Sport
27 April, 2026
Bulls seal the deal
MAREEBA United Bulls have broken through for their first win of the season, holding off a late surge from Southside Comets to secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory at Borzi Park on Saturday night.
From the outset, there was a noticeable lift in intent from the home side, with the Bulls showing urgency and purpose in their play. That energy was rewarded in the 21st minute when Braith De Faveri found the back of the net, giving Mareeba a deserved lead heading into the halftime break.
The Bulls returned after the interval with renewed intensity, dominating the opening 25 minutes of the second half. Their pressure kept the Comets pinned back and searching for answers, as Mareeba looked determined to put the game beyond doubt.
That second goal came in the 83rd minute, albeit in fortunate fashion, when a failed clearance from Aiden Cuda resulted in an own goal, extending the Bulls’ lead to 2-0 and seemingly sealing the contest.
However, the Comets had other ideas. In a bold tactical move, coach Dylan Soares pushed central defender Nic Del Manso into a forward role in the closing stages, a decision that nearly paid off. Just three minutes later, Del Manso rose from a corner to head home, cutting the deficit and injecting late tension into the match.
What followed was a nervy finish for the Bulls, with Del Manso proving a constant aerial threat and testing Mareeba’s resolve. But the home side stood firm under pressure, showing composure and resilience to see out the match and claim all three points.
Bulls coach Victor Madrid was pleased to see his side’s efforts rewarded.
“It’s a nice monkey to have off our backs. We have been improving week to week, and it was pleasing to get the win,” Madrid said. “The boys were pumped for this match; we put in a great effort at training, and they are driving this intensity. They were passionate tonight, you could see how much they wanted it.”
Captain Adrian Madrid echoed those sentiments, highlighting the team’s determination.
“We’ve been unlucky the last couple of games, but tonight we showed real passion and deserved the result,” he said. “We know we have the squad to compete, but we needed that hunger and the boys delivered. Everyone played right to the end.”
In other matches the under 23 Bulls also won 3-0 against the Comets while the ladies went down 1-0 on Friday night.
The Bulls take on Edge Hill United at Tiger Park, Cairns this Saturday, with the match kicking off at 5pm.
