Words: Garry McKenzie
Image: Lions FC

Western Pride must wait another year to break their Westfield FFA Cup hoodoo after being overrun 4-1 by Lions FC at Lions Stadium.

Lions were rarely troubled in the first half after Tynan Diaz gave the home side the lead in just the second mintue before Michael Butters scored a double to ensure a comfortable lead at the break.

Mitchell Bird pulled one back for Pride after the direct running of half-time substitute Bonventure Thomas-Remijo swung the momentum back towards the visitors.

However, Pride’s hopes of a comeback were quashed when last man Corey Lucas was shown a direct red card after preventing a Lions goal-scoring opportunity.

Lions then comfortably saw out the remainder of the contest, with Butters icing his performance by completing his hat-trick with ten minutes remaining.

The result leaves Pride as the only Queensland based PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues side yet to register a Westfield FFA Cup win in the competition's three year history.

For Lions, the result sees the Flight Centre Premier League side just two wins away from replicating last year's run into the national stages of the competition.

 

Key Moments

2’ – GOAL FOR LIONS – Tynan Diaz toe-pokes the ball past Pride goalkeeper Duncan Short after a long throw from Reardon is not dealt with by the Pride defence.

26’ – GOAL FOR LIONS – Michael Butters is back to goal when he received a ball from Nathan Shephard, turns and smashes it past Short.

45’ – GOAL FOR LIONS – Butters is released on the right before cutting inside and placing his shot inside the right post

65’ – CHANCE FOR PRIDE – Joseph Duckworth runs onto a long ball and shoots towards the far post forcing a fingertip stop from Zabaks

66’ – GOAL FOR PRIDE – Bird slides the ball past Zabaks after a counter-attacking move started by Thomas-Remiju

69’ – CHANCE FOR PRIDE – Thomas-Remijo runs onto a blocked clearance and places a shot across goal which evades Zabaks but sneaks the wrong side of the far post

75’ – RED CARD FOR PRIDE – Corey Lucas is dismissed as the last man after jumping into a Lions attacker in the race for a long ball over the top

81’ – GOAL FOR LIONS – Butters seals his hattrick by sliding between two retreating defences to touch a weak through ball from Tim Morgan into an unguarded net

What They Said

“It was men against boys. Their experience showed in the first half. We had an absolute nightmare of a start. The coaching staff and I had been and watched Lions a few times now and we identified long throws as a danger and they scored straight from it” – Graham Harvey, Western Pride FC coach

Match Details

Westfield FFA Cup 2016 – Preliminary Round 5

Wednesday, 27 April
Lions Stadium, Brisbane

Lions FC – 4 (Tynan DIAZ 2’, Michael BUTTERS 26’ 45’ 81’)
Western Pride FC – 1 (Mitchel BIRD 66’)

CLICK HERE for the official Westfield FFA Cup Match Centre

Referee – David WALSH
Assistant – Nathan SCOTT
Assistant – Oleg Labuz