The Capalaba Bulldogs will need a solid work-out against Capital League 3 side Virginia United tonight to get them back on track after a disappointing 4-1 loss to Logan Lightning at the weekend.
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The FFA Cup qualifying round kicks off at 7pm at John Fredericks Park, giving supporters the first chance to see their team at home.
Though playing in a lower division Virginia will not be taken lightly, as Capalaba will remember its narrow win over Kangaroo Point Rovers in a similar match some time back.
Virginia already has made its mark, beating Logan City Kings 3-1 last month in an earlier Cup round.
The game will be good preparation for the Premier League home match on Sunday against old rivals Albany Creek, which kicks off at 5pm.
The Aces will be on a high after coming back from 0-3 down at half-time to pull off a 3-3 draw at home against newly promoted Taringa Rovers.
Though it is too early to judge form, the Aces normally provide strong opposition, each side winning its home match in 2014, an in-form Capalaba coming away with a comfortable 5-1 victory in the second fixture.
The Bulldogs will be boosted by the return of mid-fielder Paul O'Brien, who missed Saturday's game.
That fixture against Logan Lightning was one-sided, Capalaba producing only brief attacking spells, many of them leading nowhere as the old bugbear of poor passing resulted in them surrendering possession far too often.
Lightning were metres faster than the Bulldogs, launching raid after raid and rarely had difficulty closing down any Capalaba moves.
Missing a number of key players, the Bulldogs could not control the midfield, normally one of their main assets.
They began well enough, with Josh Sherwood making a top run on the right wing that ended in a corner kick, and Jose Majica putting a great ball across the goal-face but having no support there.
Keiichi Ueda came close with a cracker of a free kick, but Lightning was always smart in launching counter-attacks.
Majica and Ueda combined well in another attack, but the defence was too quick.
Keeper Jono Burrowes was under pressure early on, and was called on to make good saves.
He was well supported by Jake Sherwood's effective tackles, but could only get a hand to the hard-driven shot that brought the first goal.
Aaron Wemyss was there when needed in another smart Lightning move, and Josh Sherwood came agonisingly close to the equaliser with a long-distance shot which ricocheted off the woodwork.
Luke Watson is proving a valuable signing, working strongly in defence and initiating attacking moves with his accurate distribution.
Lightning keeper Bradley Stout pulled off a great save from another Sherwood shot, but Burrowes could do nothing to stop a well-aimed free kick soon after.
The score could have been higher except for strong defence from Josh Harding.
On a high, the home side opened at a cracking pace after the break, and could have added two more had Mojica not cleared the ball off the line in two successive corner kicks.
However, in between those saves Lightning's speed had earned them their third goal, and they were unlucky when another shot hit the crossbar.
The Bulldogs stayed in the game, Ueda coming close once again, but Logan's speed was too much and they added a fourth.
Yuji Hirayama worked well with Sherwood in another move that was wrecked by a poor final pass, then Greg Warden made an accurate switch to Sherwood which brought off another fine save from Stout.
Sherwood maintained his excellent record when he smashed in a penalty goal, and Hirayama came agonisingly close when his shot slammed off the upright.
The reserves fared better, overcoming a 0-1 half-time deficit to pull off a 1-1 draw late in the match.
Tonight's Cup round kicks off at 7pm, with Sunday's home fixtures at 2.45pm and 5pm.
- Allan Watson