QLD Wrap: Top five firm for finals

Round 15 of the NPL Queensland saw the top five blockade themselves in a fight for the four finals positions, notably featuring a galvanised Brisbane Strikers.

Brisbane Strikers back in blue. (Credit: Football Queensland)

Another strong win for Olympic FC, however, was overshadowed by news that four senior players have been suspended by Football Federation Australia for gambling on a pre-season match.

QAS 0
Sunshine Coast 2 (Scarff 41' 50')

Two goals either side of the break from the recently returned Michael Scarff swept Sunshine Coast to a 2-0 victory over the QAS in Ipswich on Saturday.

Target-man Scarff has been picked up for a second spell with Fire and quickly put his goalscoring form in the local leagues to good use, scoring both goals from Nico Bechar corners.

While Sunshine Coast have drafted in Scarff to boost their attacking stocks, the Academy themselves have only managed a league-low of fifteen goals this season, spoiling a defence which has conceded fewer than the two sides directly above their bottom-place.

Fire next host Palm Beach, while the QAS meet Northern Fury at Perry Park.

Palm Beach Sharks 0
Olympic FC 6 (Smits 5', 20', 31' Heath 9' Ingham 40' Ito 87')

Former Brisbane Roar striker Tim Smits struck his second consecutive first-half hattrick on Saturday evening in Olympic FC's 6-0 demolition of Palm Beach at Mallawa Complex.

Smits scored three in last round's 6-2 win over Brisbane Strikers and a had another trio seconds after the half hour against the Sharks, with Matt Heath's strike coming amidst the centre-forward's flurry for a 4-0 Olympic lead after 31 minutes.

Jai Ingham's strike five minutes from the break meant half of his eight for the season came in the month of June, and after conceding two goals to zero in the second half of their match last weekend, the visitors this time preserved a clean sheet, adding a late six through Japanese fullback Kazuya Ito.

The result completes a mixed run of four home matches for Palm Beach in which they have won two, lost two, scored eight and conceded thirteen.

Western Pride 0
Northern Fury 2 (Read 15' Eisenhut 47')

Northern Fury banished a run of three straight draws on Saturday night when they overcame Western Pride 2-0 at Eric Evans Oval.

Vice-captain Alex Read was again the instigator for Fury with the opener in the 15th minute, his eleventh overall, before industrious midfielder Michael Eisenhut eased any nerves by adding a second two minutes after the restart.

Pride lost defender Devon Munn during the match to a red card and, perhaps even more alarmingly, fired their fourth blank in five matches.

The Ipswich outfit won't find it any easier away to Redlands next round, while Fury tackle the QAS in Brisbane.

CQFC Energy 1 (Lancaster 9')
Brisbane City 2 (Murray p.68', 80')

Antonio Murray returned from his Brisbane Roar trial and immediately settled back into the scoring groove, scoring a late brace to turn around Brisbane City's match in Rockhampton on Saturday.

Second-last Central Queensland found a shock opener in just the ninth minute through Jarod Lancaster and held that lead for just shy of an hour, when Murray stepped up to convert a penalty won though the hosts' handball.

The striker then completed the turnaround for City twelve minutes later by capitalising on the error of Energy 'keeper Tim English, rescuing a three points for the second-placed visitors which for a long while looked lost.

Central Queensland will still take some positives from pushing a title-challenger so close and can put those into practice when they next tackle another challenge in Brisbane Strikers at Perry Park.

FNQ Heat 0
Brisbane Strikers 4 (McVey 27', 67' Bradford 37' De Nittis 77')

Brisbane Strikers got back on track with a morale-boosting 4-0 away defeat of Far North Queensland on Saturday night.

Strikers were inflicted a deep wound when they were beaten 6-2 by Olympic FC last weekend but carried on the momentum of their two goals to none second half at Cairns' Endeavour Park, unifying to score twice in both halves.

Attackers Josh McVey, courtesy of a double, Josh De Nittis and midfielder Clark Bradford profited from the improved performance with four goals amongst them, keeping Heat shackled in tenth.

The result kept Strikers well in the hunt of the top four.

Moreton Bay Jets 1 (Robinson OG 45+2')
Redlands United 4 (Bow 52' Fyfe 57' Macuace 74', 79')

Redlands continued their highly impressive form with a four-goal second half wiping away a 1-0 deficit at Moreton Bay's Wolter Park.

Though four goals flowed after the break, it initially appeared as though the Jets might prevail in a clash between two firing teams when Nick Robinson's own goal put them ahead in first-half stoppage time.

However, the hosts' five-match unbeaten stretch was dismantled and rebuilt into the Devils' fourth win on the bounce with quickfire goals from first Scott Bow and Graham Fyfe, and then later Jheisonn Macuace, capturing a comprehensive victory for the visitors.

Redlands remained second with the result on goal difference, albeit having played a match extra than Brisbane City, whereas slipped slightly off the pace in sixth.