Poor start costs City a tilt at title

GOLD Coast City players have to get straight back on the bike and prepare for a second joust with Moreton Bay United in a huge FFA Cup match.

City blew their NPL title chances apart when they lost 3-0 to Moreton Bay in a finalround match at Walter Park on Saturday night.

The defeat ended City’s dreams of a second NPLQ crown in four years, sentencing them to second and gifting Brisbane Strikers the title.

Now it is on to a return bout against younger brother Adam for City coach Grae Piddick in an FFA Cup round of 16 fixture tomorrow night – again at the Bay’s Walter Park home.

Needing to beat Moreton Bay and have Brisbane Strikers to lose to Olympic FC last night, City were rocked early on Saturday night, going two down within the space of the opening four minutes.

The die was cast for a gloomy night.

“It was a disaster of a start, a couple of individual errors that cost us goals and it went from there,” Grae Piddick said.

“It was a bad start and it took us a while to get over it but I still believe it could have been 2-2 at the break.

“The boys have been good all year so I wouldn’t expect that to happen again.

“We just have to get over it and go again.”

The concern is that City have not scored in their past two games.

The likely return of Jarrod Kyle, only a week after sustaining a third dislocated shoulder, is some good news.

Bad news for City is midfielder Jacob Boutoubia (knee) may be out for the season.