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Sheppard: Melbourne City will be under more pressure

Heidelberg United's Kaine Sheppard believes that Melbourne City will be under more pressure than the NPL club heading into their FFA Cup quarter-final tie on Tuesday night.

Sheppard grew up in Northampton, England but has been playing for Heidelberg the past two years after spending time at UK clubs Histon, Ipswich and Braintree.

The forward was also at League One side Leyton Orient as a 16-year-old, where he trained alongside a 17-year-old Harry Kane.

The 21-year-old believes that even though Heidelberg are the underdogs they can cause an upset against the A-League’s richest club.

“We (have) got nothing to lose so we (have) just got to go for it," he said.

“I think Melbourne City will be under more pressure than what we will be because they are the team that everyone expects to win.

"If we can get the fans pumped up, if they can just get behind us and start cheering for us and if we can start doing well maybe Melbourne City will get a little bit under pressure.

"Then we can just go for it you never know - we could get the upset."

During their 2-0 win against Sydney United in their previous FFA Cup tie, Sheppard’s fellow English strike partner Daniel Heffernan scored the quickest goal in the competition's short history.

However, in the quarter final against Melbourne City, Sheppard will not have his usual partner next to him after Heffernan's move to A-League Central Coast Mariners.

Between them the two scored 50 goals in the last two NPL Victoria seasons but Sheppard says that Heffernan’s move to the A-League is a source of inspiration.

“I miss him a bit,” he said “It’s good for him to go to Central Coast. It’s a bit different getting used to playing without him because I’ve played with him for two seasons now and we’ve done really well.

"But he’s moved on and I’m happy for him and we still keep in contact which is good.

“I would love to play in (the) A-League. I’m still young it’s a good aspiration to have to keep pushing on and obviously Daniel has shown that you can do it even when you are a bit older.

“There is some really good talent in the NPL and this just gives them a chance to show just how good they are and show that they can compete with the bigger teams.

"Especially when you are on Foxtel and it’s a big game everyone is going to be watching so it just gives you a great opportunity.”

New import Kostas Katsouranis participated in his new team’s first training session last night and Sheppard liked what he saw.

“He got a really warm welcome - a few fans came down and watched him train and we had a really good session,” he said.

“He got stuck in - he got really involved. You can see his class from day one. Hopefully he’ll be a big signing in this game and he can really help us out.”

Hyundai A-League pre-season: Brisbane beat Central Coast

Brisbane Roar have ended their five-match pre-season campaign with a come-from-behind 3-1 win over the Central Coast Mariners on Saturday night.

The Roar trailed 1-0 at the break on the Sunshine Coast but goals in the 51st minute to Corey Brown, Dimitri Petratos just eight minutes later and a third to Brandon Borrello in 83rd minute ensured the Roar will be on a high as they head into their opening Hyundai A-League fixture against Western Sydney Wanderers on Thursday, 8 October.

Thomas Broich's assist on Petratos' goal was spectacular and underlined that the German will again be a force in this season's Hyundai A-League.

Roar's marquee robbed a defender on the halfway line and sprinted all the way into the Mariners' penalty box, shrugging off a desperate challenge from Central Coast centre back Harry Ashcroft.

Broich then propped and squared across the goal to an unmarked Petratos who knocked it in past stranded Mariners keeper Liam Reddy.

Roar Head Coach John Aloisi praised his players for the hard work and constant improvement during the long pre-season.

"We knew we were going to create chances," Aloisi said.

"We know we've got goals in us. We scored three but could have easily scored more. We know we are a team that has fire power."

Brown (above) laid the foundations for his goal with a powerful run to the edge of the box where his shots were twice blocked.

But the Roar then fed the ball left where Matt McKay played a low cross into the penalty spot where Brown side-footed into the net in the 51st minute.

Borrello had threatened a number of times and it came as no surprise when he finally got on the score sheet in the 83rd minute.

Petratos played a ball near the halfway line through a static Mariners defence and Borrello ran away to slot his shot past Liam Reddy and into the Central Coast net.

The game didn't start well for the Roar when striker Jean Carlos Solorzano injured his left foot when tackled in the fifth minute. He battled on but had to be replaced by Dimitri Petratos four minutes later and may undergo a scan early next week.

The first goal came in the 13th minute on the Mariners' fourth consecutive corner.

The Roar defence failed to clear cleanly again and Mariners striker Nick Fitzgerald, a former Roar player, drove an unstoppable shot from 20m to just inside the left-hand post and beyond a diving Michael Theo.

Brisbane first chance of the game was in the 24th minute when Thomas Broich played behind the Mariners defence and Brandon Borrello pounced on the perfectly weighted pass to be in a one-on-one with Mariners keeper Liam Reddy.

Reddy blocked Borrello's low shot with his legs and although the ball rebounded to the Roar striker, yellow jerseys swamped him before he could get a second attempt on goal.

The Mariners also had an injury set-back in the first half when their captain Josh Rose twisted his left knee in a tackle by Borrello and hobbled off in the 39th minute.

He was replaced by Glen Trifiro three minutes with post-match reports from the Mariners' dressing room indicating Rose may have a medial ligament strain.

Mariners Head Coach Tony Walmsley was happy with his side's effort and praised the Roar.

