Sharks Close In On Premiership
Words: Chris Doherty-Fischer
Image: Sam Wood/FNQ FC Heat
Palm Beach Sharks took a further step towards the NPL Queensland Premiership with a 3-0 win over FNQ FC Heat at Barlow Park on Saturday night.
Jarrod Kyle and Chris Lucas added to a second half own goal to consign Heat to their first home defeat since March.
The league-leaders started positively with a pair of early corners, before Heat’s Josh De Nittis forced Sharks goalkeeper Shane Vitakangas to save inside the opening ten minutes.
Sharks increasingly took control of the contest, and continued to rack up the corners, while Camilleri proved a handful with several attempts on goal.
Heat midfielder Alex Smith spurned a chance to take the lead when he missed the target one-on-one with Vitakangas on 25 minutes.
Camilleri continued to threaten, forcing Heat goalkeeper Daniel Valcicak to tip over the bar before Lucas was closed down on the break by the retreating Tamas Maffey-Stumpe.
The pressure told with ten minutes remaining in the half as Kyle turned in a cross to give the Sharks a single goal advantage at the break.
Heat came out firing in the second half as Ethan Docherty and Zenon Caravella failed to capitalise on a pair of early chances, while a sharp save from Vitikangas denied Smith’s 50th minute free-kick.
Sharks weathered the storm and doubled their advantage eight minutes later when a goal mouth scramble from a corner kick was turned in for an own goal.
Heat dominated possession after as Sharks sought to sit back and hold their lead, but despite busy midfield work from Caravella Heat failed to penetrate until the introduction of attacker Jamie Carroll on 70 minutes.
Carroll produced a solid individual run to earn Heat a corner, before Mqondisi Nkiwane missed the ball with a bicycle kick shortly after and Crios O’Hare almost turned home a fumble from Vitakangas.
Sharks substitute Jack Boxell was picked out at the back post in response, but his header failed to beat Valcicak in goal.
Sharks sealed the win on 87 minutes as Lucas chased down a through-ball then calmly slotted his shot into the bottom left corner of the goal.
The result sees Sharks move 12 points clear atop the NPL Queensland standings with four matches remaining.
FNQ FC Heat 0
Palm Beach Sharks 3 (Jarrod KYLE 34’, own goal 57’, Chris LUCAS 87’)
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