VIDEO: A-League in 2 minutes | Episode 2

The brand new weekly video is here again. If you've missed out on any of the action from the past week, press play on the A-League in 2 minutes, a lighthearted take on the last seven days in football.

If you enjoy the show, subscribe on YouTube and tell everyone you know.

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BPL Wrap: Lions crowned Minor Premiers

A decisive weekend of BPL action saw Lions FC crowned minor premiers and Rochedale secure the fourth and last place in the finals. Elsewhere, Logan, Wolves and Power enjoyed thumping victories, while Eastern Suburbs scraped past Ipswich with a bit of luck.      

UQ FC   2:5   Rochedale Rovers    

Rochedale Rovers secured fourth spot and a place in the finals with a convincing win away to UQ.    

Everyone will be talking about…

After an indifferent season of inconsistency, Rochedale are in the finals – can they now challenge the top three?

      

Yeah, but what happened?

Rovers were desperate to leave no door open for Easts to have a chance of snatching fourth spot next week. The all-whites got off to a flyer with Joshua Falco and Shanjeev Henny netting two early goals in as many minutes. Ryan Solter pulled one back for the hosts to give them hope at the break, but a brace from Ryota Nokaooka and a Matt Thompson strike blew out the scoreline. Jibril Athumani scored a second for the students after the hour mark, but the damage was done by then.

The numbers:

UQ – Solter ’41; Athumani ‘66

Rochedale – Falco ’16; Henny ’17; Nokaooka ’48, ’55; Thompson ‘61

Looking ahead...

Rochedale face the perfect preparation for the finals when they host Capalaba this weekend, while UQ travel to finals-bound Power.

Capalaba   0:4   Lions FC    

Lions FC secured the BPL minor premiership in their first season back in the league with a 4-0 mauling of Capalaba.  

Everyone will be talking about…

Arguably seen as on-par with Wolves in terms of entertainment value, Graham Ross’ men proved they’re worthy winners as the most consistent side, wrapping up the league with a round to go.

Yeah, but what happened?

It was always going to be a nervy opening period for Lions, knowing any slip-up would most likely be pounced upon by Wolves. A tense half-hour drew to a close and the visiting bench were on their feet soon after to celebrate Kentaro Ishikawa’s well-taken opening goal. The opener took Capalaba by surprise, as the Dogs had settled into the game well – but soon went further behind. Jackson Dixon-Best netted a second before the break to give the visitors breathing space. The result was all but sealed on the hour, when Shoheel Khan prodded home, before Andre Butler made it 4-0 minutes later.                     

The numbers:

Lions – Ishikawa ’34; Dixon-Best ’40; Khan ’58; Butler ‘62

Looking ahead...

It will be interesting to see if Lions rest any players when Easts visit this weekend, while Capalaba travel to Rochedale.  

Lions celebrate the much anticipated winners' trip to Maccas. Photo: Ian Judd - FB Media

Logan Lightning   6:1   North Star  

Logan secured at least a 7^th placed finish with a brace from Daniel Clark and Petar Kostovski highlighting a demolition of North Star.

Everyone will be talking about…

It’s been a solid first season in the BPL for Logan –can they now pip Capalaba for 6^th?       

Yeah, but what happened?

Logan looked the dominant side from the outset, but North Star took the lead against the run of play when Pettegree slotted home in the 20^th minute. It was the last time the visitors would be celebrating anything other than the final whistle for the night, as Logan turned in six unanswered goals. Clark scored a brace before the break to flip the result around, soon followed by Kostovski’s own double. With the three points sealed, Logan were enjoying themselves and late goals to Phillip Randal and Max Brown ballooned the scoreline even further. 

The numbers:

Logan – Clark ’27, ’45; Kostovski ’57, ’78; Randal ’85; Brown ‘89

Star – Pettegree ‘20

Looking ahead...

Logan will hope Capalaba fail on their trip to Rochedale next week, as if they do – victory against visiting Albany Creek will ensure them a commendable 6^th place finish. Star must avoid defeat when Brisbane Force visits, otherwise they will plummet to 2^nd from bottom.

Eastern Suburbs   3:2   Ipswich Knights      

An agonising late Ipswich own goal handed Easts victory in a pulsating encounter consisting of five second half goals.

Everyone will be talking about…

A season that came just short for Easts, after kicking-off as one of the favourites to be involved in the finals.        

Yeah, but what happened?

