NQ Razorbacks play their third home game in a row, hosting Brisbane Strikers. The teams sit on the QSL ladder at third and fourth place respectively, and both will want to keep pressure on the top two; Sunshine Coast Fire and Redlands City Devils, especially as Olympic FC and Whitsunday Miners are breathing heavily down their necks. Both teams will be without some of their key players due to injury, Razorbacks missing Lee Mayberry and Brett Hay (both hamstring) and Strikers are still without captain Jamie Johnson as well as Adam Webber. Coach Stuart McLaren will also be waiting to see if Alex Panic recovers from a flu bug, while Chay Hews, back in the country to play for his old club, is not expected to receive his international clearance in time.

Redlands City Devils return to Cleveland Showgrounds after their successful trip to Townsville in superb form having scored 14 goals in their last three outings. Their opponents, Whitsunday Miners, bounced back last week following a 7-1 drumming by Razorbacks, putting four past Bundaberg Spirit. The visitors will be looking to continue their run of goals but are expecting a tough encounter against the second placed team in the league.

Queensland Academy of Sport travel north on Saturday to play Bundaberg Spirit at Marten Oval. The QAS, despite losing 3-2 last week, played exiting, fast-paced football and will be looking to build on that on this trip. Spirit will be looking to stop conceding soft goals and gain more composure in front of goal, something they have been doing despite unquestionable commitment from the whole team. Tom Kimber will start his first game for Lyn Hodgkinson’s men while new signing, 15-year-old Josh Brillante, will make his debut off the bench.

In the last Saturday night game of the round, Logan United host Capricorn Cougars. Both teams lost 2-0 last week and will want to improve their fortunes in front of goal, United having equal possession and scoring chances last week but unable to hit the back of the net and Cougars having only scored three goals this season. Cougars will be on the lookout for Seb Usai, United’s teenage goalkeeper, who despite his team’s eight placed spot, has been in impressive form.

In the final game of the weekend, high-flying Sunshine Coast Fire make the trip down the Bruce Highway to play Olympic FC. Fire’s Tyson Holmes will be looking to keep his spot in the starting eleven following his brace last week, including an impressive solo effort. Olympic will be happy to be back at Goodwin Park after two games on the road, and will be playing to keep pressure on the all-important top four spots on the table.

Words: Michelle Tobin

Picture: Robyn Woodall




QSL ROUND 7

NQ Razorbacks Vs Brisbane Strikers FC
Sat 10th May - 7:00pm, Townsville Sports Reserve

Redlands City Devils Vs Whitsunday Miners
Sat 10th May - 7:00pm, Cleveland Showgrounds, Cleveland

Bundaberg Spirit Vs Queensland Academy of Sport
Sat 10th May - 7:00pm, Marten Oval, Bundaberg

Logan United FC Vs Capricorn Cougars
Sat 10th May - 7:00pm, Clem Jones Fields, Slacks Creek

Olympic FC Vs Sunshine Coast FC
Sun 11th May - 6:00pm, Goodwin Park, Yeronga