Young Roar picked up their second win of the 2024 NPL Queensland season with a commanding 5-1 victory over Rochedale Rovers at Underwood Park on Sunday evening.
Ivan Ozzi starred for Roar with a hat-trick, while Riley Gill and Zac Fowler also got in on the act against a Rochedale side who found the back of the net through Andy Thompson.
Ozzi opened the scoring in the tenth minute when he turned his marker before breaking clear of the Rovers defence and slamming a finish into the roof of the net at the near post.
Ozzi made it two on the stroke of half time when he headed home a James Durrington cross at the back post.
The home side started the second half strongly and pulled a goal back through a pinpoint Thompson free-kick in the 53rd minute.
Three minutes later Ozzi reinstated Roar’s two-goal lead and completed his hat-trick when he battled his way through the heart of the Rovers defence before slamming another emphatic finish into the roof of the net.
Gill netted Roar’s fourth of the evening when he slid home a finish at the near post after being picked out by a Shae Cahill cross in the 61st minute.
Fowler, who has top scored for Roar’s U23s with ten goals so far this season rounded out the scoring in second half stoppage time when he latched onto a Lucas Herrington clearance and rounded the keeper before finishing into an empty net.
Sunday’s 5-1 victory sees Young Roar climb to seventh on the NPL Queensland ladder with nine points to their name after eight rounds of action.
The U23 match was postponed as a result of the weekend’s wet weather throughout South East Queensland.
Sunday’s match marks the start of a busy week for Young Roar who face Brisbane Strikers in Kappa Pro Series action on Wednesday night before taking on Olympic at Nudgee Recreation Reserve on Sunday.
MATCH DETAILS
NPL Queensland 2024 – Round 8: Rochedale Rovers vs Brisbane Roar
Underwood Park
Sunday, 21 April
Rochedale Rovers – 1 (Andy THOMPSON 53’)
Brisbane Roar – 5 (Ivan OZZI 10’ 45+2’ 56’, Riley GILL 61’, Zac FOWLER 95′)
