NPL QLD Men’s Round 8 Review

National Premier Leagues \\ Photo Credit: Gold Coast Knights 1682912804,1682913001

Gold Coast United extended their lead at the top of the NPL Queensland Men’s ladder to three points after Moreton Bay and Lions both dropped points over the course of the weekend’s Round 8 action.

United won their fifth match on the bounce with a 2-0 victory over Olympic at Meakin Park on Sunday night.

Nic Panetta opened the scoring for the league leaders in the 39^th minute when he skipped past several defenders before curling a wonder strike into the top corner from the edge of the area.

Mitch Nichols, who made the switch from Olympic to United in the summer added a second in the 71^st minute when he pounced a loose Connor Booth back pass and finished one-on-one to round out a result that sees his former club drop back into the relegation zone.

A 93^rd minute Will Dent header rescued a point for Brisbane City as second placed Moreton Bay were held to a 2-2 draw at Imperial Corp Stadium on Sunday evening.

The league’s leading scorers traded blows in the first half with Matt Thurtell netting his sixth of the season for City with a bullet finish in the ninth minute before Marquez Walters bagged a brace, taking his tally for the season to eight and handing the Jets a halftime lead.

The Jets looked set to claim all three points before City youngster Dent nodded home from a Kye Bolton corner in stoppage time to steal a share of the spoils for Karl Dodd’s side who finish the weekend in fourth.

Gold Coast Knights moved level with the Jets on 17 points courtesy of a 4-1 victory over Peninsula Power at AJ Kelly Park on Saturday evening.

Sam Cronin put the home side ahead in the 18^th minute when he pounced on a loose ball inside the area and finished into the bottom corner for what was his second goal of the season.

Power’s joy was short lived however with Shelford Dais rocketing an effort into the top corner from the edge of the area in the 23^rd minute to open his goal scoring account for his new club and send the sides into the break all square.

Knights then took control of the contest in the second half, taking the lead on the scoreboard through Tyson Martin in the 73^rd minute before strikes from substitutes Bradden Inman and Godfrey Debele rounded out a 4-1 win for Scott Mcdonald’s side.

Defending Premiers, Lions slipped out of the top four after suffering a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Rochedale at Luxury Paints Stadium on Saturday night.

Reigning NPL Queensland Player of the Year Joe Duckworth put Lions ahead in the 30^th minute with a powerful finish in the 30^th minute but Rovers, who parted ways with Ross Davidson during the week hit back immediately via a 32^nd minute Harry Talbot penalty.

Five minutes later Rochedale took the lead through Josh Morland who got in behind the Lions defence and rounded Aidan Munford before converting into a vacant net.

Mitch Roberts rounded out the 3-1 score line in first half stoppage time when he won the ball on the edge of his own area and played a one-two with Marek Madle before streaking clear of the Lions defence and finishing to drag Rochedale out of the relegation zone.

Young Roar climbed to sixth with a 5-0 win over Eastern Suburbs at AJ Kelly Park on Saturday night thanks to goals from Aaron Dempsey, Thomas Waddingham, Kur Kur, Trent Millard an an own goal.

The weekend’s final match between Sunshine Coast Wanderers and Redlands United scheduled to take place at Ballinger Park on Sunday was postponed as a result of wet weather north of Brisbane and has been rescheduled to be played on Tuesday night.