NPL QLD Round 18: Selected fixtures previews and betting tips

The following are previews with betting tips for selected fixtures in Round 18 of the 2020 NPL Queensland season.

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Redlands United FC vs Sunshine Coast Wanderers 7:30PM/ TUE 6 OCT @ Compass Grounds 1

Last RD- Redlands are currently dead last, with just 4 wins from 18 attempts to show for their efforts so far this season. Whilst the Sunshine Coast are just doing only ever slightly better, with 5 victories from 16 matches so far. Redlands currently posses a horrific -34 GD and the Sunshine Coast are at -8. On the season, Redlands have scored 22 and leaked a massive 56. For the Wanderers, those numbers are 30 and 38 respectively. Redlands have 13 losses on the campaign and the Wanderers, 9. This is a massive chance here for Redlands to attempt to jump of the bottom of the ladder with a win over their fellow cellar-dwellers.

Last round, Redlands went down 3-2 to the Knights, at the Croatian Sports Centre. They leaked goals in the 17th, 70th and 80th minutes of the match, in what was a tightly contested affair. This was a much improved upon performance, as in their game prior to this, they had lost 3-0 to Capalaba. As for the Sunshine Coast, they produced an energetic display in their 2-0 win over the previosly-mentioned Capalaba. The match happened at Ballinger Park. They scored their goals through Boyce, in just the 2nd min of the game and then via Walkinshaw on the stroke of HT, in the 45th min. They were thoroughly the better team in this one. And their only caution of the game was a Knight yellow, whilst the opposition leaked 3 yellows..

Key Facts-  Redlands were founded in 1918 and have one NPL title to their name. The Sunshine Coast were founded in 2007 and have 0 NPL titles currently. Redlands have lost 4 of their last 5 games, with a win in there as well. For the Sunshine Coast, they’ve won 3 of their past 5, with the others being defeats. They’ve hit a bit of nice form as of late.

Key Player- Craig Peck. He’s progressed from the youth levels in QLD, all the way to the top and is currently plying his trade for Redlands. He has been all about in the NPL and has played in 11 matches this season. He’s somebody who also played in the FFA Cup when it existed. And given the precarious position Redlands are in, headed into this must win match, having somebody of his experience in and around the side, will be a massive boost to the struggling team. If he happens to be on the pitch from around the 70th minute mark on wards, when the game should be tense and close, players of his game-time experience will become critical for Redlands as they attempt to close the game out, or at the very least get a draw from it.

Betting Tips- Pick Redlands to be victorious at $2.30 (Bet365).

Peninsula Power vs Gold Coast Knights Soccer Club 7:45PM/ TUE 6 OCT @ AJ Kelly Park

Last RD- The Power are currently 3rd, with a commanding 11 wins from 16 games so far this campaign. They are on 34 points and have scored 30 and leaked 20 strikes so far. As for the Knights, they currently reside in 4th spot, with 9 victories from 16 matches this season. They have 33 points. Whilst they have produced 36 goals this season and conceded 16. The Power have lost just 4 games and the Knights just the 1 so far. This game very well has the potential to be the match of the season. Two top four clubs going at it. What more could you ask for? And with both sides brilliant attacks, there is the strong potential for this game to have a lot of highlights to come out of it.

The Powers last game was at AJ Kelly Park. There they went down 3-1 to a motivated 3-1 Olympic FC side, in what was a disappointing effort from what is usually one of QLD’s best sides. Their sole goal came through Pengelly in the 68th minute. Whilst the goals they conceded came in the 8th, 11th and 96th mins of the game. Suffice to say they didn’t have the best start to the match! Their cautions came via yellows to Crestani in the 10th min, Clark in the 36th min, McEvoy in the 47th min and a red to Madle in the 93rd min. The opposition saw just the sole yellow during the match. While for the Gold Coast, they proved to be victors, as they toppled Redlands 3-2. That game was played at the Croatian Sports Centre. The Gold Coast’s goals came through Panetta in the 17th min, Prasad in the 68th min and Schmidt in the 89th min. While they conceded 3 yellows. This was a great performance by them and they’ll be hoping that they can translate that form it into this clash.

Key Facts- The Power were founded in 2000 and have plenty of non NPL achievements to their name, including doing the double in 2018 in the Tier 1 of the Brisbane Competition. Whilst the Knights were founded in 1978 and have one NPL title to their name. The Power have won 3 of their past 5 games. The Knights have also won 3 of their past 5 games. For the Power, their other two games were a draw and a loss. For the Gold Coast, it’s two draws.

Key Player- Thomas Strickland of the Power. From 16 games so far this season, he’s scored 7 goals. And with high-end attacking players bound to feature a lot in this clash, he’s bound to get his fair share of the ball and possibly the goals. In the two Football seasons he played (among others) prior to this, he scored 10 and 13 goals respectively. He knows how to make the ball find the back of the net and with lethal goal-scorers such as Shane Smeltz repping the opposition, he knows he’ll have to do his bit to help get his side on the board with some fine strikes. Regardless of whether the Power win or lose this match, expect him to have left a fair mark on it.

Betting Tips- Pick the Power to be victorious at $2.50 (Bet365).

Other Betting Tips- Also pick all of the Strikers at $1.80 (Bet365), Lions FC, Olympic FC and Brisbane City FC to win their respective fixtures.