A tight first half was all but forgotten as soon as Knights’ Jonas Rasmussen turned in the opener on the hour. Easts hit back with great effect through Ryan Stenhouse and Daniel Cunha, but Ipswich were celebrating what they thought would be a certain share of the spoils when Jye Magarry made it 2-2 with four minutes to play. But the match took another cruel twist for Ispwich, who blundered home an own goal in the second minute of stoppage time.                                         

The numbers:

Easts – Stenhouse ’72; Cunha ’78; OG ‘90+2

Ipswich – Rasmussen ’61; Magarry ‘86

Looking ahead...

Easts’ trip to Lions this weekend may provide a glimmer of what could have been, while Ipswich face another stern test when they welcome Wolves.   

Wolves FC   4:1   Albany Creek  

A Kado Aoci hat-trick propelled ten-man Wolves past Albany Creek, who will finish in 9^th position.

Everyone will be talking about…

What a year Aoci has had in front of goal – this weekend’s hat-trick marked his 33^rd goal in the 2013 BPL. 

Yeah, but what happened?

Knowing the minor premiership had slipped away from them the previous day, Wolves were hungry to keep momentum up for their Grand Final title tilt. It looked like a routine victory with half an hour gone, as Kado Aoci had a brace next to his name – one from the penalty spot – and Creek lacked a cutting edge up front. But within minutes the outlook changed, as Drew Jeskey was shown red and James Walker pulled a goal back for Creek on the stroke of half-time. Not to be ridden in panic, Wolves showed their class and composure, sealing the result within ten minutes of the restart with strikes from Aoci and Alex Janovsky.                                           

The numbers:

Wolves – Aoci ‘3, ‘29(pen), ’53; Janovsky ‘55

Creek – Walker ‘45+1

Looking ahead...

Both teams are on the road to mid-table opposition this week, with Wolves travelling to Ipswich and Creek taking on Logan.   

Brisbane Force   1:6   Peninsula Power 

A hat-trick from Ally Graham and a Scott Macnicol brace saw Power demolish Brisbane Force and secure a 3^rd place finish.

Everyone will be talking about…

Power’s dream second half of the season – can they now go on with it in September?         

Yeah, but what happened?

Peninsula seemed to have one thing on their mind in this match – goals, and they delivered. Ally Graham got the ball rolling as early as the third minute, but Force were soon level through Samuel Chesterfield. Michael Butters responded immediately for the visitors, who extended their lead when Graham doubled his account. There was still time for Scott Macnicol to get in on the act before the break, in what was a turning into a blow out. So it proved, with Macnicol and Graham grabbing one more apiece in the second stanza.                                       

The numbers:

Force – Chesterfield ‘9

Power – Graham ‘4, ’33, ’72; Butters ’16; Macnicol ’44, ‘59

Looking ahead...

After a difficult first season in the BPL, Force have a chance to end on high an overtake North Star with a win at O’Callaghan Park this weekend. Power host the other side in the bottom three – cellar dwellers UQ. 

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Pashing is not a crime: Fans slam homophobia

It's had over 500 likes but the overwhelming response from the football Twittersphere was that of disgust.

Yesterday an Instagram account named 'rbbofficial' (which claims to be the official account of the Red and Black Bloc) posted an image depicting a perceived difference in Western Sydney Wanderers and Sydney FC. The image alludes to an idea that a male who supports the Wanderers will attract busty members of the opposite sex whilst a male who supports Sydney FC will attract members of the same sex. It's crude to say the least and comments on Instagram were mixed.

Moreover it's blatantly homophobic, insinuating that there are negative connotations attached to being gay. Banter between fan groups is perfectly fine, it ignites passion and builds game day experiences. But there must be strict boundaries when it comes to discriminatory material.

FIFA dictates that discrimination in any form is punishable but currently doesn't go so far as to name homophobia in this context:

“Discrimination of any kind against a country, private person or group of people on account of ethnic origin, gender, language, religion, politics or any other reason is strictly prohibited and punishable by suspension or expulsion.” 

However it shouldn't have to be a governing body that deals with discrimination. What happened on Twitter is perhaps the ideal scenario as to how 'punishment' should be dealt; a public backlash against the offender.

Twitter yesterday reacted strongly, affirming the cultural and social shift occurring in Australia and around the world. Included in the negative response were members of the RBB who denounced the image as immature and ridiculous.

.Stay classy, @wswanderersfc RBB doing their bit for intolerance. #aleague pic.twitter.com/fzanzoF4Vy
— Johan (@johanson_anders) August 27, 2013

An international anti-homophobia rights Twitter account, FootballvHomophobia, also weighed into the discussion. 

@GuidoTresoldi thanks for making us & @wswanderersfc aware of this. It's also something @FFA should be aware of pic.twitter.com/KBWTIlwXvg
— FootballvHomophobia (@FvHtweets) August 27, 2013

An earlier hashtag, #pashingisnotacrime (a play on the known hashtag and buzz slogan #passionisnotacrime, popularized this year by A-League fans' outrage at misrepresentation in the mainstream media) was brought to the foreground once more.

