Timely boost for rocketing Comets
SOUTHSIDE Comets coach Dion Readman has talked down their chances of premiership defence despite winning a shot at NPL club Cairns FC in the FFA Cup.
The “rebuilding” young side took their opportunities in a 2-0 win against Marlin Coast on Tuesday night, a team widely expected to challenge for the Premier Men’s title in 2018.
Kiri Higuchi was the man of the moment with goals in the 30th and 74th minute enough to sink the Rangers in a highquality match.
Readman said the win was the confidence boost the newlook team needed ahead of what he expected to be a tough season with Marlin Coast, Edge Hill and Stratford the major contenders.
The Comets have lost the bulk of their 2017 premiership squad, including key players Daniel Kennedy, Ben Collins and Olivetto brothers Elia and Mattia, so the focus is on defence and it has paid dividends.
“(Marlin Coast) are a really good side and we were under the pump for a fair portion of the game and the boys defended really well,” Readman said.
“We’ve lost a lot of players so we’ve just really concentrated on our defence the last couple of months to make sure of it.
“We were just able to defend really well and then got a nice couple of opportunities for Kiri out wide and he was able to beat the goalkeeper in what was a fair effort.
“Just to go up against a really good football team and compete with them and get a positive result was really good for their confidence ... and I’m really excited for the lads getting a chance to go up against Cairns FC.”
But before that match, slated for May 2 and likely to be played at Walker Road, Ed- monton, the Comets are preparing to face relative unknowns in Mareeba at home on Sunday.
“Edge Hill have recruited strongly and Paul Fitzgerald is a very good coach, Leichhardt are underdone,” he said.
“I don’t know anything about Mareeba other than they’re always hard to beat up there and Innisfail we’ve played but they’re like us, they’re very young and they’re in a rebuild.
“Stratford should be a very good team as well.”
Clubs gathered for the FNQ Football season launch last night at the Shangri-La Marina hotel.
TO GO UP AGAINST REALLY GOOD FOOTBALL TEAM AND COMPETE WITH THEM AND GET A POSITIVE RESULT WAS REALLY GOOD FOR THEIR CONFIDENCE A
Find out the ins and outs for every senior men’s and women’s team this Saturday.