Westfield FFA Cup Brisbane Zone Preliminary RD5 Preview

The PS4 National Premier Queensland clubs are into the draw and one of the biggest weeks of local football, Round 5 of the Westfield FFA Cup preliminary rounds, is upon us. Some big names have already exited through the back door, including heavyweights Lions FC and Mitchelton, both still reeling from defeat at the hands of 'Giant Killers' Brisbane Knights from Capital League 1 whilst they were leading the Flight Centre Premier League.

Fortunately for us, that leaves Lions’ coach Warren Moon free and unbiased so we asked him for some predictions alongside our wildly inaccurate weekly tips. Big crowds will be inevitable, so if you’re not playing, get out and soak up some of the intoxicating atmosphere only the round-ball code can provide. Good luck, everybody. On with the show... Albany Creek vs Moreton Bay United Friday 7:30pm at Wolter Park Albany Creek have improved markedly since last season and are a genuine chance to win this game against their extremely close neighbours. Last weekend was the first real hiccup so far when they were soundly beaten 4-1 at Rochedale, but that will have little bearing because this has turned into the biggest game so far. If anyone knows what to expect from MBU, it’s Royce Brownlie... and Pouria Nabi... and Adam Piddick. Moreton Bay United would probably have preferred to be playing anyone else because all the pressure will be on them. Disregarding last weekend’s 7-0 drubbing of the Fire, it’s been three matches since they’ve won and they find themselves just outside of the top four. They’ve always under-achieved in the Westfield FFA Cup, mostly because of high expectations, but this could easily be their year. Moony says: What a match up! You’d have to think MBU will be too strong and come away with an easy win. Prediction: MBU 4-1 Phil says: The sort of game which turns the brain of a football analyst to sludge because it’s a completely unique match-up. Prediction: MBU 2-1 Brisbane City vs Logan Lightning Friday 7:30pm at Corporate Travel Management Stadium Brisbane City are the only former NSL club not to have returned to the big stage and won’t have fond memories of being knocked out by Logan in this competition in the past. Perennial under-achievers at this level, now has never been a better time for them to make a claim with a top four place and an excellent win over FNQ fresh in the memory. Friday night will ensure a big home crowd with plenty of support from the faithful. Logan Lightning may have cursed their draw, which could have been easier, but in the back of their minds they’ll know they’ve won at Spencer Park before. It’s worth noting two excellent performances over the last two rounds as their squad continues to gel. It’s unlikely Kosmina knows a lot about them which gives them a significant advantage if they play their cards right. Defence is the key. Moony says: An interesting match-up between two fairly youthful sides. The longer Logan stay in the game the bigger their chance of progressing. Prediction: Logan 2-1 Phil says: City will be favourites and rightly so. A lot will depend on not conceding the first goal but both teams have plenty of handy strikers. Prediction: City 2-1 in extra time. Rochedale Rovers vs Brisbane Strikers Saturday 6pm at Underwood Park Rochedale Rovers confounded everyone, including themselves, by losing their best player for the season then finding some genuine form and hitting the top of the table. Still, they will be solid underdogs going into this contest but a noisy home crowd will play into their hands, particularly if they go in front. They’ll have extra incentive with former players returning including last year’s hero, Greg Cheshire. Brisbane Strikers are casually wiping the floor with everyone but they haven’t had the toughest of schedules in recent times. Second on the table and with Gold Coast City not part of the group, they are favourites to continue their 100% qualifying record. But this is when the real deal starts with a place in the round of 32 more important right now than the title. The pressure is right on them but only because they are very good. Moony says: Game of the Round and whilst the Strikers will be big favourites, all the pressure will be on the NPL heavyweights. Rochedale are full of confidence and have the firepower to ask some serious questions. In a way it’s a free hit-out for Scotty and his boys ensuring plenty of fireworks. Prediction: Rochedale 2-1after extra time. Phil says: Any let-up by Rochedale will cost them the game. Strikers will be clear favourites on form and talent which puts them in the box seat. Prediction: Strikers 2-0 Western Pride vs Olympic FC Saturday 7pm at Briggs Road Sporting Complex Western Pride are in the bottom half of the table but they have been unlucky with all four of their draws coming against excellent opposition. Last weekend they went down to SWQ Thunder in an upset which could dent their confidence, but this is the first home game they’ve ever had in the Westfield FFA Cup so it will be a special event. Enthusiasm will go a long way towards an upset. Olympic FC were terrible when they got knocked out of the Westfield FFA Cup by Moggill last year but things have changed considerably at Goodwin Park. A narrow loss to Gold Coast City last weekend means they drop below the Strikers into third place but everyone knows this team is good. Anything other than