Words: Aaron Cooper
Additional Reporting: Garry McKenzie
Image: Chris Simpson

Six different goalscorers have contributed to an incredible 9-3 victory for Western Pride over Sunshine Coast FC on Saturday night.

Salomon Lukonga was heavily involved in the early stages, assisting Mitchell Bird for the Pride's first goal after four minutes before scoring himself just a minute later.

Bird then capitalised on an errand clearance to extend the Pride's lead to three goals before Danyon Bell pulled one back for the visitors on the half-hour mark.

The Pride were able to find the net twice more in as many minutes before the break as Bird completed his hat-trick before Jacob Minett converted from an acute angle.

Both sides traded goals shortly after the break with Jordan Lambi scoring the hosts' sixth, two minutes before Zachary Munster had his side's second of the night.

The Pride then scored three times in as many minutes as Lukonga, Joe Duckworth and Dylan Wenzel-Halls put the Fire to the sword.

Munster bagged his brace with a late consolation goal but the damage was well and truly done as the Pride record their second win of the season.

The winless Fire now host Moreton Bay United while the Pride travel to Toowoomba to face fellow winless side SWQ Thunder.

Key Moments

4’ – GOAL FOR PRIDE – Salomon Lukonga squares the ball to allow Mitchell Bird to side-foot past Kevin Downes to open the scoring.

5’ – GOAL FOR PRIDE – Lukonga is played behind the Fire defence, ignores the three Pride players free in the area to squeeze the ball inside the near post.

14’ – GOAL FOR PRIDE – A Fire corner is cleared to Joe Duckworth, who plays Bird in to skip around Downes and tap into an unguarded net.

30’ – GOAL FOR FIRE – A Fire corner is headed into the box to allow Danyon Bell to tap home.

41’ – GOAL FOR PRIDE – Jordan Lambi angles a pass into the path of Bird who completes his hattrick by placing the ball coolly past Downes.

42’ – GOAL FOR PRIDE – Jacob Minett twists around Downes and places the ball into an unguarded net from an acute angle.

52’ – GOAL FOR PRIDE – A Pride corner is cleared out of the area straight to Lambi who drills it low past Downes.

54’ – GOAL FOR FIRE – Nathaniel Giabardo shimmies past two Pride defenders into the area and squares the ball to Zachary Munster who lifts a shot past Weier.

68’ – GOAL FOR PRIDE – Corey Lucas’ corner bounces off Downes and Lukonga stabs home off a Fire player.

69’ – GOAL FOR PRIDE – Duckworth is put one-on-one with Downes before picking his spot and sliding a shot home.

70’ – GOAL FOR PRIDE – The ball is played across the Fire goal and rebounds off the post, colliding fortuitously with a sliding Wenzel-Halls who bundles it over the line.

85’ – GOAL FOR FIRE – Munster gets his second for the night by chipping the ball over Justin Weier after good work from Jez Lofthouse.

Match Details

PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues Queensland - Round 8
Saturday, April 22
Briggs Road Sporting Complex

Western Pride 9 (Mitchell BIRD 4', 14', 41', Salomon LUKONGA 5', 68', Jacob MINETT 42', Jordan LAMBI 52', Joe DUCKWORTH 69', Dylan WENZEL-HALLS 70')

Sunshine Coast Fire 3 (Danyon BELL 30', Zachary MUNSTER 54', 85')