Words: Matt Dorman

Four teams will jostle to get the jump on their rivals after the Easter break as PlayStation® 4 NPL Queensland resumes with a pair of catch-up clashes.

Brisbane Strikers FC v Brisbane Roar FC Youth
Saturday, 11 April / Perry Park / 6:00PM

Originally scheduled for March, Saturday night finally sees Brisbane Strikers meet Brisbane Roar Youth in the highly-anticipated battle for Perry Park.

Far from being just about home ground bragging rights, however, the rescheduled Round 4 fixture will be fought between two of the state’s most in-form teams.

Young Roar stunned the competition a fortnight ago by humbling the previously impressive Western Pride 12-0 after the Ipswich outfit received two red cards in the first half.

Midfielder Mitch Hore ran riot with an incredible six-goal haul – rocketing him three clear at the top of the scorers’ list – while captain Ben Litfin masterminded the demolition from deep.

Strikers coach Kevin A’Herne-Evans will need to prevent the pair from controlling the midfield skirmish if his high-flying side is to make it five matches without defeat.

The ‘hosts’ have weapons of their own with the likes of Jheison Macuace and Greg King patrolling attacking areas and can now also count on a more rounded approach having recorded a first clean sheet in their 1-0 away win over FNQ FC Heat late last month.

Victory for either of these two unbeaten teams would be significant as Strikers look to momentarily leapfrog leaders Moreton Bay United, while three points would push Young Roar into fourth.

FNQ FC Heat v South West Queensland Thunder FC
Saturday, 11 April / Stratford Soccer Club / 7:30PM

FNQ FC Heat have been forced to stew over their last-start home defeat by Brisbane Strikers, putting visitors SWQ Thunder in the crosshairs come Saturday night in Cairns.

The Easter break came at the wrong time for Heat as Jheison Macuace’s goal consigned them to a second loss of the season, just a week after overrunning Brisbane City 6-3 away from home for their first win of 2015.

Jamie Carroll starred with a hattrick in that statement of intent which seemed to click last year’s Semi Finalists into gear after a slow start.

Instead, victory will now be viewed as crucial against a club which is yet to take a point from any of their 13 PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland away matches.

Thunder will hope to harness some of the momentum gained by two late goals against Olympic FC in Round 5 but will need to tighten up in defence after copping a 5-2 defeat.

Colin Ball came off the bench in that match at Goodwin Park and will have fond memories of Cairns after scoring in this fixture last season, while Nathan Knox, Anthony Grant, Jack Percy, Thomas Fanning and Mitchell Tansky are all still involved from the 2014 trip.