Whitsunday Miners and Bundaberg Spirit start the round at Harrup Park Country Club in Mackay in what is the Miners’ first home game of the season. The home team will be looking to bounce back after a 7-1 defeat at the hands of NQ Razorbacks. Spirit’s coach, Lyn Hodgkinson called on his players to “lift their intensity and training and work ethics and carry it into the games”, and will hope that his team will be able to hit the back of the net following the ample scoring opportunities they have had in the past few games without much success.

The 7pm kick-off between NQ Razorbacks and Redlands City Devils on Saturday night looks to be an exciting encounter, with both teams coming off impressive 7-1 wins over Whitsunday Miners and Olympic FC respectively. Peter Bannon’s men will be without workaholic midfielder Matt Seib who tore his hamstring against Olympic last week, but welcome back Troy Wickstein after suspension. Devils’ Barry Moran, who scored four last week, and Razorbacks’ Anthony Galliozzi who bagged a hat-trick, will both be looking to continue their goal-scoring form.

Logan United host Olympic FC following their first win, clean sheet and hat-trick of the season. Olympic, who were battered by Redlands last time out, will be looking to regain composure in the League and push for a top four spot on the QSL table. Youngster Seb Usai has been outstanding between the posts for United and will want to keep impressing, while striker Asa Harrington will be looking to add to his five goals of this campaign.

Brisbane Strikers will travel north to play the Capricorn Cougars on Sunday afternoon. Cougars are bottom of the table with two points and still chasing their first win, while Strikers will want to get their season back on track, especially as this clash marks a start of three away games. Following an impressive start, the past two outings have seen a defeat and a loss, despite dominating possession in both encounters. Strikers’ player/coach, Stuart McLaren, who spent his teenage years in Rockhampton, is looking forward to returning to his former hometown but will be without his usual captain, Jamie Johnson, who is still recovering from a knee injury, as well as defender Adam Webber.

Queensland Academy of Sport take on top-of-the-table Sunshine Coast Fire in the last game of the round. Unbeaten in the competition having taken 13 points from a possible 15, the Fire will be looking to firmly cement their spot at the top of the table and as competition favourites. As always, Fire’s Shaun Blackman will want to add to his goal tally, following his eighth of the season last week and so will 16-year-old Tommy Oar of the QAS who has been in impressive form this season, sitting clear top of the competition’s MVP tally.

Words: Michelle Tobin

Picture: Matthew Boyd

QSL ROUND 6

Whitsunday Miners vs Bundaberg Spirit, 6pm, Saturday 3rd May, Harrup Park Country Club, Mackay
NQ Razorbacks vs Redlands City Devils, 7pm, Saturday 3rd May, Brolga Park, Murray Sporting Complex, Annandale
Logan United FC vs Olympic FC, 7pm, Saturday 3rd May, Clem Jones Fields, Slacks Creek
Capricorn Cougars vs Brisbane Strikers FC, 2pm, Sunday 4th May, Jardine Park, Rockhampton
Queensland Academy of Sport vs Sunshine Coast FC, 5pm, Sunday 4th May, Eric Evans Oval, Ipswich Knights Soccer Club, Bundamba