Current bottom side of the Flight Centre Premier League, Grange Thistle, are one win away from a spot in the Round of 32 after springing a huge Westfield FFA Cup upset.
Thistle defeated Rochedale Rovers 1-0, the shock result accentuated by the fact that Rochedale Rovers eliminated PlayStation 4 NPL side Brisbane Strikers earlier in the competition, the Strikers having qualified for the Round of 32 last year.
The deciding goal arrived early in the game when Thistle attacked down the right and a stinging cross from Ryan Adamson struck the hand of the Rovers defender and Alex King awarded the penalty which Matt Hornby converted despite Rovers keeper James Harkin getting a hand to the ball and nearly keeping it out.
In what was a scrappy game, Thistle came out of the blocks with intent and had the best of the first half an hour without creating any real opportunities but winning tackles and keeping the visitors out of the contest.
Lewis Cameron was ruled out of the game in the warm-up for Rochedale and it made a big difference with a lack of penetration on the left hand side and an inability to link with Kado Aoci up front who was isolated for long periods.
After the interval the game evened up as the away side found the sting which had been lacking, in particular Seiji Shizuno who started to create in the middle of the park.
Even so, there was a sense that it wasn’t going to be their night and it could easily have been a wider margin if Harkin hadn’t produced a brilliant save from a Tim Smits header and Hornby came even closer to his second with a shot from distance which cannoned back into play off the outside of the post.
The closest Rovers were came to a reply in the entire game arrived in the 75th minute when a bobbling ball eluded Zac Symons in goal but was cleared off the line with Aoci lunging for the tap-in.
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In the night's other match, PS4 NPL outfit Moreton Bay United needed extra time to overcome Holland Park Hawks 2-1.