Hey homophobic RBB members: #PashingIsNotACrime
— Andrew Smith (@A_n_d_r_e_w_S) August 27, 2013

So we're close, but with acts of homophobia and discrimination like this still taking place, the quest for equality continues.

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VPL Wrap: Two horse race

Northcote keep their head above water, Melbourne Knights keep on keeping on. The battle for the finals positions is intriguing as the Victorian Premier League completed week 19.

Bentleigh Greens 2 (Sherbon 52' (p) 65' (p))
Northcote City 4 (Webster (OG)  28' Lujic 70' (p) 88’ Kounavelis 73')
Kingston Heath Soccer Complex

Northcote kept themselves on top of the ladder with a 4-2 win over [likely] finals bound Bentleigh Greens, coming from behind with three goals in the last 20 mins to stay in first position and all but guarantee a top two finish this close to finals.

The Greens keep their ticket in the top five for now but look the most vulnerable with a few weeks remaining. They play Port Melbourne away next week and must grab a point at the very least, Northcote have Dandenong at home.

Credit: Cindy Nitsos

Dandenong Thunder 0
Melbourne Knights 1 (Barisic 81’)
George Andrews Reserve

The Knights continue to take everything before them and look the most likely to steal the accolades from Northcote City. A late winner away at Dandenong continued the Knights’ good form and consolidated their spot second on the ladder.

A huge traditional Melbourne derby against South Melbourne is up next for the Knights. Dandenong need to win their remaining games starting against top side Northcote.


Green Gully Cavaliers 2 (Hayne 55’ 75’)
Richmond 2 (Sweet 68’ Cahill 88’ (p))
Green Gully Reserve

Tom Cahill joined Green Gully in the off season only to re-join Richmond mid-season and he came back to haunt the Cavaliers with a late penalty to see the points shared and cost Green Gully a spot in the final five.

Gully now need to string some wins together if they are going to challenge for yet another year, starting with Southern Stars at home. Richmond, who are looking to take a few scalps in the run home, have Oakleigh at Jack Edwards.


Southern Stars 0
Port Melbourne Sharks 5 (Burgess 3' (OG) Hockless 41' 58' Honos 65' Mason 80')
Kingston Heath Soccer Complex

Port Melbourne emphatically accounted for lowly Southern Stars with a 5-0 win. At 2-0 at half time the score line flattered the Sharks but the 5-0 end result was just reward as VPL star Graeme Hockless ran riot.

Port Melbourne must now be considered a genuine threat in the finals as they sit third on the table with the game at home against Bentleigh this weekend likely match of the round. Stars face the toughest away game in the VPL at Green Gully.


Hume City 2 (Sekulovski 9’ Ofli 67’)
Oakleigh Cannons 3 (Bosnjak 27’ Zoric 61 Christodoulou 90’)
Broadmeadows Valley Park

Oakleigh kept their slim finals hope alive whilst drastically cutting Hume's chances in a 3-2 away win. A late goal to the Cannons' Evan Christodoulou broke the hearts of Hume as they recorded their fourth loss on the trot and slipped to seventh on the table after being a genuine chance to catch top spot a month ago.

Oakleigh are mathematically a chance and need to get more wins on the board continuing away at Richmond next weekend. Hume needs to get back on track but it doesn't get any easier with an away fixture at Port Melbourne.


South Melbourne 3 (Soolsma 6’ Hopper 30’ Rixon 53’)
Pascoe Vale 2 (L. Santilli 8’ Ferrante (p) 18’)
Lakeside Stadium

South Melbourne kept their foot in the finals door and set up an intriguing traditional Melbourne derby next weekend against the Knights with a 3-2 win over Pascoe Vale. With 2-2 the score at the half time break South fans could have be forgiven for feeling a little pessimistic given the inconsistent form their team have produced all season, but marksman Trent Rixon pobbed up and did what he does best to score. Pascoe Vale can still shape the top five and have their own local derby versus Hume City coming up.

POS	TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1	Northcote City	19	12	4	3	47	15	32	40
2	Melbourne Knights	19	11	4	4	29	20	9	37
3	Port Melbourne Sharks	19	10	3	6	31	24	7	33
4	Bentleigh Greens	19	8	7	4	35	23	12	31
5	South Melbourne	19	9	4	6	39	32	7	31
6	Green Gully Cavaliers	18	8	4	6	28	24	4	28
7	Hume City	19	9	1	9	28	40	-12	28
8	Dandenong Thunder	18	8	3	7	27	24	3	24
9	Oakleigh Cannons	18	7	3	8	31	29	2	24
10	Pascoe Vale	19	4	5	10	21	28	-7	17
11	Richmond	18	2	5	11	24	41	-17	11
12	Southern Stars	19	1	3	15	11	51	-40	6

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Wellington Phoenix 2013/14 kit leaked?

