Loss gives United a big wake- up call
NORTH Queensland United coach Michael Brooks has ordered his team to lift their intensity or risk being left behind by their National Premier League rivals after Western Pride delivered a brutal 6- 1 reality check on Saturday night.
The defending NPL champions had all three points wrapped up by halftime by stunning the hosts with a 5- 1 onslaught.
NQU was full of confidence after starting the campaign with wins against Sunshine Coast and Mackay, but couldn’t handle the big step up in class.
The visitors had both hands on the three points almost immediately when Dylan Wenzell- Halls and Andrew Pengelly both found the back of the net inside the first five minutes.
Wenzell- Halls went on to score a hat- trick and Pengelly a brace, with NQU’s only solace a 26th minute goal to skipper Corey Waples.
“We just weren’t up to their standard on the night,” Brooks said.
“They came out hard and fast, and we were like deers caught in the headlights for the first 20 minutes or so,”
“We never matched their intensity and they’re a quality team.
“If anything the performance was the biggest let- down. We never really got up for the battle and that’s something we have to be willing to do every week, especially against Brisbane teams who are going to be sharper and faster.
“Those guys in those regions play at a higher level very week.
“We have to out- enthuse them and if we’re not going to do that, the result of last night will repeat itself.”
Brooks is confident his team’s self belief and confidence won’t be battered too much before they take on another expected title contender in Lions FC on Saturday in the first away game of the season.
“I’ve got faith they can bounce back from this, but it’s going to take a lot of hard work and we have to stick together,” Brooks said. “We knew there was going to be a step up in class and even in coming weeks we’ve got another two or three extremely hard games against teams they’re predicting to be in the top four.
“I still have the faith in the guys, and I know they still have faith in themselves that we can compete, but we have to turn up.
“We’re still a new team, we’ve only essentially played four games all up together.” QUEENSLAND NPL. ROUND 3. WESTERN PRIDE 6 ( D Wenzell Halls 3’, 34’, 56’; A Pengelly 5’, 22’, J Duckworth 35’) bt NORTH QLD UNITED 1 ( C Waples 26’) at Brolga Park, Townsville on Saturday.