Cairns FC forced to shift match to Southside

SOUTHSIDE Comets have saved the day to give Cairns FC a field to host Western Pride this weekend after Leichhardt FC pulled out due to the state of the pitch following heavy rain.

The NPL club yesterday scrambled to find a replacement venue with Barlow Park already unavailable hosting the Northern Pride on the same day.

The Comets’ new field at Walker Road, Edmonton is considered the best suburban ground in Cairns and hosted a preseason trial between Cairns FC and Marlin Coast in January.

The distraction is less than ideal coming into a match-up with the defending grand final champions and having lost another player, MJ Nkiwane, from the squad to FNQ Football club Edge Hill.

Cairns FC haven’t played a a competitive game for close to three weeks but coach Danny Graystone said the team would be well prepared.

“It’s difficult because you can never replicate training during game time but on a positive side we’ve had a couple of knocks and strains which have healed and Josh Taylor was away last week and he’s back this week, so we’re going to have a full-strength side available. We’ve kept them fresh, but we’ve trained hard and we’ve trained well.”

Graystone said Western Pride were an “industrious” and “dymanic” team that would put great strain on the defence.

“We need to be at our best this weekend ... to get anything out of the game,” he said.

Leichhardt FC’s Premier Men, reserves and youth games scheduled for this weekend have been moved to Marlin Coast’s grounds at Trinity Beach.

Southside’s senior men’s and women’s games take place at Walker Rd against Mareeba on Sunday.