VITAL FIRST WIN FOR SURFERS

Mudgeeraba 1 (G. Peddle)

Surfers Paradise 4 (K. Rose 3, T. Fujimori)

HT 0:2

SURFERS Paradise recorded their first win of the campaign thanks to a Kieran Rose hat-trick and fourth from Taketo Fujimori that only rubbed further salt into Mudgeeragba’s gaping wounds.

After a demoralising thrashing at the hands of Broadbeach United in their last outing, the win was just the tonic Keith Garland’s men needed to kick-start their season. The three critical points have lifted the previously winless Surfers into eighth place on the ladder, leapfrogging last night’s opponents in the process.

Rose opened the scoring in the first quarter hour then doubled his tally midway through the first half with a shot from distance that took a helpful bounce along the way.

He completed his treble in style with a 20-metre free-kick before Mudgeeragba grabbed what proved no more than a consolation goal thanks to Gavin Peddle’s effort.

Fujimori completed the scoring for the visitors late in the game to settle any lingering doubts that the points were in the bag for Surfers and give Garland something to smile about at last.

“To beat Mudgeeragba 4-1 at their place is a great result for us,” said a buoyant Garland.

“It was a good team effort from us. When you’re at the bottom every game is like a cup final and we had to get something out of this one. It’s a great three points because it lifts us two places on the table.

“You can only ask that your players give you 100% and I got that last night,” he said.

The loss left beleaguered Mudgeeragba coach Marc Boelen wondering where his next points are coming from after watching his side sink to the foot of the table against one of their relegation rivals.

“There was no-one who was really bad for us; everyone played well for us,” Boelen said.

“I can’t pin-point it [what is going wrong]. We’re last now and I think we’re the best team in the comp. It [seems] ridiculous to say that. We don’t play ninety minutes; we’re brilliant for ten minutes then we go to sleep for ten minutes.

“In patches last night we played some of the best football we’ve ever played,” he added.