Words: Michael Flynn, Palm Beach Sharks
Image: FNQ FC Heat

FNQ Heat arrested a two match losing streak by drawing 1-1 in a hard-fought contest with top of the table Palm Beach Sharks at Mallawa Complex on Saturday night.

Daniel Dragicevic put the hosts ahead inside two minutes before Heat’s Jake Keslake levelled prior to the half-time break in a match that offered both sides chances to claim full points.

The visitors struggled to contain Sharks early on and fell behind almost immediately when Heat goalkeeper Daniel Valcicak spilled Dragicevic’s close range shot, allowing the winger to poke home on the second attempt.

Heat remained unsettled as Sharks continued to threaten courtesy of sharp midfield distribution from Justyn McKay and Troy Ruthven - Jarrod Kyle and Chris Lucas both drawing saves from Valcicak inside the opening ten minutes.

Heat’s passing began to click near the quarter hour as Cameron Nucifora shot over the bar before Jonathan Camilleri replicated the effort at the opposite end for Sharks.

Heat midfielder Alex Smith increasingly exerted his influence and posed a threat on the counter midway through the half before being shut down by a textbook tackle from recent Sharks recruit Karl Dodd.

The hosts saw an appeal for a penalty denied by referee David Weibe on the half hour, before Draigicevic pounced on the loose ball to force a parried save from Valcicak that then eluded the lurking Lucas on the follow-up.

Smith remained busy for Heat up the other end – twice missing the target as he combined with Jamie Carroll and a minute later was played through by cultured one-two with O’Hare.

The Sharks defence ultimately cracked three minutes before the half courtesy of a Smith free-kick – O’Hare spurning the first bite in the air before the ball fell to Keslake who turned it in with an assured finish.

At the break Heat replaced Tom Murphy with Mqondisi Nkiwane and the dynamic forward provided immediate impetus at the top of the formation – teeing up Nucifora for a 52^nd minute effort that forced a solid save from Sharks goalkeeper Shane Vitakangas.

A knock to Nucifora saw him replaced soon after, but the momentum stayed with Heat as Ethan Docherty headed into the side netting from a well-worked set-piece.

Chances soon returned at the other end of the pitch as Kyle delivered to Dragicevic at the back post on the hour, the winger’s volley forcing a sharp save from Valcicak.

With twenty minutes remaining Lucas’ free-kick was nodded back across goal by Kristian Rees only for Kyle’s header to be denied once again by the well positioned Valcicak.

Soon the sides were exchanging counter punches as Lucas shot wide of the target before Carroll broke down the right flank from the ensuing Heat goal-kick only to see his pin-point cross for a surging Nkiwane flagged for offside.

The hosts missed a flurry of late chances as Dragicevic blazed high from distance, substitute Daniel Grzic nodded wide from a free-kick and a late chance for McKay was denied by another Valcicak save.

Passions got the better of Kyle in the final minute of injury time when he was shown two yellow cards in quick time for dissent, resulting in a nervous finish as the hosts held out a final Heat surge to split the points.

The result sees Sharks’ margin at the top of the ladder reduced to eight points, while Heat could drop as low as seventh by round’s end amidst a tight battle for the remaining finals places.

Palm Beach Sharks 1 (Daniel DRAGICEVIC 2’)
FNQ FC Heat 1 (Jake KESLAKE 42’)