GCPL: Surfers rues wayward shots after draw with Palm Beach

Surfers Paradise has blown a massive opportunity to go four points clear on top of the Gold Coast Premier League football ladder after drawing 1-1 with Palm Beach at Lex Bell oval. FULL RECAP.

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SURFERS Paradise has blown a massive opportunity to go four points clear on top of the Gold Coast Premier League football ladder after drawing 1-1 with Palm Beach at Lex Bell oval.

The top of the table clash on Saturday lived up to its billing early when both teams got on the board within seconds of each other.

But neither could break the deadlock for the rest of the game and the league contenders will be forced to split points. After creating a plethora of opportunities throughout the contest, Apollo coach Alex Morrison believes it should have been his side sitting on top of the table.

“I thought we should have won the game and it’s a massive disappointment,” Morrison said.

“I thought we had five or six clear cut chances to win the game and we didn’t.

“We’re still top of the league but that was a huge opportunity to put some distance which we failed on.”

Opposing coach Brett Budwee however had nothing but praise for his side after it equalised within 90 seconds of Surfers’ opening goal.

“Their goal was from our mistake and I was thinking if we’re going to recover from this, we need to do it quickly and we did,” Budwee said.

In other results, former Broadbeach coach Lee Vernon got the last laugh when he steered Nerang to a 5-0 win over the Dolphins while Burleigh’s run of four wins came to an end with a 5-3 loss to Robina City.

On Sunday, Coomera claimed three points with a 1-0 win over Southport.

EARLIER: How Burleigh found their mojo

FROM writing Burleigh off for the season to opposition praying the 2019 double winners don’t make the top four, the Bulldogs make quite the 2020 comeback tale.

The reigning double winners looked in trouble when the Gold Coast Premier League resumed in July, losing four of their five games and languishing near the bottom of the table.

But Burleigh has since won four games on the run, including victories over the likes of Coomera and Nerang to find themselves within the top four.

While some initially wrote his side out of contention, Burleigh captain Matt Hilton said momentum was starting to build.

“It’s taken a while but we’re starting to gel again as a team now,” Hilton told Darren Lutton as part of the Look Finance Gold Coast football preview show.

Hilton said the loss of several players from their 2019 starting side was largely to blame for their early season form.

Burleigh Heads Gold Coast Premier League football (soccer) player Matt Hilton.

But their last gasp victory over Broadbeach United, the start of their four-game streak, proved the ultimate turning point.

“From the starting team last year, we lost five or six starting players,” Hilton said.

“We had a few players playing out of position and trying to slot into the gaps of those who left and we had others leave about seven weeks ago because they didn’t want to be there.”

Burleigh will get the chance to extend their winning streak on Saturday night against Robina at Pizzey park.

While in arguably the match of the round, Surfers Paradise and Palm Beach will lock horns in a top of the table clash at Lex Bell Oval on Saturday afternoon.

“I expect it to go down to the wire,” Palm Beach coach Brett Budwee said.

“I know how Alex (Morrison) plays, I’ve worked with him before and he knows how I play.

“Every game is a final now until the end of the year.”

In other matches, Nerang will play Broadbeach for the second time this season after coach Lee Vernon crossed from the Dolphins to the Eagles during the off-season and Southport host Coomera on Sunday.

Meanwhile in National Premier Leagues action, Gold Coast United will host Eastern Suburbs at Coplicks on Sunday afternoon while the Gold Coast Knights face Olympic FC away on Sunday night.

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