PARKING THE BUS

LEICHHARDT has every right to feel hard done by after a controversial ruling during the top-of-the-table clash with Edge Hill United undermined its chances of victory.

The final 3-0 scoreline isn’t pretty by any stretch, the margin suggests the contest wasn’t too close.

Down 2-0, Leichhardt was awarded a penalty and, as expected, Cameron Nucifora fired it home to give his side a much-needed boost. But the goal was disallowed after it was ruled he encroached.

Generally that means a retake from the penalty spot, but an indirect free kick was offered instead.

You can’t blame the referee for a result, and we won’t be, but the wrong call had serious implications on the contest.

Momentum is a funny thing in sport, and if you talk to anyone in football you’ll understand just how different a 2-1 scoreline is to a 2-0.

At 2-1, with the most recent goal and plenty of time left, Leichhardt could well have surged against the runaway league leader.

Instead, the Lions lost whatever momentum they had gained, Nucifora was shown a red card, the side was unable to find the back of the net and Leichhardt succumbed to just its second loss of the season — its first after a fivegame winning run.

The Tigers have far and away been the best team this year but you can’t help but think how different that clash could have been with the right call.

THE women’s Premier League game between Edge Hill United and Leichhardt lived up to the expectation in a stunning advertisement for the strength of female football in Far North Queensland.

It was dramatic, intense, and a display of some of the region’s most skilful players.

Louise Fowler’s cross for Stacey Ghietti to give the Lions a late lead was inch perfect, while Olivia Gables’ strike from the edge of the box to equalise for Edge Hill United was among the best of the season in any competition.

Every game involving two top-four teams is worth a look, especially given the tight race for the league championship.

Just one point separates the top three, while JCU Strikers have a number of FNQ’s most talented juniors and will be the dark horses in the finals.

■ THE success of the Edge Hill United-Leichhardt clash has shown the value of a fiercely contested local rivalry.

As one coach put it, “every competition needs a derby”, and the recent history of these two clubs, men’s and women’s, has made this the top rivalry in the FNQ Premier League.

The buy-in from players, coaches and officials makes any game more exciting and entertaining, and the crowd’s involvement was superb.

FNQ Football’s best juniors are in Brisbane for representative state carnivals.

The Talent Support Program Boys state carnival in Logan has been billed as the biggest regional junior football event in Australia this year.

The female equivalent, the Yeh the Girls Cup, is at Briggs Road Sporting Complex.

Both tournaments include teams from across the state, as rep sides from Cairns and Townsville take on the best from Brisbane and SEQ.