Here you go A-League fans, what appears to be the Wellington Phoenix 2013/14 kit revealed in a preseason photoshoot. The official Twitter account for the Hyundai A-League (@ALeague) today tweeted this picture, showing off the new 'Nix kit before it's officially announced.

The A-League have since deleted the picture.

What do you think of Wellington's new home kit?

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Football. Music. Culture: a doco by Shane Boyle

Diehard football fan Shane Boyle is producing an exciting documentary that explores football and music fanaticism and how these are expressions of the cultural history and identity of a city or country.

It's an ambitious project, traveling across Europe exploring cities such as Newcastle, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Milan, Rome, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Barcelona. The scale of the original idea however was initially not as grand.

"I had originally thought I'd simply write a blog" explained Boyle.

"But with the mobile nature of camera technology these days I was able to put a crew of people together that had the writing and film expertise to make this thing happen."

Combining his love for football and music with another outlet, Boyle hopes to show viewers hidden truths about the places the documentary visits.

"The third is passion of mine is anthropology which I have always had a sneaky obsession with. I love observing people and finding out why they act as they do, and historical cross cultural comparisons."

An example of a hidden truth of which Football. Music. Culture hopes to explore can be found in Rome.

"There is an ancient act of stabbing your enemy in the ass cheek. Not life threatening, but you know about it for weeks on end. They're in your head. It still happens within the AS Roma and SS Lazio hardcore fans.

"I want to explore that."

Boyle and his production team are seeking $12 500 in funding for the project to cover filming and editing expenses, and are crowdfunding through Pozible. They are already more than half way to achieving their goal, with just under a month left to go. You can contribute to their campaign here.

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VIDEO: A-League in 2 minutes | Episode 1

Here at The Football Sack we've launched a major new addition to our website content, the A-League in 2 minutes weekly video.

It's a light-hearted but informative webvideo that we believe can become a staple for A-League fans across the country.

So have a watch and if you enjoy it subscribe to our YouTube channel. Help us get the word out there by then sharing it with your friends.

And yes, the audio will be fixed in episode two!

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Stocky’s Scribbles: Mini Matildas warm-up a success

With Belinda Wilson recently taking over the reins of the U16 National Women’s team, she publicly stated that this friendly series against New Zealand was to establish where the squad of 23 was at. She also believed it would reveal how the new players she has introduced have blended with the existing group, how well the group have developed and understood the instructions provided at the recent training camps and more importantly, their execution of these plays at an international level. 

As we all know, this series leads the Mini Matildas into the U/16 Asian Championships next month in September where they will play China and Bahrain aiming to secure top spot so that they qualify for next year’s U/17’s World Cup in Costa Rica. So bring it on New Zealand!

Credit: Craig Stockdale

With mixed results from the series, coach Belinda Wilson may now have a better understanding of what the group needs to work on in the run up to China. Wrapping up the three game series at the AIS on Saturday August 17th under brilliant sunshine, the Mini Matilda’s had a 6 nil win over the Kiwis closing the series out in emphatic fashion. Let’s rewind and encapsulate what happened over the series. 

Game 1 – Australia 2 (Sunny Franco and Jessica Waterhouse) vs New Zealand 1 

The friendly series began back on Sunday 11th August where the Australians played the New Zealanders in an 'unofficial training' match with only invited media in attendance. (I missed out). It was in this game that Wilson was able to start with several new comers to the squad and assess different combinations on the pitch.

There were players who were unable to attend the Korean tour due to illness and injury so this provided Wilson with a ‘sandpit environment’ to observe them in action and trial different combinations. The result was a solid 2 to 1 win for the Australians in what I believe was a hard contested game with many positive outcomes for both teams.

Goals were attributed to the ‘inform’ forward Sunny Franco and the consistent midfielder Jessica Waterhouse with the latter slotting a goal from 25 metres out using the outside of her right foot guiding the ball past the keeper and into the top corner of the net. A trusted resource indicated that the Australians had the majority of possession for the duration of the game struggling to convert the many opportunities presented up forward. New Zealand played well and certainly took it up to the Mini Matildas on the day. 


Game 2 – Australia 0 vs New Zealand 0 

Game two was played on Wednesday August 14th at the AIS athletics arena under brilliant sunshine with neither team being able to convert the many opportunities on offer and resulting in a nil all draw.

