GOLD Coast Knights sent a clear message to the rest of the Buffalo Sports Premier League that they are the team to beat this year after a convincing 4-2 win over previous leaders Magic Utd.
Including their recent Dog & Parrot FA Cup win, the Knights have netted fourteen goals in their last three games and had they showed more composure in front of goal they could have won this one by a cricket score.
In fairness, the 4-2 scoreline flattered Magic who were second best throughout as Knights’ skipper Tony Pearcey and midfield partner David Pilic dominated proceedings in the centre of the park.
Magic knew they were in for a tough encounter but they could not have expected to be effectively out of the contest by the time the game was just 10 minutes old. But they were.
David Pilic’s second minute free-kick, gained when the playmaker was felled on the edge of the box, was dispatched with aplomb leaving Magic ‘keeper Luke Muir statuesque.
Chris McBean almost doubled the Knights’ lead in the tenth minute after sustained pressure from the home side, but moments later Luke Sleight did add to the scoreline with an outrageous goal from 20 metres.
With his back to goal, Sleight hooked the ball over his head then watched it sail over the outstretched arms of Muir to give his team the perfect start to a vital game.
Magic had barely ventured into the Knights’ half of the field but in the 18th minute they halved the deficit when Matt Olley nodded home the rebound after his own shot had been blocked by Knights’ custodian Daniel McKinnon.
David Mutch should have restored the two-goal advantage for the home side with a header in the 25th minute and David Pilic was foiled twice as the half drew to a close.
Ironically, Magic could have levelled had Olley not fluffed his finish after a quality right wing cross from Umut Ozduzenciler and the miss was to prove costly.
After the restart Magic enjoyed more possession than in the previous period but again it was the home team who threatened early. Mutch was on hand to make it 3-1 in the 52nd minute when he tapped into an empty net after Muir spilled a goal-bound shot from Pilic into his path.
Mutch was to go on and enjoy more space on the right hand side than he will be afforded in any other game this season and had he demonstrated more composure, coupled with a killer instinct, he would have had a hat-trick inside the next ten minutes.
Magic then had ‘keeper Luke Muir to thank for holding the Knights at bay when he produced a string of excellent saves, the best being a low, one-handed stop from Sleight’s header as the home side looked to put the result beyond doubt.
They were made to sweat unnecessarily though when just a minute from time Ozduzenciler turned in a cross from Brendan Keevers to make it 3-2 and it looked as though Knights’ Coach John Stewart was in for a few nervous moments as the clock ticked down.
Luke Sleight had other ideas however and his headed goal in stoppage time gave the scoreline a more realistic look, as well as taking his personal tally to an impressive six goals in three games.
