Gold Coast United a class above | Northern Rivers Soccer | Football in Northern Rivers

NEW A-League soccer club Gold Coast United produced a slick performance to outclass a courageous Byron Bay select side 5-1 in front of a large and appreciative crowd in their exhibition game at the Bay yesterday.

In the first visit by an A-League club to the region, United spent the morning running junior coaching clinics and signing autographs, before taking on a Byron Bay side that included several guest players from other local clubs.

United coach Miron Bleiberg wasn’t on the sideline, leaving assistant coach and former Socceroo Paul Okon in charge and he watched on as his side rattled the woodwork twice before opening the scoring.

A low, whipping cross allowed Andrew Barisic to head in the first of his three goals from point-blank range, but it wasn’t one-way traffic.

Byron Bay created several early chances and Ben Casagrande could have equalised when he pounced on a defensive error, but skied his shot just over the cross-bar.

While the Rams showed plenty of commitment to pressure United at times, the precision and speed of Gold Coast’s passing and general play was a cut above the locals.

United hit the woodwork for a third time with a rasping drive from Barisic, before he netted his second goal, tapping in the scraps after Rams goalkeeper Kai Connell spilled a difficult low drive.

While high-profile Socceroo Jason Culina had been on hand for the morning activities, he wasn’t used by Okon during the game, but another Socceroo in Adam Griffiths came on for the second half against a stubborn Byron side.

And Byron proved their danger by reducing the margin to 2-1.

Striker Jordy Campbell was putting pressure on the United defence at every opportunity and his
persistence was rewarded when he chased down a defensive back pass, charging down the ’keeper’s clearance into the net.

Stung into action, Gold Coast went from exhibition game mode to something more serious and soon responded with a well-taken goal from one of their best players, Daniel Piorkowski.

Greg Thomas blasted in their fourth goal from inside the box before Barisic completed his hat-trick with the goal of the day, a low, curling shot from an acute angle that found the side netting at the far post.

While the 5-1 scoreline suggests a lop-sided game, it was far from it.

The locals forced United to work hard for every possession and in every tackle.

There were strong games from Bruce Morhaus in defence and then in midfield, Clint Willoughby who was always composed at the back, brothers Max and Bill Latimer, who showed enormous spirit, and the lion-hearted Ben Casagrande.

Gold Coast officials have already expressed their desire to make the game an annual fixture on their pre-season calendar after the successful day.