With Matilda’s royalty watching the game in the form of player Michelle Hayman, National coach Hesterine De Reus and goalkeeper coach Paul Jones, the future of Australian women’s football was on display for all to see. A strong westerly breeze favoured the New Zealand goal in the first half and the Australians fought hard defensively right from the get go.

Wilson opted for Teagan Micah to protect the goal line with the support of Matilda Potter, Sienna Senatore, Victoria Guzman and Chloe O’Brien down back. In the engine room Wilson opted for Jessica Pitts, Alexandra Chidiac and Jessica Waterhouse while up front, the youngster Afrikah McGladrigan, Angela Beard and Tia Gavin led the charge.

In what turned out to be a very lack lustre affair, both teams had their chances with the Mini Matildas having the majority of possession for the entire game through the midfield but certainly this was negated by the New Zealand defensive line thwarting every advance on goal. Missed chances were abound and both teams could not find the net. Again Waterhouse was dominant controlling the midfield and distributing the ball across the pitch and in conjunction with Alexandra Chidiac and Jessica Pitts, they were wreaking havoc for the New Zealand midfielders by creating numerous opportunities up forward.

The New Zealanders were certainly not dormant and through several good switches of play across the pitch, were themselves able to open up the defensive line of Australia in the second half with several calculated shots on goal being repelled by the Australian keeper Teagan Micah pressured to maintain a clean sheet. Half time saw the addition of some pace up front with Sunny Franco, Emily Henderson and Ayesha Norrie added to the roster with immediate impact.

Controversy surrounded the game when several minutes into the second half the ‘in form’ Sunny Franco scored only to see the linesman’s flag raised for an offside call. Franco had moved forward deep into the box and received a strategically placed free kick from Jessica Waterhouse chipping it on the full over the keepers outstretched hands and into the far left hand corner of the net. This was truly a wonderful goal executed to perfection from what looked like a set play only to be denied by the official. It has since been established from video replay that the incorrect call was made – but that’s football. This set the scene for a big finale to the series on Saturday August 17th with the only set back being an unfortunate injury to forward Eleni Fakos late in the second half of the game. 


Game 3 – Australia 6 (Sunny Franco 2, Afrikah McGladrigan, Angela Beard, Alexandra Chidiac and Jessica Waterhouse) vs New Zealand 0 

The scene was set for a spectacular finale to the series with Game 2 registering a nil all draw and the Australian coach Wilson looking for a much better finish this time round. True to her word, Wilson opted for a completely new combination sporting several different faces in the starting eleven combining this with a mixture of experience that saw the Australian’s dominate the final game.

After a series of injuries, Jessica Urquhart was welcomed back to the team to cast a watchful over the goal line and was ably supported by a defensive line led by Isobel Dalton, Maddy Stockdale, Brooke Goodrich and Sophie Nenadovic. In the midfield Wilson opted for the workhorse Jessica Waterhouse surrounded by Alexandra Chidiac and Ayesha Norrie while up front captain Sunny Franco was supported by Afrikah McGladrigan and Angela Beard.

Right from the start, the Mini Matildas were aggressive on the ball and through some well-structured distribution out of defense and quickly up to the forwards, Australia were able to hit the running targets and convert 6 times for the match – something that must have brought a smile to the face of coach Belinda Wilson.

With the U20 Young Matildas all watching from the stands, the Mini Matildas were under added pressure to produce a good result for the home team. Ayesha Norrie was dangerous early taking some ambitious shots in goal until again Sunny Franco stepped up in the 9th minute and smashed a right foot shot into the woodwork only to see the rebound land in the path of youngster Afrikah McGladrigan who easily secured the first major of the day.

The corners were coming thick and fast for Australia as the New Zealanders were unable to slow down the pace of play and the Australian midfielders again exerted their dominance with excellent distribution to the forwards. Several set plays from free kicks were implemented with varying degrees of success but this would have been pleasing for Wilson to see the girls executing some of the lessons learnt at training camp. At the 23 minute mark, an injury to youngster Afrikah McGladrigan saw the substitution of Rhianna Pollicina into the game.

Relentlessly, Australia pushed forward up the right wing where a cross to the top of the box rebounded off the hands of the New Zealand keeper into the waiting arms of Sunny Franco who finished beautifully taking the score line to 2 nil. Minutes later, through another well-structured passage of play, Angela Beard put the finishing touches on the ball to secure her first goal for Australia and setup a now widening gap with Australia 3 to New Zealand nil.

The Australians were again in charge in the second half of the game led by a strong defensive line and produced a solid display of possession football right across the pitch. They were rarely threatened by the New Zealanders and once again Sunny Franco showed her class when on the end of a lovely through ball from Jess Waterhouse, she managed to draw the keeper out from the box and nonchalantly sidestep past to complete her brace for the game – 4 nil to Australia.

