Broadbeach United confident underwhelming form is behind them ahead of Palm Beach clash

THEY have so far been a shadow of their best but Broadbeach United believe they have turned a corner in time for tomorrow night’s inaugural Anzac Day Shield battle with Palm Beach.

THEY have so far been a shadow of their best but Broadbeach United believe they have turned a corner in time for tomorrow night’s inaugural Anzac Day Shield battle with Palm Beach.

Runners up to Gold Coast Knights for both pieces of Premier League silverware in 2018, the perennial title challengers sit fourth in the new campaign after struggling to build cohesion throughout pre-season.

Having surrendered a two-goal lead to draw with last-placed Tweed United in Round 1, the Dolphins dropped more points with another stalemate against Nerang before scraping past battling Mudgeeraba 3-2.

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A 1-0 win over high-flying Coomera lifted morale, but their unbeaten run was finally broken with a 2-1 loss to Burleigh Heads in last Thursday’s catch-up clash.

Now preparing for a 7pm trip to Duncan McKenna Field, veteran midfielder Russell Miner said while the playing group was aware they needed to lift, confidence was high performances would turn.

Broadbeach United’s Russell Miner. Picture: Jerad Williams

“We’ve started slow but I think there’s a general belief we have got over that,” the 37-year-old midfielder said.

“Against Burleigh I was suspended and we had two players (Tim and Ben Kerwick) away. We went to Coomera and ground out a 1-0 win and I think that’s given a bit of confidence to everyone.

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“We didn’t have a great pre-season, we had too many players taking holidays and picking up niggles and different things. I think pre-season results probably masked over it a little bit because we had still been OK results-wise but performances weren’t great.

“It meant come Round 1 we were underdone and that showed. We’re still changing the team but I think over the next two or three weeks we’ll get better and get more bodies.

“Everyone has a bit thinner squad this year because of the NPL so everyone will get a turn where they have a few (players) out and it’s hard to get results.

“We have lost to Burleigh but if we beat Palm Beach we’ll be three (wins), two (draws) and one (loss) so it’s not all doom and gloom.”

Miner said the meeting with Palm Beach, who haven’t played a Premier League fixture since beating Tweed 2-0 on April 6, would be “a good occasion”.

“My grandfather was part of the second World War but it will be different for everyone. Duncan (McKenna, Palm Beach president) came up with the idea of doing an Anzac Day game and we were happy to oblige.

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“It’s going to be a good event.”

In NPL action on Monday night, Gold Coast Knights made it four-straight wins with a 6-1 thumping of Brisbane Strikers, while Gold Coast United’s home encounter with Redlands United was washed out.

LADDER

Burleigh Heads 15

Surfers Paradise 10

Coomera 9

Broadbeach United 8

Palm Beach 7

Nerang 7

Mudgeeraba 3

Tweed United 1