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QSL: It may have been a catch up round for those matches cancelled due to bad weather earlier in the season but there was still plenty to play for, especially for top placed teams Sunshine Coast and Brisbane Strikers.Sunshine Coast Fire 4 – 3 Brisbane Strikers
Sunshine Coast took the home ground advantage to be crowned the Queensland State League premiers on Friday night, clinching a 4-3 win over Brisbane Strikers.
Strikers went into the match with a significant disadvantage. Playing away from home, they also had to do without injured defender Josh Searle and their top goal scorer Matt Thurtell who was in New Zealand trialling with A-League team, Wellington Phoenix.
It was no surprise then that Sunshine Coast were the first to fire taking the lead in just the 10th minute through Jason Hicks who pounced on bad pass to put his team in front. As Strikers took back control of the game, the ever-dangerous Gareth Musson then doubled the Fire’s advantage in the 25th minute. Off a free kick just inside their opponent’s half the Strikers finally got one back thanks to a switched-on Sean Burke, who smashed the ball in from close range.
Despite the Strikers getting one back, they conceded once again just minutes later with a nice effort from Leon Dwyer, which gave the Fire a commanding 3-1 lead heading into the break.
Sunshine Coast came out with a winning attitude and took their lead to 4-1 when Hicks again made the most of a Strikers clearance error.
Brisbane fought back to get two goals in the 69th and 92nd minutes but it was too little too late, with the score-line flattering the visitors.
Earning top spot at the end of the regular season the Sunshine Coast team took away the premiership for the second year in a row.
If they are to top off a truly successful season there still remains one more hurdle for the Fire – the QSL Championship. Round One of the finals begin next weekend, kicking off on Saturday night with Sunshine Coast playing a premiership re-match against Brisbane Strikers.
Gold Coast Stars 3 – 2 FNQ Bulls
Gold Coast held off a comeback from the Bulls to come away with a 3-2 victory in Mareeba on Saturday night.
Both sides were unable to assert dominance in the first half. But Gold Coast were in excellent form, while FNQ were coming off a bye so the Stars went in with the upper hand despite playing away from home. Liam McCormick scored the first goal of the match for the Stars striking it from 10m out after weaving through the Bulls defence.
The score remained at 1-0 going into the second half, until the Bulls struck back through pocket-rocket Josiah Rusch.
The match was deadlocked as each team struggled to come out on top. Just when it looked as though a draw was the likely outcome, a spree of goals changed the game.
John Prugh’s powerful header got Gold Coast the lead back, only for Bronson Koppen to bring it right back to 2-2 in the 87th minute.
Controversy erupted when a penalty was overturned by the referee after initially awarding a spot kick for the Stars captain John Costello, who fell to the ground in the box.
It didn’t matter though with Costello getting a final goal in the dying minutes to send his team home winners.
Whitsunday Miners 4 – 0 Bundaberg Spirit
Whitsunday secured a home final with an expected 4-0 trumping of Bundaberg Spirit up in Mackay.
Coming of a stint suspended and off the pitch, Jamie Hatch came back in the best way possible with a goal for the Miners in the 19th minute, which was nicely set up by teammate Nelson Burgess.
As was the case in previous Miners clashes, winger Jamie White was in the thick of it once again. Brought down on the edge of the box, the free kick was taken and put away by Brett Neeve who was sitting at the back post.
Showing his individual class White was then rewarded with a goal to his name a minute before half time.
Try as they might, Bundaberg had no answer to Whitsunday’s disciplined performance who were in control from start to finish. The Miners could have in fact scored more, if not for some luck going in the Spirit’s way.
In the 79th minute a penalty was awarded for the Miners and Clark Bradford sealed the 4-0 win with a decisive strike.
Securing a home final match - a first for the Miners - it will also see the area’s brand new ground, Mackay Stadium officially christened.
The win, combined with the Stars victory, saw the Miners propel to third spot in the final ladder standings for the regular season. They will now take on Gold Coast in the first round of the finals series.
QSL LADDER
| # | Club Name | G | W | D | L | F | A | GD | P |
| 1 | Sunshine Coast FC | 16 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 55 | 14 | 41 | 36 |
| 2 | Brisbane Strikers FC | 16 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 46 | 21 | 25 | 31 |
| 3 | Whitsunday Miners | 16 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 31 | 21 | 10 | 28 |
| 4 | FNQ Bulls | 16 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 42 | 26 | 16 | 27 |
| 5 | Queensland Academy of Sport | 16 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 35 | 26 | 9 | 26 |
| 6 | Gold Coast Stars | 16 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 28 | 25 | 3 | 26 |
| 7 | NQ McDonald's Razorbacks | 16 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 36 | 31 | 5 | 20 |
| 8 | Bundaberg Spirit | 16 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 12 | 65 | -53 | 4 |
| 9 | Capricorn Cougars | 16 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 13 | 69 | -56 | 4 |
G = Games Played, W = Win, D = Draw, L = Loss, F = Goals For, A = Goals Against, GD = Goal Difference, P = Points
FINALS - ROUND 1
1st vs 2nd - Brisbane Strikers vs Sunshine Coast Fire
Saturday 6th August – 7.00pm
Perry Park, Bowen Hills
3rd vs 6th - Whitsunday Miners vs Gold Coast Stars
Saturday 6th August – 7.00pm
TBC
4th vs 5th - FNQ Bulls vs QLD Academy of Sport
Saturday 6th August – 7.00pm
Borzi Park, Mareeba