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Inspiring the hopefuls in Round 22 was Western Pride's incredible, come-from-behind 5-4 win away to premiers Olympic FC.
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| Perico trampled Redlands' finals hopes. (Credit: FQ) |
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.