Winning run halted
GOLD Coast Knights’ incredible 31-game unbeaten home record has been broken.
Adem Poric’s side fell 2-0 to reigning NPL Queensland champions Olympic FC on Saturday night.
Costa Psaros’ goal on the hour mark doubled the visitors’ advantage after Shannon Brady’s first-half strike lifted Olympic to a 1-0 halftime lead at the Croatian Sports Centre.
The visitors played the perfect counterattacking game against the Knights – spending much of the match pinned back inside their own half, only playing forward with pace when the right moment presented itself.
It was a frustrating result for Knights skipper Roman Hofmann, who lamented his side’s lack of a finishing touch in the final third.
“What it came down to was the one-percenters I think,” Hofmann said.
“We made two and they capitalised.
“When you play against top-four teams it’s those onepercenters that make the difference.
“We had our chances that mistakes we could – should – have put away and didn’t.
“On the day we were just beaten by a better side.”
It was always a matter of when – not if – Knights’ stunning unbeaten run at home would come to an end.
Hofmann admitted that the pressure to maintain that record could at times have played into the team’s mentality in big games.
“It was massive for Hofmann said.
“We had a fortress atmosphere going on there until Saturday (night). We always had it in the back of our minds, us,” that twelfth-man the crowd.
“There’s moments where (trying to keep the record) can almost go against you – we have to put that aside but against Olympic I think it was at the forefront.”
With the Knights’ home tally now reset, Hofmann said the pressure was now released and the team could focus on rebuilding its streak.
“Maybe it (losing) takes away a bit of that added stress,” he said. “It was nice having that accolade but it wasn’t the most important thing.
“As long as we have our effect with
home supporters at our fortress we will have the confidence to kick on and try to beat that record in the future.”
Knights travel to play Moreton Bay on Saturday.