THUNDER STRIKES DOWN CAIRNS FC

Cooper double helps team seal record-equalling win

Marquee signing Travis Cooper led the South West Queensland Thunder to a club record equalling win at the weekend.

Cooper played a leading hand in the Thunder’s 5-0 demolition of Cairns setting up his side’s opening goal and scoring two of his own.

Playing at home the Thunder gave their North Queensland visitors no opportunity to settle in scoring in just the fourth minute.

Finding space on the edge of the area Cooper’s cross found defender Wade Hall whose header left Cairns keeper Pierce Clark with no chance.

Keen to ram home their advantage the Thunder pressed forward and were unlucky not to double their advantage four minutes later.

Striker Anthony Grant was denied by the crossbar before Cooper struck his first goal with ten minutes gone.

The Thunder went on to dominate the half creating multiple chances before Cooper struck again in the 44th minute to take his side into the half-time break up 3-0.

Goals to Kimba Kibombo (75th minute) and Daniel Weber (82nd minute) rounded out the performance.

Cooper, who was denied a hat-trick after his 19th minute header was questionably ruled out for offside, said the performance was a long time coming.

“Today’s game we all just clicked and played really good football,” Cooper said.

“I think it’s a long time coming, we’ve gone four (wins) in a row now so it was good to just build up momentum and then just go over a team and really put it to them.”

Well in control against a Cairns team that offered very little in the way of consistent attacking threat Cooper said the Thunder’s half-time talk focused on not easing up.

“You play 45 minutes that’s one half so you need to keep pushing and pushing for the whole 90,” he said.

“It’s not over at half-time so it was good to see the boys lift again and to score another two goals was great.”

On personal note Cooper was happy with his efforts.

“I really wanted that hattrick, I don’t think it was offside but that’s just me,” he said.

“But as long as the team is doing well I am happy. I’m more than happy to get an assist instead of a goal.”

■ Read tomorrow’s The Chronicle for the Thunder women’s match report.

Photo: Kevin Farmer AT THE DOUBLE: South West Queensland Thunder striker Travis Cooper (right) scored twice in his side’s 5-0 defeat of Cairns on Saturday at Toowoomba’s Clive Berghofer Stadium.