoned attacking prowess of the Bulls who had scored nine goals in the past two games.
The onslaught began early with youngster Nathan Bird knocking in FNQ's first. He was followed soon after by Bulls captain Victor Madrid who scored in the 14th minute, before Steven Cater finished the half with another.
Try as they might, Bundaberg didn't lack spirit as they valiantly searched for a goal of their own, but FNQ were just too good.
After the half Cater got his second of the night and Alex Plowman too got one past the 'keeper in the 66th minute ensuring FNQ kept their third position on the ladder safe and sound.
Queensland Academy of Sport 3 - 2 North Queensland Razorbacks
Queensland Academy of Sport showed determination and maturity beyond their years to post a gutsy 3-2 victory over North Queensland Razorbacks at Meakin Park on Sunday afternoon.
QAS dictated proceedings sitting high up the pitch, but having toughed out a come-from-behind 3-3 draw with Brisbane Strikers last week, the Razorbacks would not lie down. NQ’s counter attack was proving to be their strong point, with their midfielders working the ball to each other nicely with deft one-touch passing.
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| Photo: Melanie Dinjaski |
In the dying moments of the first half QAS got another from a well placed Borrello corner with Kwame Yeboah giving QAS a 2-0 buffer going into the break.
In the second half against the run of play NQ then salvaged a goal back to reduce the deficit with a penalty taken by the reliable Lee Mayberry who took full advantage of the opportunity. The Razorbacks got another penalty goal in the 84th minute and David Han brought it back to 2-2.
Then after 90 minutes, deep into injury time, workhorse Brandon Borrello, plucked the ball from NQ and ran it down the right side and put a whopping strike past the ‘keeper.
The three points means QAS maintain outright fourth position on the QSL ladder.
Sunshine Coast Fire 5 - 0 Capricorn Cougars
Sunshine Coast returned to top spot in the QSL with a 5-0 win over Capricorn Cougars at Kawana on Sunday afternoon.
In what will encourage their supporters and intimidate their opponents to come, Sunshine Coast had four different goal scorers against the Cougars, displaying the wealth of talent within their ranks, beyond the QSL's leading MVP and Golden Boot player Tyson Holmes.
However it was a slow start for the Fire. They took just a 1-0 lead at the break against the bottom-of-the-ladder Cougars. But they came out in the second term with greater enthusiasm and ruthlessness.
Tyson Holmes kicked it off with a goal after just five minutes back on the pitch. Shaun Blackman scored again in the 56th minute to take the lead to 3-0 and then Gareth Musson and Grieg Henslee put one each in the back of the net for a convincing 5-0 victory.
With the Brisbane Strikers back from the bye next week, top spot will once again be a hotly contested prize, but for now Sunshine Coast are once again top dog in the QSL.
BYE - Brisbane Strikers
QSL Ladder
# | Club Name | G | W | D | L | F | A | GD | P |
1 | Sunshine Coast FC | 13 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 44 | 9 | 35 | 30 |
2 | Brisbane Strikers FC | 13 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 41 | 15 | 26 | 28 |
3 | FNQ Bulls | 14 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 21 | 15 | 24 |
4 | Queensland Academy of Sport | 15 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 32 | 26 | 6 | 23 |
5 | Whitsunday Miners | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 24 | 17 | 7 | 22 |
6 | Gold Coast Stars | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 23 | 24 | -1 | 18 |
7 | NQ McDonald's Razorbacks | 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 33 | 27 | 6 | 17 |
8 | Bundaberg Spirit | 13 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 50 | -39 | 4 |
9 | Capricorn Cougars | 14 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 10 | 65 | -55 | 3 |
G = Games Played, W = Win, D = Draw, L = Loss, F = Goals For, A = Goals Against, GD = Goal Difference, P = Points