Fury eye finals run
Team fumble their way to fifth
HIS mantra is normally “one game at a time” but Northern Fury coach Ian Ferguson knows the next three weeks will likely decide his team’s finals hopes following a 3- 1 win over SWQ Thunder.
A crisp strike from Corey Waples following a counter attack put the Fury ahead 1- 0 after 15 minutes, but the result was far from assured as the Thunder maintained steady pressure, resulting in an equaliser from Thunder player Keagan Sheridan on the stroke of half- time.
Ferguson was left frustrated by a series of lapses that continually handed the Thunder scoring chances, although a penalty goal to Joe Thornton on 76 minutes – followed by an impressive NPL debut goal by Jarrod Lee in stoppage time – gave the Fury a deserved win.
The Fury have now moved to fifth on the NPL table, taking them a step closer to their first finals campaign in the league’s three- year history.
Following the bye this weekend will be an away clash against Brisbane City, followed by a home fixture against minor premiership contenders the Brisbane Strikers.
“Normally I take that approach of one game at a time but these next two games are huge for us,” Ferguson said.
“We’re in this game to hopefully reach finals and we’re the same as anyone else, so we just have to keep winning games.
“Obviously to get another two points away from home is very good for us and it’s only the second time this year we’ve been able to go back- to- back.”
While happy with the points and where it puts them on the ladder, Ferguson was far from happy with his team’s on- field performance at Toowoomba’s Clive Berghofer Stadium.
Ferguson conceded the winless Thunder were unlucky not to make more of the opportunities that the Fury often gifted to them.
“The manner in which we played wasn’t the best and we were pretty lucky at times, and we could have gone behind,” he said.
“We kept turning the ball over when we were under no real pressure, so we have to be better with our possession.”
The Fury did have their own chances to increase the winning margin but were denied, thanks to a superb individual game from Thunder goalkeeper Pierce Clark.