Raiders have win over The Gap

Ben Drewe | 7th June 2010



TOOWOOMBA Raiders have kept touch with the Brisbane Men's Premier League Division One top four with a 2-0 win over The Gap on Saturday night.

Brendan Cobb was solid at left-back for Raiders in his first top grade start.

TOOWOOMBA Raiders have kept touch with the Brisbane Men’s Premier League Division One top four with a 2-0 win over The Gap on Saturday night at Clive Berghofer Stadium.

Raiders only moved one place up the ladder to ninth, but the result has them closing the gap on the top four with a game still in hand.

It is only Raiders second win in the past eight games and while it was not a polished performance, coach Mick Turvey is nevertheless happy to pick up a much-needed three points.

“It was good to get the three points. It wasn’t our best performance but if you can get the win when you don’t play your best its good,” Turvey said.

“It’s a good result for us, it keeps us where we need to be.”

Raiders capitalised on their first real opportunity to open the scoring in the 26th minute when left midfielder Nathan Daly found striker Kevin Doyle at the near post with a square ball following some good lead-up work from Emmanuel Peters.

The lead could have doubled just two minutes later when Peters produced a sublime turn to be left one-on-one with The Gap’s keeper.

His shot was saved and then Daly hit the post with his follow-up shot.

The Gap nearly equalised two minutes before half-time but Raiders keeper Matt Eilers did enough to parry the shot on to the post and out of danger.

The visitors created plenty of chances in the second half, with Eilers keeping Raiders in front with three excellent saves in the space of 10 minutes.

Raiders too had some terrific chances in the second half and it took until the 88th minute when substitute Josh Stuckey blasted the ball past the keeper at the near post for the hosts to seal the win.

“(Eilers) did a fantastic job and at the end of the day he lifted us and if it wasn’t for him we could have come away with a loss,” Turvey said.

Raiders now play Rocklea United in Toowoomba this Saturday night in their rescheduled round 13 match and another three points would do wonders for their top four aspirations.
http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/2010/06/07/keeper-saves-day-to-secure-vital-win/