THE Northern Fury were left to rue a late defensive lapse after losing 2-1 to the Sunshine Coast Fire yesterday.

Striker Jake Navarro equalised for the Fury just after half-time after heading home a well-placed cross, but the work was undone roughly 10 minutes from time when Sunshine Coast booted their winner.

The loss breaks a winning phase of National Premier League football for Northern, which had won two games and draw one from its past three matches.

Midfielder Jacob Crowley will be in doubt for next weekend's clash against ladder leaders Olympic in Brisbane after rolling his ankle early yesterday, but playing-coach Gareth Edds appears to be recovering well from knee bruising after playing limited minutes.

"My knee still has a bit of a niggle, but I wanted to get out there and help the boys during a difficult period of the game," said Edds, who had ruled himself out of last weekend's encounter against Palm Beach.

"The guys played extremely well.

"They held strong and battled hard for most of the game and it's important that we move on from this.

"(We need to) keep learning as the season progresses."

The Fury played catch-up for the whole opening half after Sunshine Coast scored in the first minute, and the disappointment was compounded when Crowley was taken off the field about 15 minutes later.

Navarro was substituted in for the young midfielder, and his experience soon came to the fore by creating scoring opportunities that Sunshine Coast pulled all stops to save.

His efforts were rewarded with a successful strike four minutes after half-time.

But Fury goalkeeper Brad Burrows was put under pressure by a Fire team that pressed hard following Navarro's leveller.

Navarro's strike partner Alex Read had his own opportunities thwarted by an equally determined Fire defence, and it was the home side that took advantage of an "uncharacteristic" poor Fury defensive effort to seal the winning goal.

Edds said the efforts of Burrows and Navarro were crucial for Northern.

"Jake is a predator in front of goal and he's been doing well considering he's been a little underdone and just returning from injury," he said. "Brad was again very solid in goal and we're very pleased with how he's been performing.

"The guys had to dig deep because it's a very tough ask playing Sunshine Coast away on the road, but overall we were relatively pleased."

The Fury have a tough challenge against Olympic next week, with the Brisbane-based side still undefeated after thrashing Central Queensland 9-3.

BIG AMBITIONS: David and Charlie King want to play in the A-League one day | Photo: ZAK SIMMONDS

CHARLIE and David King's gardener in their native Tanzania sowed the seeds of belief that they could make football their careers.

Now, with their roots firmly planted in Townsville with the Northern Fury, the brothers are determined to make those dreams come true.

The talented defenders, who played their first National Premier League game together at the weekend, took a massive gamble in the off-season, leaving family and friends behind in Victoria to become a part of the reborn Fury.

But, really, it is only the latest chapter in an incredible football journey for Charlie, 19, and David, 22.

Their family moved to Australia from the East African nation of Tanzania when they were 10 and 12 years old respectively.

The initial transition from one culture to another wasn't easy, but football helped.

"We would play at school and we would train with our gardener nearly every day," David recalled of his life in Africa.

"His dad was the coach of one the junior national teams, so we'd train and muck around with him and we've been involved ever since."

Up until this year David and Charlie had been playing for the Ballarat Red Devils in the Football Federation Victoria men's state league two.

But when Ballarat's technical director and former England youth international Paul Smalley told them he was taking up a position as the Fury's general manager, they jumped at the chance to join him.

Northern's aim to re-emerge in the A-League within five seasons was too big of a carrot to ignore.

"We'd both love to move on to something bigger one day and if the club can get in the A-League ... and we can play there then you can get recognised internationally as well," Charlie said.

But right now the pair have their focus set on how the Fury can defeat NPL top dogs Brisbane Olympic on Saturday night.

Good to note that this was back page of the Bully today.

-PB

Good stuff, going great guns. Still getting similar numbers going to matches or dropping off a bit?

how much is entry to a home game -pb?

If you arrive more then an hour before KO its $5, less then an hour its $10.

Promotes going to watch the younger grades play the curtain raisers (as most families are there to bring kids to the game etc).

