Jets & Roar Share The Spoils
Moreton Bay United Jets and Brisbane Roar NYL maintained their unbeaten starts to the NPL Queensland season on Saturday night, playing out a 1-1 draw at Wolter Park.
Roar striker Brandon Borello opened the scoring just prior to the break with a superb volleyed finished before a resurgent Jets side levelled through Jared Austin just after the hour.
Roar’s youngsters started the match brightly and dominated the opening exchanges with their well-drilled blend of quick passing and movement.
Early chances fell for Jai Ingham and Logan Grillo but both failed to trouble Jets custodian Mario Aparicio.
However, the hosts grew into the contest as the half progressed and responded when Nakaooka Ryota fashioned two promising efforts, the second deflecting over the bar.
Austin also had a shot blocked while French import Charles Mendy also blazed over the top.
Roar remained patient and took a deserved lead in the 44th minute when Kofi Danning used his renowned pace to open up the hosts defence on the right wing.
Borello charged through on the burst to meet Danning’s pin-point cross, producing a spectacular volleyed finish from 10 yards.
After the break Roar shot-stopper Fraser Chalmers was called into action when Mendy fired in a low shot.
The side’s exchanged further counter-punches with Roar’s Ingham, and Jet’s Austin and Matthew Zapone failing to find the target from promising positions before Nakaooka saw a well-crafted shot rattle the crossbar following a breakaway from Moses Joseph.
With Jets growing in confidence – and fired up when a claim for a penalty was overturned – the diminutive Austin rose to the occasion on 63 minutes.
The forward was found unmarked in the box by Charles Mendy’s cross. Austin spotted Chalmers just off his line and looped his header in to the top corner of the back post.
Roar spurned chance to regain their lead shortly after when Lachlan Jackson was denied by Aparicio from point-blank rage.
The drawn result sees both sides sit in mid-table following unbeaten starts to the season, with one win each from their opening fixtures.
Moreton Bay United 1 (Jared AUSTIN 63’)
Brisbane Roar NYL 1 (Brandon BORELLO 44’)
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