By Logan Marsh

The Douglas United Dragons have seen their faintest of playoff hopes extinguished after a 1-0 loss at home to the FNQ Heat on Saturday night. An early goal to the Heat gave them the ideal start to the match and while they were definitely the dominant side in the opening half hour the Dragons will feel that they should have got at least a point from the match after spurning a number of glorious chances in the second half.

The Dragons went into the match with a thin squad that forced a reshuffle in personnel and formation and understandably it was the away side who settled the quickest. Pushing for a top two spot on the ladder, the Heat were out of the blocks quickly, pushing the Dragons back at every opportunity. It was not long either before they were in front. Former A-Leaguer Mitch Bevan had a shot from distance, which deflected off Dragons centre half Gary Cunningham right into the path of another Heat player who stroked the ball into the far corner of the net.

Just as the Dragons were beginning to find a foothold in the match, their momentum was disrupted when Perry McIlroy was forced from the field with a knee injury. Joe Bownes was left to back up his ninety minute performance for the reserves to make his first team debut. The rest of the half saw more sparring with little action of note. 

The Dragons started the second half on the front foot with midfielders Tom Daly and Alistair Baird in particular giving their much-vaunted opponents a torrid time. It would  be fair to say the Heat always had a measure of control over the match, creating a couple of chances to kill the game off. But their lack off ruthlessness left them vulnerable to a Dragons side that continued to grow into the match. First Gary Cunningham headed wide from a corner when he should have scored and as the game drew to its conclusion the Dragons looked the more likely to score.

A switch to a 3-5-2 formation invigorated the Dragons further and they should have been level when Ian Marsh went through on goal. Even though it was on his less favoured right foot the safe money would have been on him to score yet he sliced his shot wide of the post. Alistair Baird was having a storming game against the side managed by his father and he deserved a goal to cap that performance. Yet that was all that was lacking from the youngsters match as he searches for that elusive first senior goal. As the clock ticked down there was one last chance for the Dragons to salvage a point form the match as a mix up in the Heat defence allowed Matty Smith through one on one. Smith looked to slot the ball between the onrushing keepers legs but scooped the ball into his chest and the chance for a point or more was lost.

The Paddy’s Bar Man of the Match went to Alistair Baird for his excellent performance in midfield. Tom Daly also put in a good shift in the middle of the park. In the early kick off the Dragons Reserves came from behind to defeat the Heat 4-2 to cement their spot in the top four playoffs picture. Next up for the Dragons is a Sunday afternoon and evening fixture against Leichardt.