Pride Thump Six Past Roar
Words: Michelle Tobin
Image: Keith Eigeland/Football Queensland
Western Pride finished their NPL Queensland season on a high with a 6-2 demolition of Brisbane Roar NYL at Perry Park on Sunday.
Pride conceded first in a first half that delivered five of the afternoon’s eight goals, with Pride finishing stronger to record their fifth win of the season.
Roar, who upset newly-crowned Premiers Palm Beach mid-week, took the lead in the fifth minute when stand-in skipper Cameron Crestani tapped home a timely Yandi Munawar cross at the near post.
Brisbane’s Abraham Yango flashed a half volley across goal just three minutes later before Will Jordan flexed his muscles at the other end of the park, sneaking a powerful shot under Ryan Meskell’s crossbar to level the score in the 12th minute.
Roar regained the lead 10 minutes later through a well-worked move down the right wing - Crestani, Munawar and Yango combining with first time touches to allow Conor O’Neill to finish inside the area.
Pride levelled on the half hour, when Peter Drager made a swift run down the left wing, moving the ball quickly to his right foot and curling his shot past Meskell in the Roar goal.
Drager almost doubled his goal tally three minutes later when he reacted quickest to a corner, only to see the ball bounce off the woodwork.
Kasey Wehrmann’s side was building in confidence and soon took the lead for the first time in the match as Chris Scott evaded the offside trap and outpaced Jordan Lampard to slot the ball into the bottom corner.
After the break, Drager, Milan Sekulic and Keagan Sheridan heaped on the goals with O’Neill going closest for the home side – denied a certain goal by a quick, near-post save by Pride goalkeeper Andres Pascoe in the 59th minute.
The result sees Roar finish their first NPL Queensland season in tenth position, while Pride finish twelfth.
Brisbane Roar NYL 2 (Cameron CRESTANI 5’, Conor O’NEILL 23’)
Western Pride 6 (Will JORDAN 12’, Peter DRAGER 30’ 50’, Chris SCOTT 34’, Milan SEKULIC 53’, Keagan SHERIDAN 67’)
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