Words: Michael Flynn
Image: Steven Gibson Photography/Brisbane Roar FC

Hat-tricks to Abraham Yango and Stephen O’Neill saw Brisbane Roar Youth crush SWQ Thunder 8-1 at Perry Park on Sunday.

New Roar coach John Aloisi proved an interested spectator in the stands as Yango and Stephen O’Neill’s hauls were complemented by further strikes to Nicholas D’Agostino and Mitchell Hore.

The win extends Young Roar’s unbeaten PlayStation® 4 NPL Queensland run to six matches, while the bottom-of-the-table Thunder have now lost their past eight games.

Young Roar made the perfect start to the contest when Yango opened his account inside two minutes - dispossessing Thunder’s Joel Thornton before slotting a low finish.

However, Thunder delivered an instant reply as Thomas Fanning surged down the right before delivering a crisp strike from the edge of the area - his fourth career goal for Thunder, moving him top of the club’s all-time PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland goal-scoring chart.

From there on it was all one way traffic though as Young Roar’s attack surged forward in search of goals.

Yango restored the hosts lead on the quarter hour with a clinical finish past Thunder goalkeeper Pierce Clark after being played in by D’Agostino.

Further raids on Thunder’s third manifested throughout the rest of the half but Young Roar were frustrated as two penalty claims were denied.

However, D’Agostino finally doubled Young Roar’s advantage just before the break - delivering the final touch after running on to a through-ball from Connor O’Neill

Stephen O’Neill opened his account ten minutes after the restart, finishing off a well-constructed team goal that involved sharp passing in the build-up between Yango, D'Agostino and Hore.

Yango secured this hat-trick - and sixth goal of the campaign - just after hour with a tap-in after Hore’s initial effort was parried by Clark.

Stephen O’Neill then added the next two goals to wrap up his hat-trick - first delivering a crafty chip over Clark from 20 yards before being teed-up with a sharp give-and-go with Yango.

Young Roar skipper Hore received reward for his efforts in the final stages after sterring home Shelford Dais’ cutback to move into equal first in the PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland Golden Boot race with nine goals.

Speaking post-match, Stephen O’Neill said he was hoping he and his teammates had done enough to impress Aloisi and earn a shot at next season’s Hyundai A-League squad.

“I think when the first team comes back in for pre-season, obviously it’s my aim to try and be with them along with a few of the other boys from the team - we’ll see what happens,” he said.

Thunder coach Chris Wilkes couldn’t fault his players effort despite the second-half blow-out.

“They’re a bunch of boys that just work their socks and they played against the best boys in the state out there today and most of them are younger than the Roar boys,” he said.

Brisbane Roar FC Youth  8 (Abraham YANGO 2’ 15’ 64’, Nicholas D’AGOSTINO 45’, Stephen O’NEILL 55’ 66’ 79’, Mitchell HORE 84’)
SWQ Thunder FC  1 (Thomas FANNING 3’)