Young trialist Nick Fitzgerald bagged a second half brace as Brisbane Roar notched up another win on their pre-season tour, recording a solid 2-0 result against Rochedale Rovers last night at Underwood Park.
Young trialist Nick Fitzgerald bagged a second half brace as Brisbane Roar notched up another win on their pre-season tour, recording a solid 2-0 result against Rochedale Rovers last night at Underwood Park.
After an uneventful opening stanza, where midfielder Erik Paartalu went closest to breaking the deadlock with a glancing header early on, Brisbane took control in the game-s latter stages to continue their pre-season form against the current Brisbane Premier League title holders.
Fitzgerald capped off a sparkling performance in the Brisbane attack with two goals in twenty minutes but the match was not without nervy moments for the Roar defence.
Rovers centre back Nick Efthathis tested goalkeeper Michael Theoklitos with a well-taken free kick late in the first half before prolific striker Steve Unsworth forced a reactive save from Theoklitos- replacement Andrew Redmayne almost instantly after Brisbane took the lead.
A 30 minute cameo from Bahraini trialist Mohammed Sayed Adnan was another highlight for the visitors, the 28-year-old-s towering presence proving a nuisance to the opposition-s defence as his side held on to their two goal advantage.
Brisbane Roar line-up: Theoklitos, Smith, Stefanutto, Fitzgerald, Broich, Hingert, McKay, Paartalu, Nichols, Murdocca, Jurman.
Brisbane Roar substitutes: Cirjak, Donachie, Adnan, Mundy, Brattan, Bush, Redmayne, Meyer, Geria.
Rochedale Rovers line-up: Aparicio, Efstathis, Okubo, Byrne, Way, Unsworth, Gray, Duimpies, Thompson, Hughes, Smits.
Rochedale Rovers substitutes: Cronin, Henny, Seeto, Timberlake, Holt, Brattan, Cheshire, Thorn, Stirling.
