Newcomers take heat off old brigade

HEAT’S new brigade looks set for more minutes after showing their class in a 3-2 win over Gold Coast City for the ideal start to the NPL campaign.

Kasper Holmbech and Chris Sullivan proved supersubs with two late goals on a waterlogged Barlow Park.

Members of the 2016 squad would have been having flashbacks to the grand final when Gold Coast City drew level in the final minute of regulation, but the poise of the recruits to find a goal showed the Heat had already turned a corner.

Heat coach Tim Campbell could barely fault his players and their opponents.

“I think anyone who watched that game, some of the stuff that those players did, Gold Coast and the Heat, some of the passing and some of the join-up play there and link play ... it was a great testament to those players,” he said.

“I reckon Gold Coast, as I said prior to the match, they’re my favourites to win this thing and I reckon if you can compete against them, you know you’ve got your team off to a good start.”

The Heat could have sealed the result much earlier than the second minute of added time if Jamie Carroll and Darcy McCormack converted makeable opportunities in front of goal, but Campbell said the fact they still had three goals to show was a great sign.

“If Jamie misses two every week and we score three, we’re not a bad side, we’re doing quite well,” he said.

While Lorenzo Sipi, Shigeki Ono and Scott Sargent were key players for the majority of the game, easing goalscorers Holmbech and Sullivan was a masterstroke simply part of Campbell’s plan.

“We’ve tried to give them as many games in pre-season as possible being new to the side but sometimes it’s good for them to watch how we play as well,” Campbell said.

“Kasper did absolutely fabulous when he came on, his energy is there, his enthusiasm for the game.”

The Heat will bus it to Ingham Showgrounds next Saturday night to take on rivals Northern Fury.