Mudgee star hopeful of Premier League survival despite admitting his teammates ‘haven’t put in’

MUDGEERABA defender Luigi Tassone says he hasn’t given up hope of a Gold Coast Premier League survival miracle despite admitting his teammates “haven’t been really putting in”.

MUDGEERABA defender Luigi Tassone is confident the Wallabies’ three-month Gold Coast Premier League lesson is over as they set their sights on back-to-back triumphs against Tweed United tonight.

Winless over the opening 12 rounds, the 2017 Coast League One premiership and championship runners up finally broke the drought with a surprise 2-1 win at home to fellow battlers Murwillumbah last Saturday.

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While their hopes of climbing out of the bottom two and avoiding relegation remain slim, victory over Tweed at Arkinstall Park at 8.30pm tonight would lift them above the Marlins with four rounds to play.

Desperate to improve on their horror run this season, Tassone said the Wallabies were only now coming to grips with the physical demands of the top flight.

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Mudgeeraba defender Luigi Tassone.

“It’s definitely a big step up in physicality coming from League One, the boys are a lot bigger and stronger in the Premier League. But you’d expect that,” the 20-year-old said.

“It’s been very tough (this season). A lot of games are won if your team is willing to play on the day but … most of the boys haven’t been really putting in, so we’ve been leaking stupid goals and making silly mistakes.

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“We’ve got a very young team . and we’ve conceded a lot of goals (51). But we’re adapting pretty well now, we’ve finally figured out what sort of formation we want to play and how we want to do things.

“Last week’s win helped us out too, it gets our confidence up a bit. We knew Mur’bah weren’t coming off too well from previous weeks and we thought this was the best opportunity we can take to beat them.

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“All the boys finally stuck in, got in there and went in hard, were first to the ball. We all put in and worked as a team and got the result, which was good.”

Double winners in last season’s Coast League One, Tweed have picked up just five points in 2018 and are coming off a 5-0 flogging from the Gold Coast Knights.

Tassone said securing three points against the Marlins could yet spark a late run towards safety from relegation.

“It’s fairly late in the season but we’re hoping to stay in the Premier League obviously, like any team is. We’ve got the last five games to come out and starting beating teams, which can be done if we put our minds to it.

“We’ve got nothing to lose now, we’re not top four or anything. Two wins on the trot would be good for us.”

PREMIER LEAGUE LADDER

1. Gold Coast Knights 38*

2. Burleigh Heads 32

3. Broadbeach United 28

4. Surfers Paradise 21

5. Coomera 17

6. Nerang 17*

7. Palm Beach 16

8. Murwillumbah 12

9. Tweed United 5

10. Mudgeeraba 4

*have played an extra game