Words: Michael Flynn
Additional Reporting: Karl Gough
Images: Pine Creek Pictures

FNQ Heat have concluded the home-and-away season in third place after being stunned 2-0 by SWQ Thunder at Barlow Park.

Thunder made the most of their chances in an at times fiery contest – Thomas Fanning opening accounts inside the opening quarter hour before Jackson Haussler sealed the win in injury time.

The match ended in controversial circumstances after a bench-clearing melee in the final minute resulted in red cards for Heat’s Matthew Filip and Thunder’s Adam Daly and a suspected broken nose for Heat defender Shimon Watanabe.

The result sees Thunder become the first club to record a league double against the high-flying Heat this season and marks their first ever win in Cairns.

Heat are now winless in their past three matches and will seek to regroup ahead of next week’s Semi-Final against second-placed Gold Coast City.

Key Moments

12’ – GOAL FOR THUNDER - A Thunder corner is battled over between Thomas Fanning and the Heat defenders and the goalmouth scramble ends with Fanning tucking the ball across the line

32’ – CHANCE FOR HEAT – Christopher O’Hare receives a pass from Ari Isman and pulls the trigger on a flat strike from 25 yards but it can only find the side netting

41’ – CHANCE FOR HEAT - A lobbed pass is contested between Joshua Pin and Thunder goalkeeper Luke Borean with Borean’s touch not quelling the danger, however the Thunder custodian recovers to snuff out the chance

61’ – CHANCE FOR HEAT – Isman’s cross picks out Pin, but his headed effort lacks sting and is easily contained by Borean

68’ – CHANCE FOR THUNDER - Hong Soon Im releases Fanning one-on-one with Ward but the Heat goalkeeper comes in to make the stop with the ball deflecting out for a goal kick

75' CHANCE FOR THUNDER – Im strikes a free-kick from 30 yards out but it is easily collected by Ward on the bounce

90+3’ - GOAL FOR THUNDER – Jackson Haussler is released from half-way and touches past Ward before tucking away the finish into an empty net to wrap up the points

90+5’ – RED CARDS FOR HEAT & THUNDER – Tempers boilover in the final seconds as an all-in melee clears both benches and results in Heat’s Matthew Filip & Thunder's Adam Daly both receiving straight red cards and leaving Heat defender Shimon Watanabe with a suspected broken nose

What They Said

“It’s been an up and down year but it’s about building for next year and building character. It’s a shame the game ended the way it did. But I’m proud of the boys and the way they played this year.“ – Mick Turvey, SWQ Thunder FC assistant coach

“I think the lad’s nose is all over his flipping face and I think our patience runs out in the end. I don’t condone what happened whatsoever, but if you don’t get protection from referees then sometimes these things occur. The linesman didn’t even flag for that one. I don’t condone what happened in the end but four or five times they lay it on you and people get frustrated.“ – Tim Campbell, FNQ FC Heat coach

Match Details

PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues 2016 – Round 22

Saturday, August 20
Barlow Park, Cairns

FNQ FC Heat – 0
SWQ Thunder FC – 2 (Thomas FANNING 12’, Jackson HAUSSLER

Match Centre - http://bit.ly/2bxGJRr

Match Officials - David Walsh (referee), Chris Doherty Fisher (assistant), Daniel Breuninger (assistant), Chris Dawson (fourth)