Cloak and danger
Knights coach won’t buy United title claim
GOLD Coast Knights coach Alex Morrison is not taking too much notice of what he believes is a bit of gamesmanship by his Premier League rival Lee Vernon.
Immediately after the Knights scored a late goal that gave them a share of the points from their 1-1 draw in a clash with Broadbeach United, Vernon basically conceded the championship title to the Knights.
“I told Alex they (the Knights) have wrapped up the league and we now have to make sure we stay ahead of Surfers to get the finals double chance,” Vernon said.
“We’re three points behind them and they have a much better goal difference. We’d have to win both our matches and they’d have to lose both of theirs.”
But Morrison, who played under Vernon at Broadbeach, was not having a bar of that equation.
“By no means do we have the title wrapped up,” Morrison said.
“Because at the end of the day if we lose two games and Broady win their two games they win the league.”
The Knights had to wait until the death to get a point from the clash at Nikiforides Park.
United scored in the last minute of regulation time after a stylish series of passes from the back culminated with Japanese player Yuji Hirayami landing the equaliser.
Burleigh Heads kept their top-four hopes alive after another 1-1 weekend result against Magic United at Birmingham Road.
Burleigh led early after an own goal from Magic, but Naoto Otaki levelled before half-time for a share of the spoils.
The Bulldogs had keeper Luke Muir to thank after he saved a penalty shot during a tense second half.
At Duncan McKenna Field, an Acim Tomic goal was enough to give Surfers Paradise Apollo a 1-0 win and maintain their chase of a toptwo finals finish.
In the other game, Murwillumbah scored four goals in the final 20 minutes to beat Coomera 5-2 at Jim Devine Field.
Meanwhile, Gold Coast City kept a firm hold on top place on the NPL Queensland ladder with a 3-1 result against Brisbane Olympic at Goodwin Park last night.
Knowing they had to either win or draw after Brisbane Strikers won on Saturday, City scored twice in the last 15 minutes for a key result.
Sam Smith scored twice and Nik Mirkovic added the third.
It comes on the back of City’s impressive start to their FFA Cup campaign.
The Gold Coast side defeated Perth outfit the Western Knights 3-1.
City will now wait to learn their Round of 16 opponents when the current round is completed this week.