UNBEATEN RUN TESTED
KNIGHTS READY FOR ROAR:
GOLD Coast Knights’ incredible unbeaten home record will face its biggest test in recent memory when the high-flying Brisbane Roar Youth visit Croatian Sports Centre on Sunday.
The Knights’ Carrara base has been impenetrable since the club entered the NPL Queensland competition in 2019, recording a stunning 24 wins and five draws from 29 matches – easily the best home record of any club in the state league.
Adem Poric’s side has eased to comfortable 4-0 and 2-0 wins at home to Magpies Crusaders and Capalaba FC in recent weeks, but faces a much sterner test in the form of competition leaders Roar Youth.
The visitors are unbeaten to start 2021, boasting a leaguebest 15 goals and plus-12 goal difference.
Roar travelled to Perry Park and put six past the Brisbane Strikers in Round 4. Alex Parsons’ hat-trick lifting him to seven goals for the season and one ahead of Knights talisman Jheison Macuace for the outright lead in the golden boot race.
After conceding five goals in the opening two rounds, Knights have kept a clean sheet in their past two matches and skipper Roman Hofmann, deputising at centre-half, said the team is confident it will keep its unbeaten streak intact.
“We look at our field as a fortress,” Hofmann said.
“We have a lot of pride in our home form and we want to maintain that.
“It’ll be our biggest test since the Lions game (in Round 1) … I’ve got full faith in our squad.
“We’re in good form, our confidence is high … we’re aware of Roar’s form, but we’re not going into the game thinking of a negative result. We want all three points.”
Hofmann said the parochial crowd at Carrara was key to the Knights’ success at home.
“We have a great fan base,” he said.
“Our spectators always come out and are loud and get behind us. They give us that added edge in each home game.”
The match was originally scheduled to be played on Friday night, however was moved to Sunday to allow the pitch time to dry after heavy rain through the week.