Ipswich football official puts on brave face tackling twin setbacks

As an official with high expectations, Pye Augustine shares the disappointment her women’s team is feeling after two costly draws in recent days. Her talented daughter is also dealing with a setback.

IT can be brutally tough being a football operations manager and a mum. Just ask dedicated Western Pride official Pye Augustine.

As an administrator with high expectations, Augustine shares the disappointment her women’s team is feeling after two costly draws in recent days.

Pride scored late goals against Brisbane City on Wednesday night and again against Olympic on Saturday night to salvage 2-2 draws in both vital encounters.

However, Pride needed to win at least one of those matches to keep their 2022 National Premier Leagues competition hopes alive.

While it’s mathematically possible for Pride to overhaul Olympic to secure the final NPL spot, it is all but a done deal with the current Football Queensland Premier League 1 leaders having a 10 goal buffer.

“It’s a big ask,’’ Augustine said, reflecting on Pride’s latest result at the Briggs Road Sporting Complex.

“We had to win every game. It wasn’t a very good position we were left in.’’

Augustine said that is why former head coach Trent Gregson stood down recently after a meeting to discuss the team’s future.

“He wasn’t executing a proper plan,’’ the operations manager said.

Pride’s last game in the second stage of the season is against Mitchelton at Teralba Park next Saturday.

Pride must win by a huge margin and hope Olympic lose to hold any faint hopes of returning to next year’s higher level NPL.

Western Pride operations manager Pye Augustine in happier times working hard for the Ipswich club. Picture: David Lems

Gladys Esquivel scored the 90th minute equaliser on Wednesday night before the team’s top goal scorer Abbey Lloyd netted the final goal in Saturday’s clash.

Augustine said her women’s team were so close to having earlier kept their spot in the NPL where they started the season.

“It’s a bit disappointing,’’ she said.

“The girls know there were so many games in the first round that we were leading and ended up drawing or losing.

“If we had just gotten one of those four games that we drew at the beginning we would have gone up (to the NPL).’’

As it stands, Pride will play in next year’s second tier Football Queensland Premier League 1 women’s competition.

Augustine is hurting for another reason.

Her daughter Holly McQueen has been ruled out of the W-League season after suffering an ACL injury playing for Lions in the recent Kappa Cup grand final.

The highly regarded defender was preparing for her Roar debut this season having been offered a contract at the end of the previous season.

However, she now faces surgery next week and months of rehabilitation before refocusing on her promising career.

Her supportive mum knows the 19-year-old has youth on her side and the right attitude to fight back.

“She has to wait another year (to make her W-League debut),’’ Augustine said. “So it’s very much a test of her will power and mental capacity to be able to sustain setback after setback after setback.

“I have no doubt she will.

“She’s got that personality that she can sustain.’’

Former Western Pride and Brisbane Roar footballer Holly McQueen.

McQueen is also part of the future Matildas program.

“They (Roar) are going to put her in cotton wool and rehabilitating her,’’ Augustine said.

“Everyone is taking good care of her so she’s in good hands.

“Just unlucky that it (the injury) happened when it happened (getting ready for the W-League).’’

In more positive news, Pride captain Meagan McElligott has been signed by Brisbane Roar for the W-League season.

Western Pride captain Meaghan McElligott has been signed by Brisbane Roar. Picture: Christina Moran

The skilful attacker has been a consistent performer in the NPL and FQPL competitions for the past six years. She has scored 18 goals for Pride this season, guiding her team to the club’s historic Kappa Cup grand final.

“That is a just good reward for her,’’ Augustine said of McElligott’s Roar opportunity.

“She has led by example on field and off field.

“Her application to the game has just been outstanding.

“For people like that, it’s great when they get the reward or call-up to the next level.’’

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