Round Four action will see several key match-ups take place. A handful of teams sit on a 100% win rate, while others endure a run of defeats. Will Round Four see any surprise results?

Don’t forget to follow the three live stream games, located on our Facebook and www.footballqueensland.com.au

By Tyler Sunderland

NPL

Live stream match:

Saturday, 6pm, February 24

NPL: Moreton Bay United vs Olympic FC

Wolter Park

Lions return to Richlands as they welcome North QLD United to Lions Stadium. A close 1-0 loss to competition leaders Olympic FC in their last game will no doubt motivate Lions to re-group and bounce back. North QLD United suffered a loss to Western Pride in their first defeat of the season. A win in this fixture will see North QLD United go three points ahead of Lions, as both teams are on six competition points.

 

Round Three included a thrilling match as Brisbane Strikers hosted Moreton Bay Unite. The fixture included three goals in injury time, which also included a yellow and red card. A double to Michael Lee (as well as the yellow card) brought the Strikers their first competition point of 2018. Their Round Four opponents, the SWQ Thunder, were also involved in a close game. However, they were able to steal all three points from Brisbane City. Strikers ‘Team of the Week’ defenders Hikori Omori and Greig Henslee will hope to keep Thunder’s attack at bay.

 

The only two undefeated teams in the competition will face off on Saturday Night as Olympic FC travel to Moreton Bay United. The top of the table clash will no doubt be hotly contested, as both teams will be aiming for some breathing room against their opponents. Olympic is the team coming off a win, as Moreton Bay could only manage a draw against Brisbane Strikers. Will both sides remain undefeated after this clash?

 

Redlands United FC will travel to Far North Queensland to face Cairns FC in their Round Four fixture. A strong 2-0 win for Redlands last weekend will see them wishing to grab all three points again in the first away fixture of 2018. Cairns were able to overcome Brisbane Roar Youth, as a 91^st minute Joshua Taylor strike separated the teams. Both teams will be looking to edge into the top half of a table with a win this Saturday at Barlow Park.

 

Western Pride FC will also travel north, as they meet with Mackay Magpies on Saturday evening. This will be the second time in two weeks that Western Pride will head north, as their Round Three fixture saw them face North QLD United FC in a game that included a hat trick from Dylan Wenzel-Halls. Mackay will aim for their second straight home win, as they secured a 3-2 win against Sunshine Coast FC last weekend.

 

Both Gold Coast United and Brisbane City FC suffered narrow losses in round three, and will be set on making amends this coming match. Gold Coast coach Sean Lane will aim to see a better finishing display, as it was identified that their ability to find the back of the net let them down against Redlands FC on the weekend. Brisbane City weren’t able to keep out SWQ Thunder in their home match, going down 3-2.

 

Sunshine Coast FC will welcome Brisbane Roar FC in the only Sunday NPL fixture. Both teams were on the wrong end of 3-2 score lines, and will be looking to re-gain momentum this weekend.

FQPL    

Live stream match: POSTPONED due to wet weather

Friday, 7.30pm, February 23

FQPL: Southside Eagles vs Logan Lightning

Perry Park

 

Southside Eagles were unable to grab points in Round Three, as a Jordan Maxwell goal wasn’t enough to see off Capalaba Bulldogs. The Eagles will use Perry Park as their home field when they welcome Logan Lightning. The Lightning themselves went down 3-2 to Rochedale, after leading 2-1 at the half time break.

 

Wide Bay Buccaneers will return to Martens Oval Field for the first time since Round One this weekend, when they face Souths United. Ipswich Knights were too strong at home against the Buccaneers, while Souths United shared the points with Holland Park Hawks. Wide Bay will hope the home ground advantage will help them get their first points of the season.

 

Wolves FC will also hope a Round Four home game can produce their first points of 2018, as they host the Wanderers of the Sunshine Coast to Carmichael Park. The Wanderers, with help from a Benjamin Lynch double, proved too strong for Eastern Suburbs. However, they will have to prove they can do it on the road as well.

 

The Bulldogs are only one point behind second place Holland Park, and will use their clash to leap frog over them. To do so, they’ll have to overcome a Holland Park side who drew with Souths United on the weekend. The Bulldogs themselves will hope to replicate their match winning performance that saw them 2-1 victors against Southside Eagles.

 

Underwood Park will host locals Rochedale Rovers as they take on competition leaders Peninsula Power. Rochedale must break through a defence that has only conceded one goal this season. Keep an eye out for Holland Park’s Marek Madle, who has yet to go a fixture without finding himself on the scorer’s sheet.

 

Returning from a week off due to the bye, Mitchelton will travel to the Eastern Suburbs of Brisbane to face the Tigers. The Tigers are yet to secure a win this season, and will see this home fixture as a great time to change that fact. Mitchelton themselves are also without a win so far in 2018.

Ipswich Knights receive a well-deserved rest due to the bye, after overcoming Wide Bay 6-0.

NPLW

Live Stream match:

Monday 6.45pm, February 25

NPLW: Western Pride vs The Gap FC

Briggs Road Sporting Complex

 

Sunshine Coast Wanderers will see Eastern Suburbs FC come to Ballinger Park to kick off Round Four in the NPLW. The Wanderers will contend with a Tigers team that has had six different goal scorers so far this season. The Wanderers themselves will look for goals to kick start their winning ways in 2018.

 

Moreton Bay United will travel down the M1 where they will face Gold Coast United at Station Reserve on Saturday night. Coming off a strong win against Logan Lightning, Moreton Bay will look to make it three wins in a row. Gold Coast will see this home game as a chance to double their win tally.

 

Both Logan Lightning and SWQ Thunder must shake off Round Three losses as they meet at Cornubia Park in this weekend’s action. As two of four teams without points so far this season, both teams will be keen to see this statistic change.

 

Tegan Riding will be on Mitchelton’s list to stop this Saturday night. The Lions FC goal machine will want to add to her tally of seven goals so far this season. Mitchelton will return home looking for all three points, as they were unable to steal even a draw against Eastern Suburbs in Round Three.

 

Capalaba Bulldogs will welcome Mudgeeraba SC to John Frederick Sportsfields this Saturday night, in an attempt to continue their winning ways. Overcoming SWQ Thunder 5-1 was the first win of the season for the Bulldogs, who will look to replicate their winning ways again. Although Mudgeeraba are still winless in 2018, they will look to this fixture as the right time to get their season underway.

 

Both Souths United and Brisbane Roar/NTC are coming off wins in Round Three, and if their performances are anything to go by, this game will be a goal fest. Both sides netted four goals in their respective games, and will each look to continue their goal scoring form.

 

The final NPLW fixture will see The Gap travel to Ipswich to face the Pride of the West in their Round Four game. Coming off opposite weeks, both teams will be eager to get the three points. For Western Pride, a win will put them back into top-spot contention, sitting three points behind the three teams on top currently (The Gap, Lions FC and Souths). The Gap however, will be looking to extend their lead on the ladder further, sitting on top due to goal difference.