Edge Hill build game on rock-solid keeper
KEVIN Ward might just be the most valuable player in FNQ Football.
The lanky shot-stopper was the difference in Edge Hill United’s 3-1 FFA Cup win against Stratford on Saturday night, and would have been a major factor in this week’s fourth-round clash with Southside Comets.
The FFA Cup, along with all sanctioned grassroots football competitions and training across the country, have been suspended for four weeks.
It keeps with the trend he established in last year’s allconquering campaign, when Edge Hill United won all three titles on offer.
They won the FNQ Premier League by 16 points, came from behind to win the grand final, then clinched the Crad Evans Shield to earn the title as the best team in North Queensland. Ward was key to much of that success.
In the Premier League, he conceded just 15 goals, more than twice fewer than their nearest rival.
He hasn’t been perfect – there were plenty of games last year when he conceded just the one goal – but he’s been such a dominant force at the back for Crios O’Hare’s men it’s allowed the side to flourish.
O’Hare paid tribute to the veteran’s outstanding form – and a vital penalty save – after the win against Stratford.
“Kev Ward was superb, he showed signs of his old self,” O’Hare said. “He was really good in the air, a penalty save as well – it seems to be his specialty.
“I’m really proud of him because he puts in a lot of work and he gets a lot of stick when he makes an error.
“I’m really happy for him to play well (tonight) and hopefully it carries into the season. “(The penalty save) is huge. “Five minutes to go, you don’t want to be conceding a goal. We relied on Kev to get us over the line and that was brilliant from him.”
It is not known when Ward and Edge Hill United will kickoff their Premier League title defence due to uncertainty surrounding coronavirus.