Gold Coast Knights were crowned 2023 NPL Queensland Men’s Champions with a 1-0 Grand Final victory over Moreton Bay United at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday night.
A first half Max Brown goal sealed the title for Scott McDonald’s side who go back-to-back for the first time in their history in a stunning treble winning campaign for the Knights.
Brown slammed a finish into the bottom corner from the top of the box in the 29th minute after Ante Poljak found the Knights talisman in space after bringing down a long ball by Shelford Dais.
The Knights number 10, who also scored in last season’s Final win against Olympic becomes just the second player in NPL Queensland Men’s history to score in two Grand Finals alongside Lions, Nathan Reardon.
Knights best chance to extend their lead came in the 48th minute through Max King, who was denied from a tight angle by a reflex Matt Lugo save after finding space for himself inside the area.
The Jets pushed hard for an equaliser and almost had one in second half stoppage time when the league’s Golden Boot winner Marquez Walters sent a jaw dropping bicycle kick inches wide of the bottom corner.
The Knights defence held firm as the hung on for a 1-0 win crowning them NPL Queensland Champions for the third time, adding to the Premiership and Kappa Pro Series titles they’d already picked up this season.
Sunday’s victory means Knights are now level with Lions record of three NPL Queensland Championships.
The matchwinner, Max Brown who also scored a hat-trick in Knights Semi Final win was named as Man of the Match for Sunday’s Grand Final.
Sunday’s match brought a close to another enthralling season of NPL Queensland action although supporters will have one last chance to see some of the league’s biggest names in action with Queensland set to face Victoria in a State-v-State battle at the home of the Matildas on Saturday, September 23.