Lions FC are within one point of the National Premier Leagues (NPL) Queensland Premiership, after a 6-0 win over Cairns FC.
Western Pride kept pressure on the ladder leaders with a 5-1 win over the Young Roar, SWQ Thunder make it two wins from two, while Brisbane Strikers’ loss to Olympic FC all but ends their hopes of finals football.
Brisbane Strikers 1 (Cheshire 90+1’)
Olympic FC 2 (Waters 58’, Lofthouse 73’)
Perry Park
Olympic confirm finals spot
Olympic FC confirmed their place in the NPL Queensland Finals Series with a 2-1 win over Brisbane Strikers at Perry Park.
After a scoreless opening half, second half goals from Kristen Waters and Jez Lofthouse put the visitors ahead before Greg Chesire scored a consolation goal in stoppage time.
The result now leaves Strikers six points behind fourth-placed Moreton Bay United and almost certainly out of the race for finals football.
Cairns FC 0
Lions FC 6 (Macuace 10’, 17’, 89’, Madle 63’, 90’, Carlos 72’)
Barlow Park
Lions within a point
Lions FC are within one point of the NPL Queensland Premiership, following a 6-0 drumming of Cairns FC at Barlow Park.
Jheison Macuace led the line for Lions, bagging three goals against Danny Greystone’s men including a certain contender for this round’s Football Queensland Goals of the Week.
The home side finished with nine men, following red cards to Josh Taylor and Johnson Slotemaker.
Redlands United 3 (Fyfe 26’, 82’, Kuboyama 54’)
Magpies Crusaders 2 (Lyall 59’, 66’)
Cleveland Showgrounds
Important victory for Redlands
Redlands United have jumped out of the NPL Queensland relegation zone following a thrilling 3-2 victory over Mackay’s Magpies Crusaders.
After taking a 2-0 goal lead thanks to goals from Graham Fyfe and Shuto Kuboyama, Magpies struck back through a double from captain Michael Lyall.
Fyfe won it for Redlands with eight minutes of time remaining, scoring his fifth goal of the 2018 campaign, to take his side into 12th on the competition ladder above North Queensland United.
Brisbane Roar Youth 1 (Morseray 7’)
Western Pride 5 (Mchenery 18’, Endean 57’, Herrmann 76’, Duckworth 78’, Rigby 89’)
Logan Metro Sports Complex
Pride keep pressure on Lions
Western Pride have denied Lions FC the NPL Queensland Premiership for one more round, following a 5-1 win over Brisbane Roar Youth.
With the match being played almost simultaneously to the Cairns-Lions fixture at Barlow Park, it looked like the Lions could claim the Premiership with the Young Roar and Pride level at 1-1 at the half-time break.
But the away side turned it on in the second half, scoring four goals to keep the gap at the top of the ladder to six points.
Pride has now won their past five matches, netting 16 goals in the process, while the Roar Youth hasn’t tasted victory since Round 20.
Sunshine Coast 1 (Hudson 14’)
SWQ Thunder 2 (Grant 43’, 77’ (P))
Sunshine Coast Stadium
Thunder make it two from two
A double to Anthony Grant has helped SWQ Thunder to a 2-1 win over Sunshine Coast FC, the club’s second win in as many matches.
Taj Hudson scored the game’s first goal in the 14th minute, giving the Fire the lead, before Grant struck either side of the break.
The result, alongside losses to Roar Youth, Magpies Crusaders and Gold Coast United, takes the Toowoomba side from 11th to eighth on the competition ladder.
Brisbane City 4 (Hugo 10’, Sibatuara 35’, 37’, Fiechtner 76’)
North Queensland United 0
Corporate Travel Management Stadium
United back in the drop zone
Brisbane City recorded a comprehensive 4-0 victory over North Queensland United at Corporate Travel Management Stadium.
Preston Hugo’s fourth goal in six matches opened the scoring for John Kosmina’s side, before a double inside two second half minutes from skipper Sam Sibatuara effectively ended the contest.
Substitute Kai Fietchner rounded out the score with a header in the XX minute, leaving United in 13th spot on NPL Queensland ladder – one point behind Redlands United.
Gold Coast United 0
Moreton Bay United 4 (Thomson 57’, Capelo 63’, Bernardi 71’, 77’)
Burleigh Soccer Club
Second half goals seals win for Jets
Moreton Bay United bounced back from a disappointing loss to SWQ Thunder in Round 23 with a resounding 4-0 win over Gold Coast United.
Four second half goals sealed the result for the Jets, who now sit six points above fifth-placed Brisbane Strikers with just two rounds of the regular season remaining.
United are now without a win in their past five outings and will want to maintain some pride in their final two matches of 2018 against Thunder and Sunshine Coast FC.
Image: Ian Judd
