The National Premier Leagues action continues this weekend with Round 18 featuring another set of exciting match-ups right across Queensland.

Stay up to date with all the weekend’s fixtures in the weekly preview.

Brisbane City (3^rd) v Queensland Academy of Sport (12^th)
Friday, 19^th July 2013 – Spencer Park, 8:30pm
Referee: Alex King

Brisbane City will look to recapture the form that saw them embark on a 13 match unbeaten streak when they host Queensland Academy of Sport at Spencer Park on Friday night.

City’s NPL Queensland record run was halted 4-2 last weekend by Western Pride in Ipswich, a surprise result that saw City drop to third on the table behind Redlands United on goal difference.

The finals hopefuls will be without influential American pairing Eric Frazier and Thomas Shannon, who departed the club during the week for Dandenong Thunder in the Victorian Premier League.

Queensland Academy of Sport come off the back of a 5-1 defeat at the hands of Redlands last weekend. The loss was the side’s sixth straight, and continues a run of results that has seen the club without a competition point since May.

Prolific City striker Antonio Murray netted a brace the last time these sides met in April, and Academy will need to quash the marksman’s known threat if they hope to consign City to a second straight loss.

Redlands United (2^nd) v Palm Beach Sharks (9^th)
Saturday, 20^th July 2013 – Cleveland Showgrounds, 6:00pm
Referee: Rebecca Durcau

Palm Beach Sharks will look to end a three match losing streak when they travel to Cleveland Showgrounds to face second-placed Redlands United on Saturday night.

A mid-season resurgence saw Sharks move into finals calculations, however the recent run of poor results has put paid to the clubs hopes of September football for this campaign.

Redlands , who have won five of their past seven fixtures, look increasingly assured of finals football and can still reel in long-time league leaders Olympic, who hold an 11 point margin over the bayside club at the top of the table.

Redlands hopes will also be considerably bolstered by the return of Haydyn Eames, Cameron Draper and Scott Bow from suspension.

It was a high scoring affair the last time these sides met in April, with Redlands prevailing 7-4 at Mallawa Complex on the back of a hat-trick from set-piece specialist Graham Fyfe and a double to front man Rueben Way.

Northern Fury (6^th) v Sunshine Coast Fire (4^th)
Saturday, 20^th July 2013 – Townsville Sports Reserve, 6:00pm
Referee: Casey Reibelt

Northern Fury face a do-or-die test of their NPL Queensland finals ambitions this Saturday night when they welcome Sunshine Coast Fire to Townsville Sports Reserve.

Both sides will be desperate to deny the other the win with both clubs looming large in a likely scramble for the fourth and final spot in the end of season finals series.

The fixture is Fury’s first at home since embarking on an undefeated three-match away run, last week’s 2-1 win over Palm Beach Sharks moving the club into the top half of the table for the first time since May.

Meanwhile, Fire are coming off the back of a 3-2 home defeat to league-leaders Olympic that ended a run of three wins and three consecutive clean sheets.

The side will welcome back influential left-winger Nico Bechar who missed the Olympic fixture. The Frenchman netted an 80^th minute winner last time Fire met Fury in April – a match Fire claimed 2-1.

Brisbane Strikers (5^th) v Western Pride (8^th)
Saturday, 20^th July 2013 – Perry Park, 7:00pm
Referee: Michael Bozoff

Brisbane Strikers are hoping to avoid becoming Western Pride’s third big NPL Queensland scalp in as many weeks when they welcome the Ipswich based club to Perry Park on Saturday night.

Despite being out of finals contention, Pride are asserting their influence on the top four after recording impressive victories against high flyers Redlands United (3-1) and Brisbane City (4-2) in the past fortnight.

The slightly dusty Strikers could prove susceptible to yet another Pride upset after their scheduled Round 17 match against Moreton Bay was postponed last weekend.

The capital city club will be desperate for the three points as they look to secure a top four finish and get on a role before tackling four of the league’s top six teams in a congested close to their regular season.

Strikers won out 4-0 in a spiteful encounter against Pride earlier this season. The match resulting in the dismissal of Pride player-coach Kasey Wehrman (who will be absent for the visitors this weekend) and a season-ending injury to star Striker Matt Thurtell.

FNQ FC Heat (10^th) v Moreton Bay Jets (7^th)
Saturday, 20^th July 2013 – Borzi Park, 7:30pm
Referee: Matt Gillet

NPL Queensland returns to the Atherton Tableland this Saturday night when FNQ FC Heat host Moreton Bay Jets at Borzi Park in Mareeba.

The match-up is the first of two matches scheduled for the ground in the next two weekends, and will be Heat’s first games at the venue since a disappointing 4-2 loss to Redlands United in June.

Whilst outside of finals contention, Heat will be looking to build on last week’s 4-3 win over CQFC Energy in Rockhampton. The Cairns-based club will also look to arrest an alarming defensive record that has seen the side concede three or more goals in five of their past seven matches.

For Moreton Bay, the match-up offers the chance to reassert their finals credentials after their Round 17 fixture with fellow finals hopefuls Brisbane Strikers was postponed last weekend.

The Jets fell outside the top half of the table for the first time since May, but still hold a game in hand over Northern Fury and Sunshine Coast Fire in the race for fourth spot.

FNQ FC prevailed 3-2 the last time these sides met in April with dyamic Heat striker Jamie Carroll netting a second half winner for the visitors on that occasion.

Olympic FC (1^st) v CQFC Energy (11^th)
Sunday, 21^st July 2013 – Goodwin Park, 3:00pm
Referee: David Weibe

League leaders Olympic FC are hoping to move one step closer to securing the inaugural NPL Queensland premiership when they host lower-table strugglers CQFC Energy at Goodwin Park on Sunday afternoon.

The two sides have experienced markedly different seasons – Olympic sweeping all before them in a campaign that has seen them lose only once, while Energy continue to struggle to turn promise in to points.

Olympic displayed the qualities that see them sit eleven points clear atop the table, turning around a 2-1 half-time deficit to overrun Sunshine Coast Fire last weekend courtesy of a brace to captain Danny Byrne.

In Rockhampton, Energy let slip an early 2-0 advantage to eventually succumb 4-3 at home to against FNQ FC Heat.

Adding to Energy’s woes is the departure this week of the club’s top scorer, Scotsman Chris Geddes. However, in a continuation of the revolution promised by head coach Ray Wood, the club have promoted juniors Jordan Polkinghorne, Riley Polkinghorne and Darcy Grant to the senior squad.

Olympic won the previous meeting between the sides 9-3 in Rockhampton earlier this year courtesy of a hat-trick to league leading goal scorer Tim Smits, whose threat will need to be quashed if Energy are to pull off the most unlikely of upsets.

 

Words: Michael Flynn (Football Queensland)