The make-up of the top four was confirmed and three more clubs closed out their NPL Queensland seasons in last week’s catch-up round.

Review all the results in the weekly wrap.

 

 

NPL QUEENSLAND COMPETITION TABLE

 

Pos	Club	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	Points
1	Olympic FC	22	18	1	3	90	39	+51	55
2	Brisbane City FC	22	15	2	5	62	37	+25	47
3	Sunshine Coast FC Fire	22	15	1	6	61	22	+39	46
4	Brisbane Strikers FC	22	14	0	8	63	38	+25	42
5	Redlands United FC	22	12	3	7	72	39	+33	39
6	Moreton Bay United Jets FC	22	11	3	8	39	44	-5	36
7	Northern Fury FC	22	9	5	8	48	43	+5	32
8	Western Pride FC	22	8	3	11	41	49	-8	27
9	Palm Beach Sharks FC	22	7	1	14	41	62	-21	22
10	FNQ FC Heat	22	4	4	14	30	69	-39	16
11	CQFC Energy	22	4	1	17	43	110	-67	13
12	Queensland Academy of Sport	22	2	2	18	23	61	-38	8

Moreton Bay Jets 2 (Mitchell SCHEUMACK 18’, Royce BROWNLIE 67’)
Brisbane Strikers 1 (Jonti RICHTER 85’)
Crowd: 200 approx.

MORETON BAY | Moreton Bay Jets ended their debut NPL Queensland on a positive note on Wednesday night after defeating Brisbane Strikers 2-1 at Wolter Park.

Making full use of home ground advantage, Jets absorbed prolonged pressure from Strikers for much of the match.

Despite the majority of chances falling to Strikers, the hosts took the lead on 18 minutes through defender Mitchell Scheumack – the 18 year old continuing his breakout year in NPL Queensland by heading home from close range from Scott McNeil’s cross.

Royce Brownlie doubled the advantage in midway through the second stanza. The experienced striker finishing off Moses Joseph’s barnstorming run down the right with a 8 yard finish at the back post for his 16^th goal of the campaign.

The visitor’s cause was further complicated with 25 minutes remaining when referee David Weibe dismissed Strikers head coach David Large from the bench for dissent.

Jonti Richter gave the visitor’s hope when he halved the margin with five minutes remaining, cutting in from his right wing before firing a bullet past Jet’s keeper Marko Radovanovic from 20 yards.

Further chances fell for Strikers in a frantic finale to the match, however, Jets held on to record their eleventh win from 22 games this season. The first year club finishes the season in sixth position on the NPL Queensland table.

Brisbane Strikers 2 (Jonti RICHTER 43’, Michael ANGUS 53’)
Brisbane City 0
Crowd: 250 approx.

BRISBANE | Brisbane Strikers qualified for the fourth place in the NPL Queensland finals series following a 2-0 win over local rivals Brisbane City at Perry Park on Saturday night in their final match of the regular season

The Strikers needed at least a point from the match to secure their finals place after losses to Northern Fury and Moreton Bay Jets in the past week left their finals hopes in limbo.

Jonti Richter proved the hero for Strikers – the former Brisbane Roar player putting in a commanding performance on the right wing to score the opening goal then playing the final ball for the second.

Assured of a second place finish, City rested key defenders Cameron Tew and Luca Jannese for the match and the visitors held firm for much of the first half.

It took a wonder goal from Richter to break the deadlock minutes before the break – the 30 year old chasing down a pass over the backline before unleashing a dipping volley from 20 yards that left City shot-stopper Matt Stein no chance.

Richter stepped up again in the second half to tee-up Michael Angus for Strikers’ second – playing a neat one-two to set up the central midfielder for only his second goal of the campaign.

The win sees Strikers finish the NPL Queensland regular season in fourth position, ahead of Redlands United. Strikers will meet premiers Olympic FC on Sunday in the second NPL Queensland semi-final.

City will host Sunshine Coast Fire in the first semi-final at Spencer Park on Saturday night.

Western Pride 4 (Peter DRAGER 10’ 36’ 43’, Lincoln RULE 26’)
Palm Beach Sharks 2 (Chris LUCAS 79’, GRIMLEY 89’)
Crowd: unavailable

IPSWICH | A first half hat-trick from local hero Peter Drager secured Western Pride an eighth place finish to their debut NPL Queensland campaign following a 4-2 win over Palm Beach Sharks at Kippen Park on Sunday afternoon.

The three goal haul caps off a prolific year for Pride’s leading goal scorer, extending his personal tally to 17 goals for the season.

Drager’s first came after on only ten minutes before Lincoln Rule doubled the advantage on 26 minutes with a deflected strike.

Drager then sealed the win with a further two goals before the half time break.

Chris Lucas finished his season on a high, scoring his 15^th goal of the campaign on the counter attack with ten minutes remaining.

Ethan Grimley then netted his first senior goal of the season with a consolation goal in the final minute of regular time, adding to the 14 goals he scored for Sharks Under 18’s this season.

The win completes a double for Pride over the Gold Coast-based Sharks following a 1-0 win at Mallawa Complex in March.

 

Words: Michael Flynn (Football Queensland)