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Eastern Suburbs 3:4 Brisbane City
(Woodruffe ‘3; Glockner ’32; Farina ’76) (Shepherd ’42; Murray ’46, ’69; Blackadder ’90)
Brisbane City walked away from Heath Park victorious in Friday night’s game - a thrilling goalfest full of ups-and-downs for both sides.
Veteran striker Russell Woodruffe got his name on the scoresheet early on to put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot. Both teams shared chances, but again it was Easts who converted theirs, Carter Glockner striking a low shot past Aurelion Berson, before Antonio Murray’s penalty was saved brilliantly by Phillip Zabaks. But when the breakthrough for City finally came, it did so in doubles, first Andrew Shepherd getting on the end of a Murray cross, then Murray himself evening up the score with a clinical strike on the verge of half-time. City looked the more dangerous as the second half began and Murray made sure it would tell on the scoreline, heading in his brace to complete City’s comeback. But a contentious penalty and red card for City’s Neko Vujevich brought Easts back in the game, Jordan Farina stepping up to equalise with fifteen minutes to play. Nonetheless, City produced a miracle finish, Kyle Blackadder rising to head home the winner from a long free-kick which Zabaks should have dealt with.
The Azzuri maintain their position in the top six, while Easts will rue the result prior to a treacherous next three weeks, in which they play the top three sides in the league.
Peninsula Power 1:1 Lions FC
(Roulston ’45) (Musson ’21)
Title challengers Power slipped-up at home to a determined Lions FC, themselves looking to make headwaves and climb into the top six.
Lions looked every part a match for their more fancied hosts early on, and a fluent passing move led to the opener. Gareth Musson received a cut-back from Andrew Butler and coolly placed his shot past a helpless Jake Reesby. But Power hit back before half time, Andrew Roulston with the deftest of touches – getting on the end of a long free kick on the stroke of halftime. Both sides contested a tight and physical second half, however no-one was able to edge ahead. Power’s Lewis Bonar spurred his side’s best opportunity when it looked easier to score in front of an open goal.
The draw sees Power drop to 8 points behind leaders Rochedale, albeit with a game in hand. Lions FC are knocking on the door, now only three points behind 6th placed Olympic and with a game in hand.
North Star 0:5 Redlands United
(Meredith ’17; Mojica ’57; Macuace ’65, ’72; Barbarouses ’89)
Travelling Redlands United turned in a dominant second half display to thump a defensively feeble North Star.
Rhys Meredith opened the scoring early on for the visitors but it was the only breakthrough in the opening 45 minutes. The Devils came out firing in the second period and quickly closed out the game. A Jheison Macuace double either side of strikes from Jose Mojica and George Barbarouses rounded off a comprehensive victory. The game threatened to boil over, as Star’s Royce Brownlie and Redlands’ Michael Eagar were both shown their marching orders.
North Star need to find some consistency if they are to climb above the danger zone, while Redlands look to be this year’s emerging power – their fluent passing style turning heads week in week out.
North Pine 1:2 University of Queensland
(Esdale ‘7) (Stewart-McLean ’56; Moore ’72)
A promising start by strugglers North Pine was not enough, as visitors UQ punished the Gorillas’ defensive vulnerability to snatch all three points.
Goalscoring has been a major problem for the cellar dwellers, but it didn’t look that way when Hayden Esdale opened the scoring to the delight of the home fans within ten minutes of the start. It was only the second time the Gorillas had taken the lead and they enjoyed that luxury heading into half-time. But it was a story too familiar in the second period, sloppy defending allowing first Daniel Stewart-McLean and then Peter Moore to turn the score around.
It was only just, but it was enough for UQ, who sit four points adrift of the top six. North Pine remain winless and at this pace seem destined for the drop.
Souths United 1:5 Taringa Rovers
(Rayner ’76) (Pase ’50; Keen ’63, ’82, ’88; OG ’70)
A frantic six-goal second half display saw Taringa run away with the spoils, with Souths only managing one of those six goals.
Both teams came into the game with contrasting form, Taringa on the back of their first win of the season achieved mid-week at UQ, Souths humiliated by a 0-12 thrashing at Rochedale. A tightly contested but fruitless first half preceded Rovers’ second half blitz. Alistair Pase got the scoring underway after a brilliant solo run within five minutes of the restart. Pase then linked up with teammate Ian Keen who doubled the lead, shortly before a horrendous ricochet own-goal by Souths. Joshua Rayner pulled one back for Souths from a corner but it only provided a brief glimmer of hope. With less than ten minutes to play Keen put the result beyond doubt from a corner and he shortly completed his hat-trick and put the finishing touch on the rout.
In-form Taringa climb above the bottom three following two successive wins, while Souths languish in dangerous territory and are all at sea defensively – having shipped 17 goals in their last two matches.
Capalaba 0:1 Rochedale
(Smits ‘5)
An early Tim Smits strike was enough for Rochedale to edge past a dogged Capalaba side at John Fredericks Park on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts came into the game on the back of a 0-2 derby loss at Redlands, while Rochedale were still buzzing from their 12-0 hammering of Souths in mid-week. But this time around one goal proved the difference in a resilient defensive display that keeps the Rovers at the summit of the table. Tim Smits picked up his 11th goal of the season with barely five minutes on the clock, edging one past Dogs custodian Sean Curtis to the delight of the travelling fans. The visitors closed the game out in the second half in a dominating midfield display. Rochedale enjoy a three point lead over Wolves at the top, although having played a game extra.
The loss is a setback for Capalaba’s charge towards top six contention, the Bulldogs now sit seven points behind Olympic in 6th – closer to relegation than finals football.
Olympic FC 1:2 Wolves FC
(Byrne ’58) (Mikula ’68; Radulovic ’80)
Wolves kept the pressure at the top with a determined victory away to Olympic, overturning a one goal deficit in a pulsating second half.
The visitors lived up to their tag as pre-game favourites and dominated the first half, albeit creating few clear goalscoring opportunities. The best of those fell to Wolves skipper Paul Mikula, who stepped up to take a penalty after Kado Aoci was adjudged to be brought down by Mark Fisk. To Wolves’ despair Mikula fired wide – and early let-off for an Olympic defence struggling to contain Aoci’s pace up front. But after the restart and completely against the run of play, Olympic’s talisman Danny Byrne struck another sublime shot to put his side ahead just short of the hour mark. It was the wakeup call Wolves needed, as they continued to push forward and this time made it count, Mikula rising highest to head home at the far post. They were not satisfied with just a point from a match they mostly dominated and continued pressing. The moment of difference came from substitute Sasa Radulovic with ten minutes remaining, coolly chipping James Eccles to hand Sam Saif’s men all three points.
For Wolves, it was the sort of grinding win on the road that proves the difference come season’s end, whilst Olympic will concede they were mostly outplayed and lack depth in comparison to the league’s top sides.
