Our Lions showed mettle at the death to salvage a draw away at Coplicks Park.
With a spirit, courage and a saviour named Solórzano, our Lions rescued a point in the ninety-third minute after a quickfire Gold Coast double saw them fall behind in the second half.
After seizing an early lead in a physical first half, Matt Ridenton’s tidy-tight angle finish was all that separated us heading into the break.
Sam Smith equalised for the home side early in the second half after a goal-line clearance deflected to the opposition and the resulting cross left the forward with an empty net to strike the ball inside.
Alex Fiechtner appeared to restore our control within ten minutes of conceding, beating the Gold Coast keeper to an untracked header and clipping it into the bottom right corner on the bounce.
Gold Coast weren’t done, however, and following a Shane Smeltz penalty in the final fifteen minutes, they rallied immediately to capitalise on our shellshocked Lions and convert into an empty net after a swift counterattack and switch of play.
After peppering the Gold Coast goal in the final minutes, desperately seeking an equaliser and unable to beat a composed goalkeeper, substitute Jean Carlos Solórzano threw himself at the ball in the dying seconds to head home the game-leveller after a pin-point cross from Alex Fiechtner allowed Jackson Hart-Phillips to nod the ball into his path.
Following the game, Defender Ethan Docherty discussed his side’s performance.
“I think in the end we’re pretty happy with a point, considering we were three-two down until very, very, very late on”, Docherty said, “But it’s always tough going to Gold Coast United, it’s not a fun place to travel to and it’s always a bit soft under the foot.
“In the end, I think we are happy with a point, but it’s just another two points that we fall behind again which I know in the long run is going to be important, it’s going to matter.”
Docherty spoke about his reaction to his side’s late equaliser.
“I was buzzing, I actually didn’t know what to do. I got a little bit nervous there because I wanted to celebrate because we got the equaliser, but I also wanted to get another goal to try and jag the three points late on.”
We’re on the road again this Tuesday as we finally play our postponed Matchday One fixture against the Capalaba Bulldogs.
MATCH DETAILS
Men’s NPL Queensland 2022 Round #8
Gold Coast United vs Lions FC
Saturday, 30th April
KO: 7:00pm
Coplicks Family Sports Park, Tallebudgera
GOLD COAST UNITED 3
LIONS FC 3
HT: 0-1