a win would be a failure but they will dominate statistics. They won’t lose if they get in front. Moony says: Olympic are much better side this season but it will be a tough place to go against a young and mobile Pride side on a small pitch. Experience should get Olympic over the line. Prediction: Olympic 2-1 Phil says: Arguably the second best team left in the draw, Olympic will put last year’s catastrophe behind them. Pride will need luck. Prediction: Olympic 2-0 Souths United vs Holland Park Hawks Saturday 7pm at Wakerley Park Souths United won 7-1 on Saturday and looked every bit the Westfield FFA Cup surprise packet even if their opposition didn’t play particularly well. Jon McKain has attracted all the attention but Alexander, Maher and Omerovic are making all the headlines. Where they are at the moment is still a matter of conjecture but when they play well they are a match for anyone. A clean sheet needs to be their target. Holland Park Hawks have been a strange beast so far with more early reds than a mid-day kick-off at Anfield. Third place in the tightest Flight Centre Premier for aeons is some achievement and at times they have done it in style. A few former players are back on the list which makes them even tougher. And they already are a very tough team. Make no mistake, they’ll score goals in this one. Moony says: Hard to predict because both teams have similar recent Flight Centre Premier League form but I fancy HPH to pull away at the end. Prediction: HPH 2-1 Phil says: Performance on the day could see one team out of the running by halftime but it’s more likely to go the full possible distance. Prediction: 3-3 AET (Souths on penalties.) Brisbane Knights vs Peninsula Power Tuesday 7pm at Brisbane Knights Sports Complex Brisbane Knights got to this point by beating, arguably, the two best teams in the Flight Centre Premier League whilst not playing particularly well in their own competition and now they’ve drawn the star-studded Power. They have a good chance of getting a result with recent league form being pretty good and a squad full of experienced players who know how to lift when it’s needed. Peninsula Power must have an eye on getting through to the Round of 32 having come desperately close the first time round and being one of the favourites every year since. With variable league form, there is no reason they can’t go on an extended run with or without a good draw. Two of their big rivals have already been knocked out and they are unlikely to make the same mistake. Moony says: Knights have done exceptionally well in beating both us (Lions) and Mitchelton and now have a home tie on their small pitch against probably the best assembled squad this season. Tough and physical but Power will get the result. Prediction Peninsula 2-1 Phil says: Surely Brisbane Knights can’t pull off a third major upset in a row? It’s a step too far and Power should get through comfortably. Prediction: Peninsula 3-1 Southside Eagles vs Grange Thistle Tuesday 7:30pm at Memorial Park Southside Eagles had an impressive Westfield FFA Cup run in 2016 and with a handy draw could repeat the dose. The big difference however is form. At this point last year they were challenging for promotion but are sitting eighth on the ladder despite some good recent results. Playing at home is a significant advantage and they have a solid understanding of their opposition. Grange Thistle are yet to convert their promotion into success with only a single point from eight games, turmoil in the coaching ranks and results getting worse rather than better. In the great tradition of knockout competitions that could mean they string together a run of great performances worthy of their squad. They would have breathed a sigh of relief when a Capital League 1 team came out of the barrel. Moony says: Another physical game between two teams whose strengths may cancel each other out. Toss of a coin but Thistle have a better squad. Prediction: Grange 1-0 Phil says: If SSE can negotiate the first half an hour without conceding, this game has upset written all over it. Prediction: Southside Eagles 1-0 (after extra time.) UQFC vs Redlands United Wednesday 7:30pm at University of Queensland Oval 3 UQFC are the lowest ranked team left in the competition, sitting second last in Capital League 1, but it’s misleading considering they have lost multiple games against teams in the top half of the table by a single goal margin. They’ll be largely unknown to their opposition and have nothing to lose. Upsets will happen somewhere and it could just be the Students. Redlands United won the 2016 Grand Final and dumped Adelaide United out of the Westfield FFA Cup with the most sensational upset in the short history of the competition but things have been a lot grimmer this season as they already face the likelihood of missing the top four. Early season results were abysmal but they have gotten better and will still be favourites to go through to the next round. Moony says: Redlands should win comfortably but speaking from recent unwanted experience, confidence plays a huge part and Redlands currently don’t have it. If UQ can stay in the game for a long period it could be very interesting. Prediction: Redlands 2-0 Phil says: An unpredictable surface faces Redlands and on results over previous years there will be an upset. This is it. Prediction: UQFC 2-1

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