NPL QLD Men’s Round 9 Review

National Premier Leagues \\ Photo Credit: Gold Coast Knights 1683528947,1683529501

The weekend’s NPL Queensland Men’s Round 9 action produced a number of important results at both ends of the table.

Gold Coast United maintained their position at the top of the league table with a 1-0 win over Sunshine Coast Wanderers at Coplicks on Sunday evening.

Mitch Nichols netted his second goal in as many games with a first-time driven effort which found it’s way into the bottom corner in the 59^th minute to secure the league leaders fifth consecutive win.

Moreton Bay remain just three points behind Gold Coast United in second following a 3-1 victory over Young Roar at Wolter Park on Saturday night.

Japanese midfielder Naoki Maeda, who joined the Jets in the summer opened his account for his new club when he fired a shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the area in the 43^rd minute before the league’s top scorer Marquez Walters bagged a second half brace to take his tally to 10 for the 2023 season.

Gold Coast Knights and Lions finish the weekend in third and fourth position respectively after playing out a 1-1 draw at Luxury Paints Stadium on Saturday evening.

Lions lead at the break courtesy of an Andy Pengelly header before Bradden Inman levelled the scores netting a delicate chipped finish two minutes into the second half.

Lions were reduced to ten when Jackson Hart-Phillips was dismissed for dragging down Inman with the forward in on goal in the 60^th minute but Knights were unable to capitalise on their numerical advantage with the match finishing all square.

Brisbane City slipped out of the top four after suffering a 4-1 home defeat at the hands of Redlands United at Imperial Corp Stadium on Saturday night.

After an own goal put the visitors in front Peter Klaasen and Dylan Brent capitalised on some calamitous defending from City to lead 3-1 at the break, before Klaasen netted his fifth goal of the season early in the second stanza to round out the scoring.

City finished the match with ten men after Matt Thurtell, who netted the home sides goal from the penalty spot was sent off a challenge on Ryo Emoto in the 45^th minute.

Rochedale made it two wins in two under interim Coach Scott MacNicol with a 3-1 triumph over Olympic at Underwood Park on Friday night.

The sides went into the break deadlocked after Daniel Leck had a penalty saved by Jacson Riley in the 30^th minute.

Rovers came out firing in the second stanza and lead 2-0 by the 59^th minute thanks to a Marek Madle header and Harry Talbot penalty.

Linden Farr scored a late consolation for Olympic but it wasn’t enough the visitors who sit bottom of the league and are winless in three under Chris Grossman.

In another of the weekend’s battles at the bottom Peninsula Power climbed out of the relegation zone with a 1-0 win over Eastern Suburbs at Heath Park on Saturday afternoon.

Sam Cronin scored the game’s decisive goal in the 29^th minute when he latched onto a Lewis Greenwood through ball before rounding Connor Damsma and finishing into an empty net to secure Power’s second win of the new campaign.