While the heavily-contested summit has been the topic of conversation in recent weeks of the National Premier Leagues (NPL) Queensland Men’s competition, the threat of relegation looms for the bottom teams as the season edges towards its climax.
Round 19 brought with it lucrative points for the relegation battlers who will use these results as a launching pad off the bottom. Redlands United recorded a rare win to keep their survival hopes alive, while Brisbane City picked up a valuable point in a stalemate with Sunshine Coast Wanderers.
At the upper reaches of the table, Olympic FC took an undisputed spot at the top while Peninsula Power kept their silverware aspirations within reach with a win over Gold Coast United. Round 8 is shaping up to be pivotal with pressure at either end of the table ensuring teams will be playing out of their skin to seal their spots.
Feature Match:
Gold Coast Knights v Lions FC
By Round 17, Gold Coast Knights were cruising. Enjoying a 21-game unbeaten streak that stretched back into the depths of their 2019 Championship winning campaign, they looked a sure-fire prospect to collect silverware come season’s end.
But a Round 26 humbling at the hands of Sunshine Coast Wanderers brought an end to their winning ways and since then, Knights have failed to materialise with the same might.
Recording straight losses for the first time in their NPL Queensland career, their premiership pursuit effectively met its demise at the hands of Moreton Bay United last round.
With Brisbane Roar Youth breathing down the necks of the Gold Coast side, they’ll be hoping to consolidate their finals berth with a win over Lions FC this round.
Despite being pried open with ease in recent matches, their electric anterior has not lost its fizzle. Dispersing their 38 campaign goals amongst eleven players, they offer an attacking threat in every area of the pitch. Crafty Colombian Jheison Macuace will be motivated to re-take the lead in the Golden Boot race, hoping to add to his 15 strikes.
Lions FC have fast established themselves as one of the premier second-tier teams Australia-wide. Perched just three points adrift of the apex, they’re sitting on prime real estate as they look to seal their third consecutive NPL Queensland Premiership.
While Lions’ credentials could have been questioned following the loss of coach Warren Moon to Brisbane Roar FC, former assistant Darren Sime has dispelled any doubts as he’s taken them to another level this season.
The two-time Premiers will be looking to claim a shared stake at the summit as the pride of Richlands converges on the Croatian Sports Centre.
Buoyed by a four-game unbeaten streak, underscored by a 6-2 drubbing of Gold Coast United, Lions have savaged 17 goals from their opponents in their last four. Their sweeping team moves and classy interplay has been countered just three times this season, conceding a league-low 18 goals in the process.
Achieving a perfect equilibrium in both defence and attack, Knights will have to be at their superlative best to smite the side that has scored 59 goals in 19 matches.
Match Details
Saturday, 17 October, 6:30pm
Croatian Sports Centre
Live Stream Link
Moreton Bay United v Redlands United
This year’s quiet achievers, Moreton Bay United catapulted themselves into the spotlight with a staggering 4-2 win last week over last year’s Champions in Gold Coast Knights. What’s more, it’s the second point-winning result the Wolter Park workmen have recorded over the nigh impregnable Knights this season.
The win proved to be the remedy required to mend a two-game losing streak. Sitting in 6th and with a finals berth in earshot, albeit eight points behind Knights, points will be the prerogative over the final five rounds.
While this weekend’s bottom-placed opponents are a seemingly easy task, a 1-1 draw in Round 21 means Moreton Bay will have to muster all their nous should they secure the points on offer in Saturday’s skirmish.
Redlands United will be making the trip up the M1 with a renewed gusto. A 2-1 win over Eastern Suburbs last weekend, just their fifth win of the season, could provide the launching pad to propel them out of the relegation spot.
Reeling from a four-game losing spell that brought with it a goal difference of -11, their snatch and grab effort over an erratic Easts last round was a win of monumental proportions.
Now level on points with Brisbane City, albeit having played two more games, Redlands will take to the field with the dogged determination that has been a feature of their game in recent years.
Match Details
Saturday, 17 October, 5:00pm
Wolter Park
Live Stream Link
Brisbane City v Gold Coast United
A staple of Queensland football since their inauguration, 2013 Grand Finalists Brisbane City find themselves embroiled in their first relegation battle since their NPL Queensland debut.
Resigned to just 16 points from 18 games, City will be looking to steer themselves clear of danger with a fruitful six fixtures. Welcoming a swathe of senior players back in recent weeks, draws with Eastern Suburbs and Sunshine Coast Wanderers hold them in good stead for the season’s climax.
Boasting a star-studded attack that has failed to find any sort of fluidity, Marquez Walters could provide the catalyst to get them firing this Saturday, with his sumptuous strike against Sunshine Coast Wanderers last round buying his side a point.
Gold Coast United were shaping up to be the competition’s darkhorse at season inception. Their slew of star signings meant silverware looked on the agenda for the former A-League representatives.
Any semblance of consistency has alluded the Yellow and Blue though as they’ve fallen to 10th. Without a win in nine and just two points ahead of bottom-placed Redlands United, they’ll be looking to avoid being drawn into a relegation scrap by claiming the three points over City.
Marquee man Shane Smeltz has been Gold Coast’s most profitable outlet in attack, finding the back of the net in their 2-1 loss to Peninsula Power last weekend. His nine goals will be a force to contend with for a City defence that has conceded 41 goals.
Match Details
Saturday, 17 October, 5:30pm
Corporate Travel Management Stadium
Live Stream Link
Other Round 17 Matches:
Sunshine Coast Wanderers v Brisbane Strikers
Friday, 16 October, 7:30pm
Ballinger Park
Live Stream Link
Peninsula Power v Eastern Suburbs
Saturday, 17 October, 6:30pm
AJ Kelly Park
Live Stream Link
Olympic FC v Capalaba FC
Sunday, 18 October, 6pm
Goodwin Park
Live Stream Link
Key Players:
Zachary Kierpal (Moreton Bay United): Bagging a match-winning brace against Knights to take his senior tally to three goals from four games, Kierpal is in inspired form and will hope to profit against bottom of the ladder Redlands this weekend.
Thomas Strickland (Peninsula Power): The scintillating Strickland struck his ninth of the season with the winner against Gold Coast United, with Power’s midfield maestro promising to capitalise on an out-of-sorts Eastern Suburbs this week.
Lathan Dunn (Redlands United): Possessing an insatiable drive that allows him to bomb up the flank, Dunn capped off an industrious performance against Eastern Suburbs with a goal to cement his place in the Round 19 Team of the Week.
Words: Angus Barnes
Image: Ian Judd/Lions FC
