Comets rue missed opportunities against Bulls
WHEN it comes time to look back on the 2020 FNQ Premier League season, Southside Comets supporters will look to their two fixtures against Mareeba United and dream about what could have been.
The Comets’ season is not over yet — not by a long shot — but they have been left to rue yet another missed opportunity after they succumbed 2-0 to Mareeba United on their home turf.
The Bulls led 1-0 after 10 minutes but then played with 10 men for most of the second half after Connor Bell received his second yellow card in the 47th minute. Richard Fono, who played for Solomon Islands in 2016, started in his second game in the Premier League, and iced the 2-0 win with a 90th-minute goal.
It is the second time Southside
has missed out on three valuable competition points against the Bulls, after they coughed up a two-goal advantage to draw its season opener over the range.
Comets have been building steadily over the past two seasons, since they won the Crad Evans Shield in 2018, and it appeared the club may be ready for another tilt at the top four this year.
The young roster, many of whom were exposed to the region’s top flight for the first time last year, have matured, and the addition of several seasoned campaigners made for a promising squad. But the club’s inability to find the back of the net despite a one-man advantage for more than 40 minutes would have left coach Chris Collins pulling his hair out.
“I’m not sure what it is, we’re just not clicking,” he said.
Southside is now three points behind Mareeba in the race for fourth, and it also has to overcome goal differential if it is to dislodge the Borzi Park club for a place in the finals.
It doesn’t get any easier for the Comets, who will travel to unbeaten competition leaders Edge Hill United on Sunday ahead of a Round 10 bye.
Third place will be on the line when Mareeba hosts Innisfail United at Lindsay Australia Stadium on Saturday.