Knights End Gap's Finals Hopes With Last Gasp Winner
- Report and photos: Ian Judd
- Aug 12, 2017
- 4 min read
Knights' Ashley Shore heads in his sides first for the night.
The Gap 2 (S. Rohdmann 4'; Holland 36')
Brisbane Knights 3 (Shore 15'; Davidge 44'; McKinnon 90') HT 2-2
Played at: Walton Bridge Reserve
Michael McKinnon's late winner for Knights ended The Gap's recent winning streak and their finals hopes with a 3-2 success in a highly entertaining encounter on Saturday night. Knights started the brighter but fell behind early when Lewis O'Rourke made a good overlapping run to pick up the ball and cut it back to the back of the box for Sam Rohdmann who smashed his shot past Knights keeper Ben Farquhar with less than five minutes on the clock. Knights responded well and restored parity on the quarter hour mark when Ashley Shore bravely headed home from close range following Matt Lyell's corner. The visitors nearly took the lead ten minutes later from another corner which the Gators failed to clear before Kiza Lubenda narrowly fired over from 12 yards out. Knights won a penalty on the half hour after player/coach Dave McEvoy was taken late by Gap keeper Luke Sutherland after the Irishman had headed back towards the middle of the box. But Sutherland redeemed himself guessing right and saving Jay Reid's spot kick to keep the scores level. Moments later Knights did get the ball into the back of the net following another corner but the goal was ruled out for foul on Sutherland by McEvoy. With Gap, riding their luck, they then produced a sucker punch straight after from a corner of their own with Sebastian Holland heading in at the near post despite Farquhar getting a hand to the ball but unable to keep it out. Knights continued to press their hosts and on the stroke of half time found another equaliser. Lubenda doing well to flick the ball on for Jacob Davidge who raced into the box and calmly slotted the ball beyond Sutherland to see his side go into the break all square. The second half began untidily with both sides looking to avoid making any costly mistakes but as the half went on, it was the visitors who looked the more likely to score. With time ebbing away, Stefan Vrbesic went agonisingly close when firing narrowly wide following McKinnon's cross from the goal line and shortly after, Alex Hairsine headed wide from Jay Reid's free kick to the back of the box. Finally though, Gap's hearts were broken at the end of normal time when substitute Claudio Romano did well to dispossess his opponent midway in the host's half before threading the ball through to McKinnon who sprinted towards goal and slipping the ball across Sutherland and in off the far post to spark a huge celebration from his team mates. The home side tried to find an equaliser in the six minutes of added time but Knights defended superbly to shut their opponents and restrict them to long range efforts. Eventually Refree Dylan Lambert signalled an end to proceedings and with it Gap's finals ambitions. Even if the Gators do defeat Southside Eagles next week, they'd have to secure a huge margin in goal difference which is frankly impossible. Knights were worthy winners in the end, having been the more threatening unit, and they can now rest a little easier now with third place on the Capital League 1 ladder theirs to give up. Of course they do have the semi-final Pig 'N' Whistle Canale Cup tie at home to Rochedale Rovers to come this coming Tuesday and with their tenacity at, they could quite feasibly find themsleves in the final.
Coach Remarks: Trevor Rohdmann - The Gap: "We've had two really good games against Knights this year but unfortunately they've scored in added time to take it. We've had a really good run this last month and it is disappointing but the lads have put in a really good effort tonight. Good luck to Knights though."
Dave McEvoy - Brisbane Knights: "The Gap are a good team. If either of us lost it was season over. They were pushing just as much as we were and at 2-2 with five to ten minutes left it could have gone either way. I think we did deserve the win, I felt we were the better team, we had just a little bit more quality. It's a good win but it's not over yet, we still have to win next week." FB Media Player of the Match: Jacob Davidge - Brisbane Knights.
Davidge provides Knights with a constant threat on the left wing and he gave Gap plenty of problems throughout the contest including levelling the scores just before half time.
FB Media Match Stats:
Possession: 51% - 49%
Shots on target: 5 - 6
Shots off target: 2 - 11
Shots blocked: 1 - 3
Corners: 3 - 11
Penalties: 0 - 1
Free Kicks: 20 - 7
Offside: 1 - 3
Yellow Cards: 0 - 1
Red Cards: 0 - 0 Team Line-ups: The Gap: Sutherland (gk), Holland (Chapman 66), Molloy, Nose, O'Rourke (Reibelt 80'), Readman, Rohdmann S., Taguchi, Watt, Wheeler.
Subs: Rohdmann A. (rgk), McLaughlin, Champman, Hill, Reibelt.
Brisbane Knights: Farquhar (gk), Lubenda, Lyell, McKinnon, Reid, Sadick (Travers 85'), Shore (Romano 65'), Vrbesic (Hairsine 85'), Wolsey, Davdige, McEvoy.
Subs: Pearse (rgk), Cobley, Hairsine, Romano, Travers. REFEREE: Dylan Lambert
