'We have got the depth': First-up win for Queens Park
On Saturday Queens Park again reaffirmed that it belongs in the ODT Men’s Southern Premiership with a 2-0 win over Northern Hearts at the ILT Football Turf.
Sign up to receive The Southland Tribune direct to your email inbox.
Queens Park has lifted the curtain on its 2024 ODT Men’s Southern Premiership campaign with a victory in Invercargill on Saturday.
Queens Park is the sole Southland club with a team in the league which has entries from Timaru south.
The Invercargill-based club has shown some promise in the league in recent seasons after stepping up from Southland’s Donald Gray Cup.
On Saturday Queens Park again reaffirmed that it belongs at that level with a 2-0 win over Northern Hearts at the ILT Football Turf.
George Edwards scored both Queens Park’s goals - the first in the 26th minute and the second in the 83rd.
Coach Paddy Murphy felt they probably put themselves in a position where they should have won by more but was still encouraged by the first-up showing.
“It’s a really good start, a tough opponent. They are always an aggressive side and always difficult to beat. It’s a good start,” Murphy said.
Murphy felt they were better equipped in 2024 with some stronger playing depth this season at Queens Park.
That was highlighted by the fact the Queens Park second-tier team won Southland’s senior preseason competition final on Sunday beating Thistle 2-0 in the game played at Winton.
“It shows we have got the depth if we are missing two or three players.”
Murphy’s goals for 2024 were again relatively straightforward.
The first task was to get to 15 competition which would likely ensure they remained in the league next season.
However, the goal was to rack up more competition points than 2023.
“I think we got 26 points last season so aiming for 27 or 30 this year.”
The next outing will be against Otago University AFC in Invercargill this Saturday.
Queens Park has also entered a team in the women’s ODT Southern Premier League this year.
It opened its campaign with a 4-0 loss to Roslyn Waikari AFC in Invercargill on Saturday.
The Queens Park women’s next assignment will be against Northern AFC in Invercargill this Saturday.