Words: Michael Flynn
Additional Reporting: Jay Stewart

FNQ Heat’s Premiership push is back on track after striking two late goals to see off Sunshine Coast FC 3-1 at Kawana Sports Precinct.

Skipper Jamie Carroll netted a double for the visitors to bookend the scoring – and lift his season’s tally to a league leading 11 goals – but it was a stunning long range strike from Kieran Sanders 12 minutes from time that put paid to a determined Fire fightback.

Earlier, the hosts had battled strongly against the league-leaders before levelling terms midway through the second half, only to let slip a share of the points.

The result ends a two match losing run for Heat and sees them re-establish a four point advantage atop the league standings, however, challengers Brisbane Strikers and Redlands United both having games in hand on the Cairns club.

For Fire, the defeat continues an up-and-down campaign that continues next week in the Westfield FFA Cup Preliminary Round 7 tie against community club Surfers Paradise Apollo.

Key Moments

11’ - CHANCE FOR FIRE – Jeremy Stewart crosses low in the box for Paul Brownlie but he sends his well wide from six yards

16’ – GOAL FOR HEAT – Jamie Carroll is picked out by a low ball into the penalty area and dispatches the finish with aplomb past Fire goalkeeper Samuel Nickolls

26’ – CHANCE FOR FIRE – Alexander Warrilow’s free-kick pinballs dangerously before Connor Hancock latches onto it and pokes it past Heat goalkeeper Kevin Ward, however he is ruled offside

45’ – CHANCE FOR HEAT – Bronson Koppen takes a low pop from 25 yards that sees Nickolls take several attempts to bring under control

65’ – CHANCE FOR HEAT – Darcy McCormack’s header is fumbled by Nickolls allowing Christopher O’Hare to pounce on the ball but he skies his effort over the crossbar.

69’ – CHANCE FOR FIRE – Ward palms away a cross from Schoichi Koshimizu but it only goes as far as Warrilow, who sends his attempt high of the target from the edge of the penalty area

73’ – GOAL FOR FIRE – Warrilow delivers a pin-point corner into the back post which is headed home by Paul Mikula from six yards

78’ – GOAL FOR HEAT – Kieran Sanders delivers an audacious chip from 30 yards out that is out of reach for Nickolls and sneaks under the crossbar

81’ – GOAL FOR HEAT – Carroll bursts into space to latch onto a through ball before coolly slotting home from the edge of the box to seal the points

What They Said

“I thought the last twenty twenty-five minutes considering the conditions was about as well as we've played all year. It was a little but more difficult, the boys were saying it was difficult. We like to switch the play a bit and It was very difficult to get the ball across the field. “ – Tim Campbell, FNQ Heat coach

“The wind it's like anything else when you're playing football or any real sport. You want to play in anything but wind. The wind was blowing across and it's still windy now. It causes difficulty and with the wind the ball is out of play all the time. You spend more time collecting balls than you do actually play.” – Sam Saif, Sunshine Coast FC coach

Match Details

PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues 2016 – Round 13

Sunday, June 5
Kawana Sports Precinct Field 5, Sunshine Coast

Sunshine Coast FC – 1 (Paul MIKULA 73’)
FNQ FC Heat – 3 (Jamie CARROLL 16’ 81’, Kieran SANDERS 78’)

Match Centre – http://bit.ly/1TMIN6y

Match Officials – Matthew SKINNER (referee), Tarran RICHARDS (assistant), Ben COOK (assistant), Zac KEENAN (fourth)