Words: Steve Pitman & Michael Flynn
Image: Paul Smith

Brisbane Strikers coach Kevin A’herne-Evans says his side’s last start win sees them full of confidence ahead of this weekend’s clash with competition surprise packet SWQ Thunder.

Strikers play host the Toowoomba club at Perry Park in the first meeting between the clubs this year – a fixture colloquially known as the Lightning Bolt Derby, due to the similarity of the clubs’ crests.

Both sides resume their campaigns following the Easter break on the back of solid wins, but A’herne-Evans said his side’s 3-1 result over defending Champions Moreton Bay United in Round 4 has them chomping at the bit to move up the ladder.

“(That result) was hugely important for us. We wanted to make sure that our first win of the season came against one of the title contenders and, going to Moreton Bay, there was no better place for us to get that first win under our belts,” A’herne-Evans explained.

“Pleasingly we know that while there is still improvement to go we also know that we are competing with the best teams.”

He added, “But looking forward now, we are in a really positive frame of mind. Now we’ve got to kick on and start mounting a challenge to get back to the top of the table.”

Standing in Strikers’ way is a Thunder side that has benefitted from a strong off-season recruitment drive and currently sits fourth in the standings and consigned their tag as the league’s easy-beats to history.

A’herne-Evans acknowledged Thunder pose a tricky proposition and cited the influence of Premiership winning goalkeeper Luke Borean and rising attacking talent Mustafa Jafari, who bookend a formation brimming with confidence of their own.

“Borean alone is a huge influence for them. He brings all that experience and settles them down and they’re a really spirited group,” he explained.

“They’ve got a little bit of belief that what they are doing is working. They’ve got a couple of good goal scorers up front as well.”

“Jafari is a ‘shoot on sight’ kind of striker with the way he just wants to hit the target and make the goalkeeper work.”

However, the Strikers coach pointed out his team has plenty of attacking threats of their own – including the increasingly gelling midfield combination of Trent Clulow and Shaun Carlos.

“Shaun is the exact kind of player you want coming on to the end of things – a good finisher with both feet and good in the air as well, with a great ability to read the build-up in front of him and arrive at the right time.”

“And pleasingly, Trent Clulow got a hat trick of assists that day. He’s set up our last four goals, so we know that now we’ve got midfielders scoring goals and creating opportunities as well,” he concluded.

PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues 2016 – Round 5
Saturday, April 2
Brisbane Strikers FC v SWQ Thunder FC
Perry Park, Brisbane
Kick-off at 6:00PM