Words: Steve Pitman & Michael Flynn
Image: Paul Smith/SWQ Thunder FC

Brisbane Strikers’ winger Greg King says he and his teammates will take nothing for granted against last-placed SWQ Thunder on Saturday.

The teams sit at opposite ends of the PlayStation 4 NPL Queensalnd table - with the second-placed Strikers in an arm wrestle with Moreton Bay United for their maiden Premiership title, while Thunder are still searching for their first competition win after nearly two full seasons.

Strikers have an impressive record against Thunder in the match-up affectionately referred to as the 'lightning bolt derby' - winning 6-0 when the side's last met in May and never conceding a goal against the Toowoomba-based club in all three previous meetings.

However, King said following Thunder’s strong showing in last week’s 3-2 loss to Sunshine Coast FC, the Strikers are not in for an easy ride at Clive Berghofer Stadium.

“They (Thunder) are going to get that first win at some point and we don’t want it to be against us,” King said.

“If you look at some of the results they’ve had, particularly last weekend when they were 2-0 up within twenty or thirty minutes – yeah, they didn’t hold on, but there’s still signs there that they are competitive.”

“And with it drawing to the end of the year one would argue that the only way they can have some sort of success this season is to knock somebody like Strikers off – the team that’s coming equal first – that would be a huge coup for them.”

With goal difference looming as a potential deciding factor in the Premiership race, King said his team had to mindful of not getting ahead of themselves.

“If you go in with the mindset that we’ll win the game and it’s about how many goals we score, then you’re really setting yourself up for failure there.”

“We respect everyone in the league and Thunder are no different. We respect them.”

King also explained that Strikers had focused on modifying their approach to complement Apai Ukuno, who scored in his first start for the club last week against Palm Beach SC, at the top of their formation

Ukuno replaces former starting striker Jheison Macuace, who will take no further part in the season due to injury.

“We are really relying on Apai now to be that target man and to be someone that can hold the ball up for us,” King said.

“Obviously he plays differently to Jheison, but we have to adapt to that and we’ve focused on that a bit more this week.

“It’s still a work in progress but it’s good that we still have that depth in the squad to be able to bring somebody on like that and still get a win against a difficult opponent in Palm Beach,” King concluded.

Fixture details:

SWQ Thunder FC v Brisbane Strikers FC
Clive Berghofer Stadium, Toowoomba
Saturday, 15 August
Kick-off at 5:00PM