Learning from mistakes

Gold Coast Knights’ coach confident team can silence Thunder

THE Gold Coast Knights hope they can hit full stride against South West Queensland tomorrow now they have shaken the NPL monkey off their backs.

Held to a 1-1 draw against Mackay and Whitsundays in their NPL debut on February 2, the Knights broke through for their first win in the state league with a last-gasp 3-2 triumph away to the powerful Western Pride in Round 2.

While coach Grae Piddick conceded the performance was not perfect, he said the breakthrough victory was crucial for his fourth-placed side ahead of the 4pm clash with the Thunder at Carrara’s Croatian Sports Centre.

“(Last week) is an important moment for the club with their first NPL victory,” he said.

“It was very important for us to do it (against Pride).

“We left it very late but I’m pleased with the victory and to take on those lessons and make sure we are ready for (the Thunder).

“I thought Pride were really good at halftime and we needed a big effort in the second half.

“The boys are really happy to get the win and we hope we can do the same back at home.

“I am expecting another tough match.”

After failing to capitalise on their possession and territorial dominance against Mackay, the Knights’ forward line found form against the Pride as captain Sam Smith bagged a double before Jarrod Kyle’s injury-time winner.

Piddick praised his troops for learning from their mistakes in the season opener, but urged them to develop their killer instinct. “Our strikers are capable and getting a lot of opportunities to score at the moment so now it is about improving that efficiency.

“There is some good things to like about us early and some things we need to improve.”

The Knights-Thunder fixture will be followed by a game between the Junior Matildas and Myanmar from 6.30pm.