Reeves on cue to star up front
SIX weeks ago, Gold Coast United captain Michael Thwaite tipped teammate Brandon Reeves to emerge as one of the NPL’s biggest goalscoring threats.
On Saturday night, the 23year-old showed why as a second-half hat-trick helped United return to the winners’ circle with a 4-0 demolition of Mackay and Whitsundays.
Reeves, who made the transition from defence to the forward line midway through last season, took his season tally to six goals in nine games after Dean Wernerson opened the scoring at Sologinkin Oval in the sixth minute.
Speaking after the 1-0 win over Easts in Round 3, Thwaite said Reeves would have a “standout year as a striker” and his prediction now appears prophetic.
“A club like United needs to be making finals year in year out, so personally I just want to do my part, contribute as much as I can to the team and bang in some goals when I get the chance,” Reeves, the Surfsiders’ 2018 Golden Boot winner with 10 goals in 21 games, said.
The result keeps United within touching distance of the top four ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Western Pride.
The Gold Coast Knights leapfrogged Lions into second spot on Saturday with a 1-0 win at the Croatian Sports Centre.
A 59th-minute goal from Jarrod Kyle was enough to deliver the hosts’ sixth win of the season, with their Round 10 assignment away to Easts next Saturday.
United’s women ended their three-game winless run on Saturday with a 5-0 thrashing of SWQ Thunder in Toowoomba.
Deeanna Thompson scored twice, while Zoe Corbett, Mackenzie Akins and Momo Hiyashi also found the net.
They host The Gap in Round 8 on Sunday.