Words: Michael Flynn
Additional Reporting: Aaron Cooper
Images: Andrew Shaw / Visible Focus Photography

Opening day bragging rights were shared in the capital as Brisbane Roar Youth and Brisbane Strikers cancelled each other out in a 1-1 draw at Perry Park.

Both sides exchanged chances throughout the first half without reward – the closest coming from Strikers young gun Fraser Hills, who hit the crossbar just before the break.

The hosts were the first to breakthrough shortly after the restart when midfielder Jesse Daley converted with a first-time finish after being set-up by a lethal cross from Nicholas D’Agostino.

However, Striker replied swiftly as off-season recruit Rhys Meredith delivered his first league goal for his new club just after the hour.

Sustained pressure was placed on Young Roar’s defences in the final quarter of the contest, however Strikers were unable to find a winner against their Perry Park co-tenants.

KEY MOMENTS

10’ – CHANCE FOR YOUNG ROAR – Dane Ingham makes a blinding run down the right wing beating two Strikers defenders before his crossed is saved onto the post by Sebastian Usai

26’ – CHANCE FOR STRIKERS - Jake Mclean hits a side-footed shot from 20 plus yards but it is deflected narrowly past Tomislav Bilic's left post

39' – CHANCE FOR STRIKERS - Fraser Hills hits the crossbar with a first-time shot from just inside the box before Rhys Meredith sends the follow up over the bar

50’ – GOAL FOR YOUNG ROAR – Nicholas D’Agostino sends in a low cross from the left and picks out Jesse Daley who slots it home first time

54’ – GOAL FOR STRIKERS – Shelford Dais sends in an early ball from the wing for Rhys Meredith with the striker making no mistake with the finish

62’ – CHANCE FOR STRIKERS – A scrap in the goal mouth sees Rhys Meredith fire from close range but he is denied by a sharp save from Tomislav Bilic

75’ – CHANCE FOR STRIKERS – Another goal mouth scrap comes from a corner but Young Roar hold firm under pressure

WHAT THEY SAID

“I think the ball came close to crossing the line (a second time) a few times and the boys threw themselves in front of it. I said to them that with the lack of miles in our legs today was going to be about workrate and we were going to have to dig in.” – Josh McCloughan, Brisbane Roar FC Youth coach

“I’ve got to say that’s probably the best Roar side I have seen in this competition in terms of intensity. I will class them as a real football team now, whereas in previous years they were a bit of a soft-touch but there is nothing soft about that group.” – Kevin A’herne-Evans, Brisbane Strikers FC coach

MATCH DETAILS

PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues 2016 – Round 1
Saturday, February 27
Perry Park, Brisbane

Brisbane Roar FC Youth – 1
Brisbane Strikers FC – 1

BRISBANE ROAR FC YOUTH

Goals – Jesse DALEY 50’
Yellow cards – Nicholas D’AGOSTINO 10’
Red cards – none

Squad - 1.Tomislav BILIC (gk), 2.Jaiden WALKER, 3.Cameron CRESTANI, 4.Mark RODIC, 5.Matthew SCHMIDT, 7.Dane INGHAM (14.Daniel DRIVER 67’), 8.Nathan KONSTANDOPOULOS (19.Daniel LECK 63’) , 9.Nicholas D’AGOSTINO, 10.Adam SAWYER, 12.Joseph CHAMPNESS (23.Nicholas PANETTA 58’), 15.Jesse DALEY (c)

Unused - 20.Dylan WENZEL-HALLS, 22.Finn MATHESON

BRISBANE STRIKERS FC

Goals – Rhys Merdeith 54’
Yellow Cards - Rhys MEREDITH 17’, Christopher MAHER 26’  
Red cards – none

Squad - 1.Sebastian USAI, 2.Christopher MAHER, 4.Jake MARSHALL, 5.Greig HENSLEE, 6.Fraser HILLS (15.Jesse WIEMERS 77’), 7.Shelford DAIS, 8.Michael ANGUS, 9.Rhys MEREDITH (10.Alistair DAVIS 86’), 13.Sam KNIGHT, 14.Jake MCLEAN (12.Shaun CARLOS 80’), 18.Trent CLULOW

Unused - 20.Michael WEIER (gk), 21. Samuel JOHNSON