With the sting now gone from the game, it was purely a matter of how big the score line would be. Beattie Goad and Jessica Pitts were introduced late into the game to continue with the tactic of speed and aggression on the ball and it was shortly after we witnessed a dashing run from Alexandra Chidiac up through the middle evading several New Zealand defenders and slotting the resultant shot past the keeper to register goal number 5 for the Australians. Chidiac had grown in confidence as the game progressed and in conjunction with the consistent Waterhouse both were damaging to New Zealand.

It was the latter who would have the final say stamping her authority on the series. Waterhouse hovering around the 30 metre mark sent a bold right foot bullet across the New Zealand defensive line hurtling into the right hand corner of the net to settle the score line once and for all at 6 goals to nil and wrap up the series for Australia.

It was a dominant display by Australia in game 3 and it would instill confidence in the coaching and playing group that come time for the AFC qualifiers in China later in September, there were some really positive attributes to work with. No doubt Wilson will be watching the squad next week when they will all return to sunny Canberra to compete for their respective states in the NTC Challenge.

Never Say Die!

Stocky

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QLD Wrap: Top three confirmed in final round

With all but catch-up matches remaining in the 2013 NPL Queensland regular season, three of the top-four places are settled with pressure on Brisbane Strikers to capture the point they need for finals football.

Inspiring the hopefuls in Round 22 was Western Pride's incredible, come-from-behind 5-4 win away to premiers Olympic FC.

Perico trampled Redlands' finals hopes. (Credit: FQ)

Brisbane City 2 (Murray 26' Perico 64')
Redlands United 0

After dispatching Palm Beach 7-1 in a mid-week catch-up game, Redlands saw their finals chances again shoved to the outer in a 2-0 defeat to Brisbane City on Friday.

A win or even a draw for the Devils would have made Brisbane Strikers' task of reclaiming fourth difficult but instead the visitors left Spencer Park at big odds to compete in the finals, outpointed by the class of Antonio Murray and new City signing Luca Perico.

Murray's 26th minute finish of Jay Joo's classy angled pass opened the scoring and ultimately proved decisive in the Brisbane Roar trialist etching his name on the league's golden boot.

Former Atalanta youth player Perico later volleyed the hosts into a 2-0 lead which confirmed them as hosts of a blockbuster semi-final against Sunshine Coast, to be played on Saturday, August 31.

Redlands, meanwhile, can only retain their position in fourth if the Strikers lose both their catch-up games against Moreton Bay on Wednesday and City at the weekend.

CQFC Energy 0
Palm Beach Sharks 5 (Kyle 1', 56' Hulme 29' Stross 58' Lucas 63')

Central Queensland's bid to end their brutal NPL initiation on a high was condemned on Saturday night as Palm Beach emphatically culled Energy's two-match winning streak at Rugby Park.

The Sharks shocked the hosts with a first minute opener and never looked back, turning their lead into two at the break and a 5-0 winning margin by full-time.

One-time Sydney FC centre-forward Jarrod Kyle was the early marksman and had two by the 56th minute, after which Tyler Stross and Chris Lucas added to his and Nicholas Hulme goals.

The loss closed CQFC's season at four wins, one draw, seventeen losses and 110 goals conceded for a final finishing place of 11th, while Palm Beach can end their season in 8th if they overcome Western Pride on Sunday.

FNQFC Heat 1 (Morrison 12')
Sunshine Coast FC 5 (Scarff 25', 42', 43' Bechar 27' Barlow p.30')

Sunshine Coast established themselves as the form team ahead of finals with an imposing 5-1 away win over Far North Queensland on Saturday night.

Striker Michael Scaff, a mid-season signing from the local leagues, fired a first-half hattrick, including two in two minutes towards the break.

The result was all the more astounding given Heat scored first though front-man Cameron Morrison and all six goals were netted in the opening 45 minutes.

Scarff's 25th-minute opener was followed in a flurry by Nico Bechar and Alex Barlow from the penalty spot, before the experienced marksman's further two capped the scoring and extended Sunshine Coast's winning run to five.

Fire's three points secured third place and a date with Brisbane City in the first week of finals, in contrast to FNQ - the Cairns club have concluded their campaign in 10th place with four wins and as many draws in the bag.

Moreton Bay Jets 3 (Capello 68' McNeil 77' Marraiya 79')
QAS 2 (Sauer OG 10' Sibatuara 19')

If collecting the wooden spoon wasn't disappointing enough for the QAS, they were made to do so after letting slip a two-goal lead to leave Moreton Bay's Wolter Park in defeat on Sunday night.

