Miners take on Cougars
Charlie Payne | 22nd May 2010
THE rivalry between Mackay and Rockhampton will reignite when Whitsunday Miners take on Capricorn Cougars at Magpies tonight.
Whitsunday Miners captain Brett Neeve says tonight’s CQ derby will be hard-fought.
Allan Reinikka Rockhampton Morning Bulletin
THE rivalry between Mackay and Rockhampton will reignite when Whitsunday Miners take on Capricorn Cougars at Magpies tonight.
The Cougars lead the Miners by one point on the QSL table, courtesy of a scoreless draw the last time the teams played at Rockhampton, and after two wins from its last three matches Mackay is confident it can take the points.
“The boys don't like losing to Rockhampton,” Miners coach Troy Mundy said yesterday.
“The boys will definitely lift for this game, there's plenty of rivalry at stake.”
Captain Brett Neeve agreed, saying it would be good to get the points from the CQ derby.
“They're one point ahead of us but they're a game up on us,” Neeve said.
“It will be a grudge match; it'll be game on for 90 minutes.
“They're here to get the points, so it'll be physical, that's for sure.”
The Miners and the Queensland Academy of Sport are a match behind all the other teams, as their first game was abandoned due to the rain in April and will be played later in the season.
It is just the second home game of the season for the Miners.
After a horror start to the season, which included the loss of coach John Sowter and the club's CEO Allan Kay, Neeve said the players were getting back on track to make their presence felt in the QSL.
“I think those things have just made us realise what we have to do,” Neeve said.
“We lost John and Troy has put his hand up and now we're working hard with each other.
“Nothing has changed in that respect, but Troy has helped us to get over it (the loss of Sowter) and now I think there is a lot of confidence in the squad, in ourselves and the players around us.”
Neeve said the Miners' attack was starting to fire, with striker Tyson Masters scoring three goals in the past two weeks and working well with Ben Schaper.
The Miners' midfield of Daniel Scotton, Corey Hooper, Kevin Nguyen and Kyle McBurney, and back line of Rick DeBoer, Brayden Burgess and Graham Harvey were all starting to click, Mundy said.
“They're all putting their hands up at training,” he said.
“Hopefully we'll be able to get a few goals this weekend.”
The under-19 Miners will play the curtain-raiser against the Cougars' youth side at 5pm, with the main game kicking off at 7.30pm.
WHITSUNDAY MINERS: 1. B Moss, 3. R DeBoer, 16. B Burgess, 9. B Neeve, 6. G Harvey, 15. K McBurney, 4. C Hooper, 8. D Scotton, 7. K Nguyen, 9. T Masters, 10. B Scharper, 12. J Civello, 13. M Zappone, 14. R Evetts, 20. L Nightingale.
Coach: Troy Mundy
http://www.dailymercury.com.au/story/2010/05/22/rivalry-reignites-as-sides-go-head-to-head/