Two goals from Simone Mangiante helps Surfers Paradise to 3-1 win against Broadbeach

ITALIAN-born barista Simone Mangiante has started a new Gold Coast Premier League soccer season in much the same form as he ended last year.

Surfers star Simone Mangiante (left). Photo: Richard Gosling

ITALIAN-born barista Simone Mangiante has started a new Gold Coast Premier League season in much the same form as he ended last year.

Mangiante, 25, scored a brace as the Surfers Paradise Apollo took outright leadership of the league ladder for the first time since 2002 after they beat Broadbeach United 3-1 at Lex Bell Oval on Friday.

Settling into life as a striker under coach David Benigno, Mangiante scored either side of half time for Surfers, who remain unbeaten after four rounds and top standings after both Broadbeach and Palm Beach lost for the first time.

“He is doing a really good job for me at the moment,” ­Benigno said of Mangiante’s three goals so far.

Mangiante was winner of the inaugural Bob Jeffrey Medal as best afield in last year’s grand final victory against Murwillumbah.

There was plenty of drama at Pizzey Park, where Murwillumbah snatched an unlikely 3-3 draw against Burleigh Heads on Saturday.

Burleigh were leading 3-2 when the Warning lost two players, Simon Hurcombe and William Lockley, within 10 minutes of each other in the latter stages.

But in a bizarre finish, Burleigh had Luke Roiter sent off deep into added-time and the resultant penalty by Ben Walton gave the Warning a share of the points.

The three players dismissed were all marched for alleged backchat to the referee.

Having players sent off is starting to become a problem for the Murwillumbah team, as veteran striker Luke Morley said.

“That’s five red cards so far this season and it is becoming an issue,” Morley said.

“It definitely helps to have 11 players on the field and it is something that needs to be ­addressed.”

At Mallawa Drive, plucky Magic United ended the unbeaten run of Palm Beach and landed their first win of the season with a 3-2 success.