Second-half goals from Matthew Capello, Sam McNeil and Jonathan Marraiya turned a 2-0 half-time deficit into a 3-2 home victory for the Jets.

Earlier, Samuel Sibatuara's doubling of a 10th-minute Matt Sauer own goal for the winger's fourth of the season appeared to set the Academy on their way to a season-ending victory; instead, they were unable to capture a third victory after notching an elusive second just two weeks prior.

While Moreton Bay can't stray from sixth with one catch-up game in hand, they can cause angst for Brisbane Strikers - their 7-0 conquerors back in April - when the two sides meet at Wolter Park in mid-week.

Brisbane Strikers 0
Northern Fury 2 (Kelly 22' Edds 28')


Northern Fury elevated Brisbane Strikers' blood pressure ahead of their catch-up games, running out surprise 2-0 victors at Perry Park on Sunday.

Two first-half goals in quick succession were all Fury needed to delay Strikers' finals-securing relief for a few more days - the Newmarket-based outfit needed a solitary point to move out of Redlands' reach but faltered as first Reyze Kelly, and then player/coach Gareth Edds, got in behind and rounded home 'keeper David Chambers.

The hosts were unable to recover and as such must now manage point either away to Moreton Bay or home to Brisbane City in order to confirm their semi-final trip to Olympic's Goodwin Park.

Fury's year, however, ends on a high, as they settle in seventh with a number of promising results to build on next season.

Olympic FC 4 (Ingham 1', 38', 57' Smits 36')
Western Pride 5 (Drager 27', 87' Woodruffe 33', 70', 78')

Western Pride's first win in five came in the most impressive terms, coming from two goals down to spoil the Goodwin Park presentation party of premiers Olympic FC on Sunday.

Lethal attackers Peter Drager and Russell Woodruffe combined spectacularly for five match-winning goals, three of which came in the final 20 minutes.

Incisive winger Jai Ingham earlier got the goal glut underway within the opening minute, suggesting a straightforward evening for the hosts in their final match before finals.

However, dramatic turns in the match began around the half hour when Drager and Woodruffe each netted their first - a turnaround that was quickly overshadowed by Ingham and Tim Smits restoring Olympic's lead at the break.

Despite Ingham's hattrick making it 4-2 before the hour, Pride greeted the challenge with fight as Drager and Woodruffe assisted each other in each of the visitors' stunning three-goal spurt which inflicted a startling third loss of the season on the premiers.

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BPL Wrap: Minor Premiership in touch for Lions

Just as the British version of the BPL was on everyone’s lips on the weekend, the local namesake threw down its fair share of thrills, goals and upsets. After a round of catch-up matches and Cup games, Round 20 of the BPL brought the league-leaders ever so close to clinching the minor Premiership with two games to play. Elsewhere, Easts closed the gap to the elusive fourth spot, while Ipswich, Logan and UQ all recorded victories accompanied by clean sheets.      

UQ FC   4:0   Brisbane Force    

UQ delivered the performance of their season, trashing Force to close the gap between the two bottom teams to two points.    

Everyone will be talking about…

After a horror first half of the season, can Uni somehow manage to avoid the wooden spoon with two games to play?

      

Yeah, but what happened?

A well rounded display from the entire Uni squad saw them dominate both halves of football and share the scoring around. Stephen Torbey gave the hosts a bright start within ten minutes, followed by a composed finish by Stewart Croll on the half hour. Similarly, it was one way traffic in the second half, Ryan Solter slamming home a penalty on the hour mark, before Peter Moore added to Force’s humiliation. Moments later, Force’s Lachlan Munn was given his marching orders to add more grief on a miserable afternoon for Force.

The numbers:

UQ – Torbey ‘7; Croll ’29; Solter ‘60(p); Moore ‘81

Looking ahead...

Both sides have mammoth tasks ahead of them in the next round, with UQ hosting Rochedale and Force welcoming Power.

North Star   1:3   Wolves FC    

A dominant second half display from Wolves saw them leave O’Callaghan Park with all three points and deny Lions the minor premiership – at least for another week.  

Everyone will be talking about…

Surely the race for top of the table is up, but can Wolves build momentum ahead of the finals after a rocky past month?

Yeah, but what happened?

Trent Clulow got things started when he netted the opener inside 20 minutes, but Star responded well and remained calm. They were level before the break, with Nasser Mehnat Gir scoring a well-taken goal to the delight of the home crowd. Wolves flexed their muscle in the second period and it soon reflected on the scoreline, Alistair Davis restoring their lead shortly after the restart. Sasa Radulovic’s goal directly from a corner embarrassed with twenty minutes to play both embarrassed Star custodian Chris McClusky and killed off the contest.                    