Booze and food are cheap as chips too which is good.

-PB

Jealous bra :( Is it the same weak warm catpiss and 3-day-old dead rodent in a sugar bun we get here on the East Coast or is it quality?

PURE PASSION: Alex Read drives from Mackay and back twice a week to train with the Fury | Photo: ZAK SIMMONDS

NORTHERN Fury marksman Alex Read takes being "driven to succeed" to an all-new level.

In fact, he could just be the living embodiment of the commonly used sporting phrase.

As the Fury today brace for the National Premier League's greatest challenge, top dogs Olympic in Brisbane, Read revealed he spends up to 32 hours a week driving just to play for the re-born franchise.

The 21-year-old lives in Laguna Quays, about 300km south of Townsville.

But Read, who played two games for the Fury in the A-League in 2011, doesn't use that as an excuse to miss any of the club's three training sessions each week.

If Northern are playing at home, he just adds another seven-to-eight-hour round trip to the list.

"I just love the game," Read said when asked what motivated him to go to such extremes.

"The love of the game is just ridiculous. People back (in his home town) in Newcastle said to me, 'if you've got to drive that far you may as well have a year off and work' but I just said 'nup, can't do that'.

"I've been playing since I was five ... and there's never been a time when I haven't wanted to get in the car and come up to play."

But for a compromise with his girlfriend, Read's road trip would be even further.

His partner works in Mackay, giving her a one-hour commute.

She originally offered to move to halfway point Bowen, but Read said he was happy with Laguna Quays and his trip being reduced to a little over three hours.

That isn't the only amazing part of Read's sacrifice to be a Fury player, though.

Unemployed, he is paying for every tank of petrol out of his life savings.

"It's costing me a couple of hundred (dollars a week), but I haven't sat down and worked it out properly ... if I do it might scare me a bit, so I just keep going," Read said, admitting he was looking for work.

He added with a laugh: "I'm hoping (an employer) is into football ... and it all falls into place.

"And it all has so far, I haven't had a hiccup at all."

That goes for on the field, especially. Read has slammed home five goals to be Northern's leading striker and his wacky post-goal celebrations mean there is a rarely a weekly highlights package that he doesn't feature in heavily.

His taste of A-League Fury life a couple of years back is the real engine driving Read's desire.

"When I heard the Fury were back in, I just wanted to be a part of it," he said.

"I spoke to Gareth (coach Edds) and he told me about the plan and the vision ... so it's an absolute privilege that he's offered me the vice-captaincy."

Fuck what a game.

Omfg.

10 men for 30+ minutes of the second half and we didn't park the bus, instead we came out ands scored two of the best goals I've seen in a long time (and Eddsy curler that hit the bar HORRY SHIT).

Can't wait to see extended highlights of this game.

Put Redlands to the sword right and proper.

Playing amazeballs football, just need to work on the finishing!

TSR Fortress!

-PB

THE Northern Fury can count on one of the A-league's most deadly strikers, Jeremy Brockie, among the fans willing them back into the Australian top flight.

Brockie was a member of the initial Fury side that joined the A-league in 2009 before his stint was cruelled by a season-ending broken leg, but the now Wellington Phoenix attacker was in the crowd at the Townsville Sports Reserve which saw the Northern Fury account for Redlands United 4-2 on Saturday.

The New Zealand international, back in North Queensland to visit his wife's family before flying to Canada for a loan move to Major League Soccer outfit Toronto FC today, loved hearing the F-Troop back in song and seeing a strong crowd come to support the club's re-birth.

"I've read they've got a five-year plan so hopefully they continue to develop and I'd love to see a team from North Queensland back in the A-league."

Brockie, second highest scorer in the A-league last season with 16 goals, picked a good night to watch the revitalised club in action, with vice-captain Alex Read earning a penalty and scoring a well taken brace in a classy performance which kept the Fury's unbeaten home run in tact.

