QSL Wrap: Finals fight intensifies

Far North Queensland fuelled their sharp ascent into genuine QSL championship contention by becoming the first team since round three to defeat the Brisbane Strikers.

Elsewhere in a round of intrigue, Sunshine Coast made it two impressive wins on the trot, Whitsunday missed another chance, and Gold Coast and Bundaberg defied ladder positions to fight out a four-goal thriller.

QAS 0 – 5 Sunshine Coast Fire
(Lucas 27’ Henslee 45’ Firth 56’ Holmes 85’, 88’)

Sunshine Coast sent an ominous warning to their finals rivals on Saturday, crushing the QAS to score another impressive win on the road.

A goal on the stroke of half-time and the dismissal of Academy winger Patrick Theodore shortly thereafter cruelled any aspirations the home side had of reigniting a finals challenge, while strengthening Fire’s claims of a fourth QSL championship.

The visitors’ incentives of consecutive wins and an improved ladder position were enough impetus for them to make a dominant start, eventually creating and finishing a clear chance though New Zealand Olympian Dakota Lucas in the 27th minute. The match, however, was decided in a couple of minutes either side of the break as defender Greig Henslee headed a looping second for Fire, before the QAS were reduced to ten as Theodore was shown a second yellow moments into the second-half. Further goals to imposing midfielder DJ Firth and a quickfire double from returned captain Tyson Holmes sealed the five-goal crushing.

Sunshine Coast’s win saw them move from fourth to third and remain an outside chance of pipping the Bulls to a home final, while the QAS’ chances of post-season action are effectively over.

FNQ Bulls 3 – 0 Brisbane Strikers
(Mottin OG 36’ De Nittis 45’ Murphy 79’)

The Brisbane Strikers suffered their first loss in nineteen rounds at Borzi Park on Saturday, given a hefty pre-finals shock by a rampant FNQ Bulls.

Not only did the commanding 3-0 win make a home final Far North Queensland’s to lose, it confirmed the runaway league leaders as vincible.

A tight opening to the match saw fortune fall the way of the hosts as Nathan Bird did enough to draw an own goal from defensive midfielder Ryan Mottin, who had only just replaced the injured Josh Searle. Winger Josh De Nittis, who played a key hand in the opener, then harassed defender Nick Robinson into a crucial error and applied the finish for the boisterous Bulls’ half-time boost. The Cairns club’s dream night, their second in two weeks having drubbed Whitsunday 5-0 last round, was given a top-notch ending when midfielder Matt Murphy smashed in an emphatic third and final goal for the Bulls.

The unexpected scoreline sealed FNQ’s seventh match without loss, the last of which was a home defeat to the Strikers who, now winless in two, will be eager to rediscover their untouchable form at home to Capricorn next round.

Capricorn Cougars 1 – 1 Whitsunday Miners
(J Sauer 35’) (Bradford pen 25’)

Whitsunday dropped to fourth on Sunday as they were unable to hold a first-half lead over Capricorn in Rockhampton.

A goal from either side in the opening term gave an unwanted point to both as the Cougars failed to close the gap on the now fourth-placed Miners, who themselves fell a point behind Sunshine Coast.

Newly-appointed captain Jarod Lancaster was praised in the post-match by Cougars coach Joe Fenech but his efforts weren’t enough to tip the result in Capricorn’s favour, the home side settling for a point as Jonathon Sauer’s long-range strike cancelled out Miners MVP-favourite Clark Bradford’s 25th minute penalty.

While Capricorn appear out of the finals reckoning, a four-match unbeaten run will see them visit Perry Park next week with plenty of zip, while Whitsunday can again begin pushing for a higher finish at home to Bundaberg.

Gold Coast 2 – 2 Bundaberg Spirit
(Doherty 8’ Harris 90’) (Kitching 67’ Evans 68’)

A thrilling four-goal affair eventually meant the points would be shared between Gold Coast and Bundaberg despite both sides holding leads at Mudgeeraba Soccer Club.

The match was notable for nothing if not in the opposite routes the two sides took to scoring their goals: Gold Coast did their damage at either end of the match, in contrast to Bundaberg’s two goals in two second-half minutes.

Attacker Jason Doherty put the Stars in front with his third of the season before goals from captain Brett Kitching and Tommy Evans just beyond the hour swung the match back in Spirit’s favour. However, in the clash between ninth and seventh, there was more drama to come as a ninetieth-minute goal prevented the visitors from moving into sixth, and gave Gold Coast their fifth point of the campaign.

Bundaberg, as with many clubs across the league, are now in competition with their local football association, Fraser Coast Football, for Wide Bay’s Australian Premier League license.

NQ Razorbacks – BYE