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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.
Peninsula Power 0:2 Logan Lightning
 |
| 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 15th 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 6th 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.
