Words: Nick Crockford
Image: Alberto Omar Pereira Pérez/Moreton Bay United

A hat-trick from Moreton Bay United striker Royce Brownlie kept the pressure on the NPL Queensland top four, as Jets defeated Northern Fury 3-1 at Wolter Park on Saturday night.

Fury opened the scoring through Braedyn Crowley in the opening minutes before Brownlie’s haul secured the Jets the points prior to the hour.

Chances flowed from the first minute when Jets’ Doug Brown hit the Fury crossbar from six yards, before Braedyn Crowley struck.

In the third minute his powerful free-kick from 25-yards out curled away from Jets’ keeper Luke Borean and into the net.

Jets equalised after a period of concerted pressure that saw Fury goalkeeper Symes twice save from Brownlie, then Ryota Nakaooka and Fury defend five successive corners.

The Fury defence finally cracked on 20 minutes when Brownlie headed home from six yards from Nakaooka’s free-kick.

The same combination edged Jets aheadon the half hour when Symes was unable to collect Nakaooka’s floated free kick into a crowded goalmouth and Brownlie pounced

The Jets skipperspurned the chance of a first-half hat-trick when he headed another Nakaooka free kick down and wide of the near post.

Scott McNeill went close within seconds of the restart for the hosts and in the 49th minute Symes again denied Brownlie, but there was little the Fury shot-stopper could do to stop Jets’ third goal.

On 55 minutes Charles Mendy intercepted a pass and James Fairgrieve quickly played in Brownlie who calmly fired over the keeper from the edge of the area,

The strike was Brownlie's 28th of the season and keeps him well in the hunt for the NPL Queensland Golden Boot.

Fury rallied as substitute Hamish Cassidy hita long, deep cross into the side netting and Jacob Crowley hammered a 25-yard drive against the post late on.

Mendy, McNeill, Brownlie and James Fairgreve also had late chances to extend the hosts’ lead.

The result leaves Jets one point outside the top four and one place above Brisbane City, who they will face on Friday at Spencer Park in a match critical to both sides finals chances.

Fury remain in 11th place, well clear of the bottom two, with Redlands making the trip to Townsville next weekend.

Moreton Bay United 3 (Royce BROWNLIE 20’, 31’ 55’)
Northern Fury 1 (Braedyn CROWLEY 3’)