Defence key as Coomera continue strong Premier League form with 3-0 win over Palm Beach

THEY have run riot with nine goals in their two Gold Coast Premier League outings but the foundation for Coomera’s impressive early-season form has not come from up front.

THEY have run riot with nine goals in their two Gold Coast Premier League outings but Coomera are using defensive nous as the foundation for their impressive early-season form.

The Colts on Saturday picked up where they left off in their 6-0 Round 1 thumping of Mudgeeraba, accounting for Palm Beach 3-0 at Mallawa Sports Complex to keep hold of top spot.

Goals from Payden Pemberton, Charlie Smith and Slayde Scriggins were enough to see off the hosts, who were without suspended coach Brett Budwee and had star recruit Dan Smith sent off shortly before halftime for a second yellow card.

DESIRE THE FOCUS FOR WOUNDED WALLABIES

With a trip to Acacia Ridge in Round 3 of the FFA Cup now looming on Friday night, Coomera coach Steve Macdonald said his side’s defensive displays had been just as pleasing as their attacking form.

Coomera’s Michael Townsend and Palm Beach’s Marley Arreola do battle. Picture: Richard Gosling

“If you speak to our boys, they’ll tell you every single week for the past three months I’ve banged on about not conceding goals because we conceded far too many goals last year,” Macdonald, who steered the Colts to sixth spot in his first season in charge last year, said.

“We saw the results (in the Premier League) last week where everybody else was conceding so we said ‘we know we can score goals, we just need to get our own house in order first and see where it takes us’.

INJURY THREATENS TO DERAIL CLUB’S FINALS PUSH

“I thought we were excellent (on Saturday). Right through the team we banged on again about being intense.

“We knew it was going to be frantic, nobody had any time on the ball whatsoever in the first 45 minutes so that really set the tone for our game. We said ‘we don’t need to win the game in the first half, let’s just see the game out’.

Coomera coach Steve MacDonald.

“The FFA Cup will be a good distraction for us coming off the back of two real good results (and two) cleansheets. We’re not going to win it - we know that - but it’s just distraction where we can go up there and enjoy ourselves.

“The boys should be full of confidence.”

‘WE’LL GIVE ANYONE A GAME’ - SMITH AFTER KNIGHTS DRAW

With Friday night’s clash between Burleigh and Broadbeach postponed, Surfers Paradise sounded another title warning on Saturday with a come-from-behind 8-1 victory away to Tweed United.

The Marlins were surprise 1-0 leaders at halftime, but Apollo clicked into gear after the break as Teddy Watson (four), Chris Broadfoot, Zack Kallinikos and Hayden Sumner found the net.

The visitors also benefited from an own goal.

Nerang host Mudgeeraba in the final game of the round at 4pm today.