MUSGRAVE EASE PAST MUDGEERABA

Musgrave 5 (P. Cronin 2, B. Rodriguez 2, M. Reca)

Mudgeeraba 1 (S. Billington)

HT 3:1

MUSGRAVE coach Oscar Langone has urged his side to build on Saturday night’s comfortable 5-1 win over Mudgeeraba after watching his team bounce back to form with a bang.

Langone welcomed back the influential Patrick Cronin, who has been absent since Round 4 with a hamstring injury, and his return was the catalyst for a convincing performance.

The Musgrave boss said: “It [the win] gave us an important boost after the two recent setbacks against Broadbeach in the cup and league. The result puts us in a good position, especially with some tough games coming up.

“We play the Gold Coast Knights next and with players coming back from injury we might have our full squad available. We don’t play next week because of the cup semi-finals so we have a little more time to get everybody right.

“It was good to see Patrick [Cronin] get through the game fully fit and score a couple of goals. It was a good boost for everybody,” Langone said.  

Cronin wasted little time in stamping his return with a goal when he opened the scoring with a deft chip after Mudgeeragba ‘keeper Aaron McKenzie was caught in no-mans land.

Mudgeeragba responded well however and equalised almost immediately thanks to a Shane Billington strike, but Cronin doubled his tally soon after to restore the home side’s lead.

Bruno Rodriguez ensured Musgrave held the edge at half-time by adding a third and it was effectively game over for Mudgeeragba who were well on the way to their fourth defeat of the season.

After the restart Rodriguez then capped an excellent performance with his second and Musgrave’s fourth, before skilful playmaker Maxi Reca got in on the act to make it 5-1.

Already without midfield schemer Brad Ditton and striker Jamie Boelen, Mudgeeragba’s task was made even tougher by the sending off of Nick Windsor for dissent early in the second period. Marc Boelen’s side had little in the way of answers as Musgrave turned up the heat on their rivals at the top of the ladder and rediscovered their goalscoring touch.

The defeat was the straw that broke the camel’s back as far as Boelen was concerned and the Mudgeeragba coach has threatened sweeping changes to his team for their next outing.

“It was terrible. I could tell before the start of the game that there was not much intensity and I was a bit concerned. As the game went on a few things became clear to me as to what we have to do,” Boelen said.

“We’re just not gelling as a team and have too many individuals. I have a core of around four or five players who are consistently brilliant every week and give 110%; then I have a couple of boys who walk around the park whinging when things don’t go their way.

“I’m going to rebuild the side and look to let a few people go. I need to do the right thing by the boys who are doing the right thing by me and the club,” he added.