"Brisbane is Brisbane. They've got pace and power . . . . they are definitely going to be finals contenders again," he said.

After a 1-0 Westfield FFA Cup loss to Western Sydney Wanderers in August, the Roar's pre-season has featured a 1-0 loss to Melbourne Victory, a 10-0 win over the Gold Coast All-Stars, a scoreless draw with Newcastle Jets FC, an 8-0 win over the PS4NPLQLD Under-23 All-Stars and tonight's 3-1 win over the Mariners. 

image: http://images.performgroup.com/di/library/Brisbane_Roar/81/fe/roar-celebration_1b0h1uqh270h71ceecr8uwmyr4.jpg?t=158766208

Brisbane Roar FC v Central Coast Mariners, Pre-Season, Saturday, 27 September, Sunshine Coast Stadium

Brisbane Roar FC 3 (Brown 51', Petratos 59', Borrello 83')
Central Coast Mariners FC 1 (Fitzgerald 13')

Brisbane Roar FC: 1. Michael THEO,  5. Corey BROWN, 8. Steven LUSTICA, 11. Jean Carlos SOLORZANO (23.Dimitri PETRATOS 9'), Jade NORTH, 14. Daniel BOWLES, 17. Matt McKAY (c)(16. Devante CLUT 82'), 19. Jack HINGERT, 22. Thomas BROICH, 28. Brandon BORRELLO,  32. George LAMBADARIDIS. 

Substitutes not used: 6. Jerome POLENZ, 15. James DONACHIE,, 20. Shannon BRADY, 21.Jamie YOUNG (gk),  27. Mitchell HORE,

Yellow cards: Nil Red cards: Nil

Central Coast Mariners FC: 12. Liam REDDY (GK), 2. Storm ROUX, 3. Josh ROSE (c) (18. Glen TRIFIRO 42'),4. Jacob POSCOLIERO, 5. Harry ASHCROFT, 6. Mitch AUSTIN, 7. Fabio FERREIRA (16. Jake ADELSON89'), 9. Roy O’DONOVAN, 10, Anthony CACERES, 11. Nick FITZGERALD, 23. Eddy BOSNAR (c)

Substitutes not used:  1.Paul IZZO (GK), 14. Daniel HEFFERNAN,  19. Josh BINGHAM.

Yellow cards: Nil Red cards: Nil

Referee:  Chris Beath Assistant Referees:  Ashley Beecham, Daniel Olson

Midtjylland debut leaves Mabil hungry for more

Former Adelaide United flyer Awer Mabil says he’s hoping for more games after making his FC Midtjylland debut overnight in the Danish Cup.

Mabil, 20, got half an hour off the bench in Midtjylland’s comfortable 3-0 cup win away to second tier Næstved.

“I hope to get more games, but the team is doing well, so it’s hard to break into the team,” Mabil told FCM.TV.

“I’ve just to keep pushing for a spot and keep working hard to help the team when I get my chance.”

Football League Review: Brighton stumble, Burton go three points clear

Ten-man Brighton were held by Bolton Wanderers at the top of the Championship, while Burton took advantage of Walsall's slip-up.

Gary Madine's late equaliser ensured Bolton Wanderers held Championship leaders Brighton and Hove Albion to a 2-2 draw on Saturday.

The former Sheffield Wednesday striker popped up deep into injury time after a first-half Neil Danns strike had halved the deficit created by goals from Dale Stephens and  Jamie Murphy, with the latter sent off for a heavy challenge on Danns.

The result means Middlesbrough will cut the gap at the top of the table to just a point if they beat Leeds United on Sunday.

Reading leapfrogged Burnley into third place with a 2-1 win at Turf Moor, while Hull City were denied victory by striker Jordan Rhodes in a 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers.

Bristol City and Preston North End were also denied wins by late goals against Ipswich Town and Wolves respectively.

Elsewhere, Rotherham United climbed off the foot of the table with a 2-0 victory over at Birmingham City and there were also wins for Derby County, Cardiff City and Sheffield Wednesday.

In League One, Burton Albion extended their lead at the top to three points after an injury-time winner from Jerome Binnom-Williams saw them come from behind to beat Chesterfield 2-1.

Second-place Walsall could only manage a 1-1 draw at home to Crewe Alexandra, while fellow promotion contenders Gillingham went down to a 2-0 defeat at Barnsley.

A 3-1 victory for Sheffield United in the south Yorkshire derby with Doncaster Rovers saw them climb into the top six, while there were also wins for Bury, Colchester United, Peterborough United, Port Vale and Millwall. Bottom-of-the-table Blackpool's miserable season continued with a 2-0 defeat at Shrewsbury Town.

Fellow strugglers Scunthorpe United lost 2-1 to Southend United and Oldham Athletic drew 1-1 with Wigan Athletic.

Meanwhile in League Two, Leyton Orient earned a point at Northampton Town thanks to Dean Cox's strike in the seventh minute of injury time, although they were still knocked off the top by Portsmouth, who brushed aside Bristol Rovers 2-1.

Wycombe Wanderers moved to second after a 2-0 win over Exeter City, while Newport County secured their first win of the season with a 1-0 success at Carlisle United.

Cambridge United, Accrington Stanley, Luton Town, Notts County and Hartlepool United all won, but there were no goals in the games at Mansfield Town and Oxford United.