Round 5 of the Football Queensland Premier League (FQPL) 1 and Round 4 of FQPL 2 gets underway this weekend.
In FQPL 1, Brisbane City remain unbeaten two points clear at the top of the table, while four clubs – Sunshine Coast FC, Souths United, Mitchelton FC and Wynnum Wolves – are searching for a first win of the season.
In FQPL 2, unbeaten sides Taringa Rovers and North Star face off in what should be a cracker of a match, while high-flying Caboolture FC take on last placed Virginia United at the Moreton Bay Central Sports Complex.
Meanwhile, it is old versus new as established side Coomera Colts take on Magic United in a battle for FQPL 2 bragging rights on the Gold Coast.
Watch every single minute live or on demand through NPL.TV, free for Australian residents.
Feature matches:
Rochedale Rovers v SWQ Thunder
Second meets third on Saturday night in the FQPL 1 as Rochedale Rovers host SWQ Thunder at Underwood Park.
It has been a stellar start to the season for Rochedale, which has won three games and drawn one to sit just behind league leaders Brisbane City on 10 points.
But the Rovers have SWQ Thunder snapping at their heels, with the Toowoomba-based side in equally impressive form with wins against Souths United, Ipswich Knights and Holland Park Hawks.
Rochedale will enter the game as favourites, not only because of its home ground advantage but also due to the club’s superior goal difference. The Rovers, led by captain Greg Cheshire, have scored 10 goals to the Thunder’s four.
Match details:
Saturday 17 April, 6:15pm
Underwood Park, Rochedale
Taringa Rovers v North Star
Taringa Rovers host North Star on Saturday night at Jack Speare Park in what should be one of the most evenly matched games of the weekend.
Both sides have won two from two and scored an incredible 12 goals each along the way. Taringa have perhaps the most in-form striker in Queensland, with Sean Karambasis netting seven goals in the last two weeks.
It is a worrying sign for North Star, which lost 8-0 to Taringa in the Brisbane Premier League last season, with Karambasis alone scoring four.
But a new season has brought new players – not to mention entry into a new competition – and North Star will be looking to erase that memory with another good performance away from home.
With North Star set to play league leaders Caboolture FC in Round 5 and Taringa meeting Caboolture in Round 6, this is an important game as both clubs eye off top spot.
Match details:
Saturday 17 April, 5:00pm
Jack Speare Park, Indooroopilly
Key players:
Brandon Reeves (Brisbane City) – Scored a brace against Souths United this week and will be a player to watch out for as league leaders City take on fourth placed Ipswich Knights.
Wade Hall (SWQ Thunder) – Scored two goals in SWQ Thunder’s win over Holland Park Hawks last weekend, including a sensational second-half winner.
Matt Hornby (Grange Thistle) – After Grange Thistle struggled to convert its opportunities in the first half last weekend against Coomera, captain Hornby stepped up to break the deadlock with a terrific strike from range.
Luka Pullen (Caboolture FC) – Pullen scored two goals in the space of five minutes in last weekend’s 4-0 win over Magic United, taking his tally to four goals for the season.
FQPL 1 Schedule:
Holland Park Hawks v Souths United
Friday 16 April, 7:30pm
Whites Hill Reserve, Camp Hill
Brisbane City v Ipswich Knights
Saturday 17 April, 5:15pm
Corporate Travel Management Stadium, Newmarket
Sunshine Coast FC v Wynnum Wolves
Sunday 18 April, 4:15pm
Kawana Sports Western Precinct, Warana
Western Pride v Mitchelton FC
Sunday 18 April, 5:15pm
Briggs Road Sporting Complex, Ipswich
BYE – Southside Eagles
FQPL 2 Schedule:
Grange Thistle v Samford Rangers
Friday 16 April, 8:30pm
Lanham Park, Grange
Coomera Colts v Magic United
Saturday 17 April. 5:15pm
Viney Park, Coomera
Caboolture FC v Virginia United
Sunday 18 April, 5:15pm
Moreton Bay Central Sports Complex, Burpengary
Image: Carolyn Williams