Read was brought down in the box in the 34th minute while chasing an Ari Isman pass and player/coach Gareth Edds made no mistake from the spot to give the Fury a 1-0 lead at the break.

Redlands, running second in the league and only beaten once in their previous eight games, hit back through a Reuben Way strike from outside the box two minutes after half-time and it sparked a frantic 15 minutes which saw three goals and a player from each side sent off.

Read put his side back in the lead on 52 minutes with a cracking right foot drive but the Fury barely had time to finish celebrating before Adam Chandler added parity for the Red Devils.

The Fury striker returned his side's lead on 72 minutes, finishing a move started by Mick Eisenhutt, running on to a through ball, beating his defender and sliding the ball past the Redlands keeper.

Substitute Jake Navarro put the result beyond doubt with four minutes left with his sixth goal of the season.

The Fury now head back south to face Brisbane City, who moved into the top-four yesterday with a 1-0 win over Sunshine Coast Fire.

GOOD WIN: Fury's David King moves in on Jheison Macuace | Photo: FIONA HARDING

NORTHERN Fury player- coach Gareth Edds says his young team has no one to fear in the National Premier League after strong performances against the competition's heavyweights.

The Fury play third-placed Brisbane City away on Sunday before coming home the following week to play the Brisbane Strikers (fourth), ending a run which has seen the Townsville-based side face the top five teams in the competition in five weeks.

After only conceding a late goal against the Sunshine Coast (fifth), scoring three away to league leaders Olympic and defeating Redlands United (second) 4-2 on Saturday, Edds said he felt his Fury were establishing themselves as a team not to be taken lightly.

"I think we're up there with the best to be perfectly honest," he said.

"We haven't got results the previous two games but we've showed hunger, fight and confidence to stay within ourselves.

"They (the players) sometimes don't believe in themselves but I believed in them and (Saturday) night they would have got a big jump of confidence."

It is a sentiment echoed by vice-captain Alex Read, who said the team had not been deterred by losses to stronger opponents.

"I definitely feel as if we're up there," he said. "We know we're up there."

That confidence was visible against the Red Devils at home, where the Fury held their composure after Redlands equalised at 2-2 and Reyze Kelly, perhaps unfairly, was sent off for a second yellow card offence.

"We're fit enough and we've worked extremely well and hard all the pre-season so I had no problems (going down to 10 men)," Edds said.

The Fury coach was also much happier with his side's style of play, with cutting through balls behind the opposition's defence leading to three of his side's four goals.

"We penetrated very well, we played balls through gaps and we were a constant threat and if we can keep doing that we're always causing troubles," he said.

Coming up against some more quality opposition in the next fortnight, Edds said they would look at ways to hold their defensive concentration over entire games.

"Overall you've got to do it for 90 minutes and you can't let teams get back into games," Edds said.

The Fury played great football on the weekend, the atomspherr was electric, and great win men, you are doing doing Townsville proud, great crowd support, keep it like it is, get the family and community spirit up there and keep winning, watch out Cowboys the Fury is the best team in Townsville

Posted by: Tim of Townsville 1:39pm today

Sat night was one of the best games I have seen in Townsville. Entertaining the crowd with the support of F Troop in the stands, what a great football show. Fury boys played some great football. Edds showing again class and true mentor ship, Eisenhut too worked the field with great strength and ability. The young boys are playing some great football too out witting the older players of other teams. boys it is a pleasure to watch you all grow, you get better and stronger each game I see, your a young team with heart. Edds keep up the great work your doing with the Fury long may it last.

Posted by: Russ 7:18am today

To the poor people ho missed the game (Fury v Redlands) you missed the best game of football i have seen played in townsville for years.I am so proud to be able to support a team that plays a great style of football with fantastic local kids, who are humble sporting roll models for the youth players in this city. Go the Fury

Posted by: Mark Hermit Park of Hermit Park 6:48am today

ON THE ROAD: Mick Eisenhut says the Fury can perform well away from home | Photo: SCOTT RADFORD-CHISHOLM

WITH confidence levels at a high, Northern Fury midfielder Mick Eisenhut says it's time to take the intensity from their Townsville home games on the road.

