Crucial win sets United on a roll
WITH backs against the wall and staring down an 0-3 start, Gold Coast United’s 5-1 demolition job of Sunshine Coast Wanderers on Sunday could be the club’s most important win since joining the NPL Queensland in 2018.
Returned from a hamstring injury that besieged his preseason preparations, former Gold Coast Knight Jarrod Kyle produced a stunning secondhalf hat-trick as United piled on four goals to nil in the second period to end a two-game winless run.
United skipper Justyn Mckay watched as his opener was cancelled out right before halftime, setting up a nervy second stanza for his young side.
“We were disappointed they managed to score just before halftime … I think it was clear that we were exposing them in certain areas in the first half, we just couldn’t capitalise,” Mckay said.
“But we were positive. We knew if we kept at it we would get our chances.”
United rose to the challenge placed at its feet – Kyle’s first goal five minutes after the restart restoring a lead the hosts would never surrender.
Mckay said the hat-trick was reward for effort for Kyle, who had the bulk of the goalscoring load thrust upon him with Shane Smeltz and Sam Smith unavailable.
“He’s been struggling with a hamstring of late and for him to get a hat-trick is brilliant because he’s worked so hard,” Mckay said of Kyle.
“The longer (stalemates) go on against teams like Sunny Coast the more liable you are for them to create chances.
“Jarrod’s goal after halftime
settled a few nerves for us, and the third soon after that was a big moment.
“Without Sam (Smith) and Smeltzy, he’s had to step up for us and he did that on Sunday.
“Having Jarrod in form and having Sam and Smeltzy back … we’ve got a lot of goals in us. The key thing is to get them all on the pitch at the same time.”
Mckay said the win would do wonders for the team’s confidence and was one to build the season around.
“We had a couple of losses to start the season and a fourweek gap between games, so it’s been tough,” he said.
“You want to get those first points on the board otherwise the pressure keeps building. This should kickstart our season and bring some confidence to the group.”
United’s next test comes in the form of perennial premiership contenders Lions FC.
“On the back of a 5-1 win we need to go into that game and back ourselves,” Mckay said.
“They’ve had a couple of indifferent results up to now. If we focus on ourselves and come in prepared, we can give anyone a good game at home.”