Tuggeranong United returned to the winner’s circle after their midweek loss to West Canberra Wanderers in the Australia Cup Qualifying with a thumping 5-0 win over ANU FC at Greenway Enclosed with Luke Stevens starring by netting a hat-trick.
United stunned ANU inside the opening sixty seconds as Stevens robbed the defence to strike a firm finish and the home side had barely settled before Sam Walker made it two to give the University side a mountain to climb and, when Stevens added a second, the points were almost secure.
Stevens, the former Wagga City product, completed a first-half treble ten minutes before the interval as Tuggeranong ran riot and it was another ex-Wagga City player who rounded off a sensational home performance by bagging goal number five with eighteen minutes remaining.
A hat-trick from Jayden Deighan-Smith heaped more misery on Weston-Molonglo FC as Brindabella Blues recorded a first win of the Capital Premier League season with a convincing 4-1 away victory in the first of two matches that were played on an unseasonably bright Saturday afternoon.
The Blues put the Magpies to the sword in the opening half of the encounter at the AIS Grass Fields as Deighan-Smith and Jordan Host ran riot putting the visiting team 3-0 ahead by the interval and effectively sealing the destination of the points before half the fixture had been completed.
Deighan-Smith put the Blues ahead in the first of a devastating spell of a trio of goals within seven minutes, a double from Deighan-Smith sandwiching Host’s strike. Deighan-Smith completed his treble in the second half before a late goal from Xavier Graham, the Magpies star turn of 2022 through four rounds, reduced the arrears but to no avail.
Queanbeyan City kept up their 100% record by recording a fourth win out of four ahead of their huge Australia Cup Qualifying Quarter Final with O’Connor Knights, but they needed to come from behind to down Wagga City Wanderers at High Street.
Nashwan Sulaiman had given the Wanderers the lead half-way through the first stanza to set nerves jangling amongst the Queanbeyan faithful who had enjoyed it all their own way this term up until that moment.
City though have bags of quality, an inherent belief that they can turn things around, and the strike power to do so. This week it was the turn of Alexandru Uricaru to do just that, the forward scoring twice in eight minutes to turn the match on its head and send Queanbeyan into the cup tie brimful of confidence.
White Eagles continued their good start to the new season by travelling to Yoogali SC and coming away with a 3-1 success. The trip to Griffith is always a tricky one and the Eagles had to wait until past the hour mark to get in front, Kenrick Beuth finding a way through the home rear-guard.
As is often the case, once quickly became two, as Zac Lawrence struck again leaving Yoogali with much to do. Andrew Vitucci, leading by example as always, reduced the arrears to give the home team a glimmer of home but the in-form Cuneyt Caglar sealed the away win for the Eagles in impressive fashion late on.
RESULTS
Saturday 30 April
Queanbeyan City 2 (Uricaru 65’, 73’) Wagga City Wanderers 1 (Sulaiman 23’)
Weston-Molonglo FC 1 (X. Graham 76’) Brindabella Blues 4 (Deighan-Smith 34’, 41’, 63’, Host 37’)
Sunday 1 May
Yoogali SC 1 (Vitucci 76’) White Eagles 3 (Beuth 61’, Lawrence 65’, Caglar 89’)
Tuggeranong United 5 (Stevens 1’, 14’, 35’, Walker 3’, Hislop 72’) ANU FC 0
