Roar’s early victory as players cleared
A LATE fitness call on forward Riley Dillon will determine whether returning star Rhys Saunders makes the Gold Coast City starting line-up in a big NPL Queensland match tonight.
Riley sustained a corked thigh during a training session on Thursday night and is a chance to miss the blockbuster clash against co-ladder leaders Olympic FC at Mallawa Drive.
“As long as the injury is all right Riley should be good,” coach Grae Piddick said.
“We have named Rhys on the bench but he will definitely get a game at some stage.”
Saunders has returned from a stint at the Lewis and Clarke College of Illinois and trained with City for the first time this week.
“He showed some spark in the training he did and I believe he’ll definitely be an important player for us for the rest of the season.”
City have two changes with suspended Ben Lyvidikos and the unavailable Nik Mirkovic out and Jaiden Walker and Curtis Stollery named as their replacements.
Mirkovic will be a significant loss, according to Piddick.
“We’ll miss him because he has been good so far this season,” Piddick said.
The clash has been moved from City’s home base at Runaway Bay because of work on the playing field there.
Yet the return “home” is exciting especially because it was at Mallawa Drive that City beat Olympic to win the 2014 grand final 3-2 to complete the NPLQ championshippremiership double.
“It’s a massive game in the context of the season because the winner gets top spot,” Piddick said.
“And we want to keep our unbeaten run at home here on the Coast.”
City are level with Olympic on points but trail slightly on goal difference.
Both sides have had eight wins, a draw and a loss so far this season with City unbeaten since their opening-round loss away to Far North Queensland in Cairns.
City’s goals for and against record is plus-13 while the South Brisbane-based Olympic’s numbers sit at a superior plus-18.