The numbers:

Capalaba – Gir ‘42

Wolves – Clulow ’19; Davis ’57; Radulovic ‘71

Looking ahead...

Star travel to in-form Logan next round, while Wolves may already know they’ve missed out on the minor premiership by the time they host Albany Creek next Sunday.    

McClusky reflects on every 'keeper's nightmare, after Radulovic scores direct from a corner. Photo: Ian Judd - FB Media

Peninsula Power   0:2   Logan Lightning  

Goals from Daniel Clark and Richard Greer either side of the break saw Logan surprisingly run away with a convincing win and shutout of Power at AJ Kelly Park.

Everyone will be talking about…

Power will be in the finals – but they can ill afford such lapses in concentration as they showed in this match. They will simply be punished again, this time with much dire consequence.       

Yeah, but what happened?

Peninsula looked out of sorts from the start, as their usual offensive fluidity was missing in front of a boisterous home crowd awaiting September. Clark silenced the park with an unstoppable strike in the 15^th minute – the only major highlight of the first stanza. As much as the hosts tried to assert their authority in the middle of the park, it was a familiar story after the break. Passes were going astray and Logan capitalised again – Greer netting the second and killer goal of the match. 

The numbers:

Logan – Clark ’15; Greer ‘63

Looking ahead...

Both sides have relatively easy tasks on paper, as Power travel to Brisbane Force and Logan entertain North Star on Saturday night.

Albany Creek  1:6   Eastern Suburbs  

A first half hat-trick from Brendan Lewandowski paved the way for Easts to round off a thumping win away at Creek.

Everyone will be talking about…

Easts’ slim chances of finals football remain alive – this result compounded with Rochedale’s subsequent loss cuts the gap between the two to four points.        

Yeah, but what happened?

It was the Lewandowski show in the first half – the veteran striker bagging the first of his three as early as the 6^th minute. Easts’ front man, enjoying a fruitful second half of the season, was in fine touch as he rounded off a 3:0 scoreline at the break. Matt Needham pulled one back for the hosts within 15 minutes of the restart, but all hopes of a comeback were soon diminished – Ryan Stenhouse and Thomas Johnstone getting in on the act for the visitors. Creek’s frustration showed late on, as first they conceded an own goal and then had Matthew Botd needlessly sent-off in stoppage time.                                         

The numbers:

Creek –Needham ’57

Easts – Lewandowski ‘6, ’20, ’43; Stenhouse ’68; Johnstone ’74; OG ‘88

Looking ahead...

It doesn’t get easier for Creek when they travel to Wolves next round, while Easts will be hoping Rochedale slip-up earlier in the day, before the Tigers welcome Ipswich on Saturday night.   

Ipswich Knights   2:0   Capalaba  

Two goals in the opening twenty minutes from Jonas Rasmussen and Luke Timberlake proved the difference as Ipswich ended Capalaba’s hopes of a finals berth.

Everyone will be talking about…

Capalaba’s inconsistency throughout the season – especially against sides placed lower than them – has cost them dearly in the end.  

Yeah, but what happened?

The hosts totally dominated the Dogs early on and it seemed only a matter of time before the deadlock would be broken. So it proved, with Rasmussen coolly finishing on eleven minutes. Luke Timberlake followed in soon after to double the lead to the bemusement of the travelling party. Capalaba never recovered and although they showed patches of good play – were unable to break through a determined Ipswich backline.                                           

The numbers:

Ipswich – Rasmussen ’11; Timberlake ‘19

Looking ahead...

Ipswich will be buoyed by this solid performance ahead of their trip to Easts in the next round, while Capalaba will seek to spoil Lions’ party and deny them clinching the minor premiership at John Fredericks Park.   

Lions FC  2:0   Rochedale Rovers 

Lions oversaw a true test on their home stretch to the minor premiership, seeing out Rochedale to leave them needing just a point from their remaining two matches to clinch the title.

Everyone will be talking about…

They might be minor premiers, but are they Grand Final favourites?         

Yeah, but what happened?

Arguably Lions’ two most influential players sealed the result on Sunday afternoon. After  a positive start from both sides, Shoheel Khan did what he does best – slotting home a superb strike midway through the first half. In truth, Rochedale were on par with the hosts for large portions of the match, but as minor premiers do, Lions saw the match over the line and maintained their consistency. Greg Thomas’ instrumental build-up play throughout the match was rewarded when he slotted home a decisive penalty on the hour mark.                                       

The numbers:

Lions – Khan ’25; Thomas ‘60(p)

Looking ahead...

Lions can clinch the minor premiership at Capalaba next Saturday evening, while Rochedale will be desperate to secure a finals spot by winning at UQ. 

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