The Fury are yet to be beaten in four games at home, picking up three wins and a draw, but they haven't been so lucky playing away from North Queensland.

A strong 6-1 win over Central Queensland in round two remains the Fury's only points in five games away, and Eisenhut said they were looking to build on last week's 4-2 win over Redlands United with a strong performance down at Brisbane City on Sunday.

After a slow start to the season, City have won their past six games straight with an impressive 25-5 for-and-against record which has seen them move into third place on the National Premier League ladder with a game in hand.

"We've just got to take the same intensity, I think," the Fury attacking midfielder said of ways his team could take their unbeaten home form away with them.

"We've got the confidence now, we're starting to understand our roles a bit better.

"We want to take that into the away games and hopefully we can put it on to the field."

Player/coach Gareth Edds said it was a matter of the young team learning for themselves how to achieve that consistency game-in, game-out.

"It's inside them that they have the ability to have the tactical stuff to go out and perform home or away," Edds said.

"They've just got to believe and have that inner drive to keep that intensity and keep the good work going."

Eisenhut said they knew little about their Brisbane opponents, but given their recent record they knew they would be preparing for another dog-fight and would just be worrying their own style of play.

"You get what you're doing right first and then you go from there," he said.

Part of that is looking to build on the positives from the recent games.

Eisenhut was a late addition to the Townsville side but said he was relishing a return to higher-level football, having previously played in the New Zealand national competition.

"I'm feeling settled, it's a good bunch of guys that we play with," he said.

"They help me in my role so I can do what I've got to do and they can do what they've got to do."

NORTHERN Fury player-coach Gareth Edds said his side is itching for the opportunity to play on the road again after falling to their worst loss of the season away to Brisbane City yesterday.

Trailing 2-0 at half-time, the Fury couldn't stop City's scoring after the break and fell 5-0, the fifth consecutive game they have missed out on points playing in southeast Queensland.

While always knowing they were in for a tough assignment with a 6am flight out of Townsville, 90 minutes against one of the best teams in the league and a return home at 10pm, Edds said the players needed to take the responsibility to prepare themselves to keep up their individual performances on the road.

"The young players, you've got to be body hardened to that kind of stuff," he said.

"They're not used to it, they're used to playing local football in Townsville and not used to travelling, getting on planes, getting off planes and getting prepared and looking after your own body.

"I knew that from the start, I knew it was going to be a difficult challenge away from home.

"We know we have to improve in those areas so we're looking forward to our next opportunity which is in quite a few weeks time to get some points on the road."

While they were a constant threat in attack and a tight defensive unit against Redlands a week ago, Edds said they had done neither of those things against City, who moved up into second place on the ladder.

"We've been performing really, really well, we've got good energy about us and we've been attacking and threatening teams with our qualities but we haven't done that (yesterday)," Edds said.

"We didn't defend very well and we haven't attacked either. If we don't do those two facets of the game you're not going to win games and you're not going to be close to winning games."

But the Fury coach did take positives out of the performances of left-side player Ari Isman and 19-year-old central defender Nick Figg on his starting debut.

Brisbane City 5 (Dougall 10', Frazier 27', 64', Murray 59', Sakurai 82') def Northern Fury 0.

But Roar general manager Sean Dobson was hopeful of the club staging a regional fixture in north Queensland on December 21.

Fury highlights start at 9:27 below,

[youtube]q6Kf00V7-fc[/youtube]

Fucking epic goals.

-PB

That ground announcer has made me smile everytime I see highlights from games in Townsville. Does this guy think he's at a Crocs game?!

I was speaking to the Strikers coach yesterday and asked if he was yahoo-ing into a megaphone at training this week to replicate what it will be like for his players vs Fury this weekend. ;)

Fury highlights start at 9:27 below,

[youtube]q6Kf00V7-fc[/youtube]

Fucking epic goals.

-PB