Late hat-trick pours water on Heat’s lead
AN improved FNQ Heat fell just short of a defining win over Redlands United at Borzi Park on Saturday night.
The home team carried a 2-1 lead early in the second half but could not convert it into a win over the fourthranked visitors.
A hat-trick by goal-scoring ace Graham Fyfe proved the difference as Redlands nabbed two goals in the final 15 minutes to secure a 4-2 win.
The loss leaves Heat in the bottom third of the ladder but interim coach Joe Fenech was encouraged by the performance.
‘‘I thought for the majority of the game – not I thought, I know – we were the better team,’’ he said.
‘‘Everybody in the region should be proud of the boys tonight because they are a bunch of 18 and 19-year-olds and they took it to them.’’
The reshuffled starting lineup will give him plenty to think about as he plans a three-week run against the competition’s top three teams.
Playing without regular starters Cameron Morrison and Josh Jennison, the defence frustrated the league’s second best goalscoring attack.
Outside of a controversial spot kick in the 24th minute, which Fyfe converted for Redlands’ first goal, the Brisbane Premier League premiers were held in the first half.
It did not take Heat long to respond to Fyfe’s opener, with Cameron Nucifora equalising after some clever lead-up work from midfielder Matt Murphy and forward Jamie Carroll.
Carroll was instrumental in Heat’s second goal after running on to a precise through pass from newlyarrived defender Tamas Maffey-Stumpe.
After beating his defender down the left wing Carroll sent the ball back towards the goal where it deflected first off Nucifora’s heel, then the keeper’s glove before Tom Murphy rocketed it into the back of the net.
That brought to life the smaller-than-expected B o r z i Park crowd b u t Heat were unable to maintain the momentum.
Fyfe’s second came through another controversial penalty in the 80th minute. This time the former Raith Rover overcame an impossible angle to guide a free kick into the goal.
As the Heat faded down the stretch, Redlands continued to attack and in the 85th minute George Barbarouses converted a clever set play into a long-range strike which gave Redlands its fourth goal.
After the match Fenech w o n d e r e d what c o u l d have been.
‘‘I was just a little disappointed that we didn’t get the rub of the green, I guess, in decisions but, look, sometimes it goes for you and sometimes it goes against you,’’ he said.
Heat forward Jamie Carroll was creative in attack.