A Noble cause in Burleigh cup surge
BURLEIGH Heads midfielder Matt Noble says the Bulldogs’ FFA Cup run has become “a welcome distraction” after admitting the national knockout competition had taken on greater significance than originally planned.
While the Gold Coast Premier League leaders have slumped to back-to-back losses in the local competition, their cup form remains strong heading into tonight’s Round 6 encounter with QPL outfit Logan Lightning.
After overcoming Premier League rivals Nerang on penalties in Round 2, they have underlined their credentials with victories over Toowong, Brisbane Premier League side Albany Creek and the NPL’s Western Pride.
Now preparing to face QPL pacesetters Logan at Pizzey Park at 7pm, Noble said each triumph had delivered a dose of inspiration to Colin Phelan’s troops.
“Starting off originally
Saturday 7pm – Burleigh Heads vs. Logan Lightning at Pizzey Park
Monday 8pm – Olympic vs. Palm Beach at Goodwin Park
Tuesday 8pm – Holland Park vs. Coomera at Whites Hill Reserve
when we first got asked if we wanted to go into the cup, it was more just to get a release from the league,” the 30year-old Englishman said in the latest edition of the Bulletin’s Round Ball Round Up podcast. “We thought it would be a nice distraction to go in there, play some different opposition, see how we go and just take it game by game really. Now we find ourselves in this position where we’re able to string a few results together.
“Every round you kind of think to yourself ‘it’d be nice to continue the run’. No matter if it’s a league game or a cup game, you always want to win games so if it happens that you find yourself going further in the competition then obviously it’s exciting and it gives you something else to think about.
“Now obviously playing Logan Lightning on Saturday, it’s going to be a good test for us. The boys are all looking forward to it, hopefully we can get a good result.”
With Palm Beach and Coomera also set for cup games in the coming days, Noble said he hoped the Coast teams could continue their stellar runs..
The Gold Coast Knights hosted Peninsula Power in the cup last night, while Surfers Paradise faced Moreton Bay at Lex Bell Oval.