Oct. 14 saw the Westminster Royals return to the Sunshine Coast as a quirk in the schedule had them make a second trip to play the Thunderbirds following a 3-0 loss in September.
They will not be in a hurry to visit again following another drubbing on Saturday. Cole Schutz opened the scoring, smashing in a left footer from 20 yards, the result of great team possession and passing out from the back.
With the score 1-0 at the half, the home coaches urged the T-birds to come out flying and score early to take the visitors out of the match – and Henry Larsen was happy to oblige with a brave and sure finish, beating the onrushing keeper to a great through ball from Kai Hansen.
Centrebacks Quin Huibers and Will Mag-nussen had the back locked down so that Will saw fit to press forward and pop in a goal from 35 yards to make it 3-0. Moments after, the Royals responded by putting in a free kick from the edge of the box, one of their centrebacks received a red card in what was becoming a testy match with the ref showing a number of yellows.
The home team managed to keep their cool and took total control of the match with Wyatt Baldwin tapping in the rebound off Kai’s saved shot before Nicholas Davis charged up the wing, beat his man and smashed the ball past the keeper at the near post for a 5-1 victory and a third win for the young season.
– Submitted
