Fury were set to face Gold Coast United for the first time on June 20 in Cairns until United decided to pull out yesterday, claiming their busy schedule was too packed to fit in the game...and cited the cost of flying up to Cairns for the match.

United also delivered a stinging barb to their northern rivals, claiming they had doubts about Fury's talent after the club's recent defeat in Singapore.

Now Fury have offered to fly THEIR team down to to the Gold Coast to play the game at United's Skilled Stadium to settle the matter.

Fury chairman Don Matheson said he was surprised at the bitter reaction from United owner Clive Palmer.

"This was never supposed to be an attack on Professor Palmer or the Gold Coast," said Matheson.

"I wanted to apologise to the people who had worked so hard to arrange the game in Cairns and to the community of football fans who were going to miss out on seeing two new A-League teams go head to head in their own backyard.

"From his comments I know Professor Palmer wants the same exposure of the game in his region."

He added: "I don't understand Gold Coast's reasons for cancelling the Cairns game.

"But I do understand Professor Palmer's resolve to bring quality football to the Gold Coast, so I'm willing to send my boys south in the interests of lifting the game's profile in Queensland."

Matheson said the one point he took personally out of Palmer's statement was the criticism of Fury's trial match in Singapore against Tampines Rovers last week.

"I can't fathom why anyone would have a chop at a group of young players who were both trialling for a chance to play in the A-League, but also representing the A-League in another country," Matheson said.

"The result didn't go our way, but the match generated interest in football and that can only be a good thing.

"I'm sure a match between North Queensland Fury and Gold Coast United would create the same level of interest - if not more, so, at the sake of sounding clichéd: let's play the game, Professor.

"You can run but you can't hide."