Gold Coast United’s Justyn McKay says team’s poor run is taking gloss off season of promise
MIDFIELD general Justyn McKay admits Gold Coast United’s late-season fadeout has begun to take the gloss off a campaign of promise, while the Gold Coast Knights last night kept the pressure on NPL leaders Lions FC.
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MIDFIELD general Justyn McKay admits Gold Coast United’s late-season fadeout has begun to take the gloss off a campaign of promise, but insists he will stay on to lead their NPL resurgence in 2020.
After defying external expectations to remain in top-four contention at the halfway point of the season, United’s fall from grace continued on Friday night as Redlands United extended their winless run to nine games with a 3-0 victory at the Cleveland Showgrounds.
Chasing three points for the first time since downing Brisbane City on June 2, the Surfsiders fell behind in the 65th minute when Shuto Kuboyama struck for the Red Devils, before late goals from the Japanese star and Connor Mcauley put the result beyond doubt.
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United’s recent woes have come amid a period of massive player upheaval, with injuries and suspensions compounded by the departure of regulars such as Duro Dragicevic and Curtis Stollery abroad.
Defenders Tyler Wagstaffe and Dean Wernerson, midfield surprise packet Cian Cuba (injured) and top goalscorer Brandon Reeves (suspension) were all missing on Friday night, forcing coach Kristian Rees to fast-track his youth development plans.
While McKay, who also missed three games last month through suspension and personal reasons, acknowledged the season was rapidly going downhill, he said he was keen to guide the rising crop beyond this year.
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“Recent weeks has been disappointing with results but I suppose we have to take the positives from it that lots of young boys are getting good game time,” McKay, who turns 33 in October, said.
“It’s a bit of a catch-22, it’s really good for them that they’re getting so much game time but we could do with a few older heads around to help them. The younger ones are the majority at the moment, it’s me and Thwaitey (captain Michael Thwaite) over the age of 23 and that’s about it.
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“(Friday night) was a similar pattern to lots of our recent games – the first half we dominated the game but a big thing for us in recent weeks is an inability to turn possession into genuine chances. We feel like we’re controlling games in the main but we’re not getting results.
“(But) I’m really enjoying the environment and my football (at United) so I think I’ll probably keep going next season.”
On Saturday night, the Gold Coast Knights kept the gap to ladder leaders Lions to four points with a 3-0 defeat of Brisbane Strikers.
Roman Hofmann opened the scoring at the Croatian Sports Centre, before Adam Endean and Max Brown found the net after the break.
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