Glenorchy Knights move into second place on goal-difference

Forestry Tasmania Premier League, KGV Park, Friday, 27 March 2009
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Glenorchy Knights 3 (Smith 50, Hope 53, Sherman 82)
University 0

HT: 0-0 Att: 100 Ref: K Barker
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Glenorchy Knights (4-4-2): Peter - Wiggins, Grundy, Smith, Marsh (Kamba 85) - Clay, Dzelalija, Fielding, Roberts - Koroma (Sherman 71), Hope [Substitutes not used: Green, Tatnell] [Coach: E Kelly]

University (4-5-1): McCallum - Wilkinson, J Andrews, Merry, M Andrews (Opira 65) - Venettacci, Hindmarsh, Bones, Blundell (Teale 82), Burgess (Winter 55) - Bull [Substitute not used: Piesse] [Coach: S Gallacher]
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University might have embarrassed Glenorchy Knights if they had taken their chances in the first half.

The second half was a different story, with the Knights well on top and leading 2-0 after just 8 minutes.

The game was over by the time the Knights hit their third 8 minutes from the end.

Knights’ goalkeeper Ben Peter was back to his best form. He had obviously heeded the words of his coach, Eamonn Kelly, that his place was up for grabs and that Alex Tatnell was waiting in the wings.

Peter saved superbly from Alexis Bull, on two occasions, and from Aaron Hindmarsh, all in the first half, while late in the match he produced another fine save from a Bull free-kick.

His opposite number, Rory McCallum, was no slouch either. He pulled off good saves against Amadu Koroma and substitute Tom Sherman.

In the 11th minute, a great ball by Hindmarsh put Bull through on the left of the box, but his rather weak shot was still well saved by Peter.

In the 13th minute, James Hope missed a glorious chance for the Knights, heading a cross tamely straight at McCallum from 5 metres.

In the 25th minute, Koroma broke through on the left, but in a one-on-one situation, McCallum blocked the striker’s shot.

Peter pulled off a magnificent reflex save in the 29th minute when he somehow tipped Hindmarsh’s scorching close-range shot over the bar.

In the 31st minute, Josh Fielding’s excellent diagonal ball put Jade Clay away on the right and he cut inside but fired against the near post.

University were unlucky in the 38th minute when Damien Bones miscued a shot, but the ball fell to Bull, whose effort was saved by Peter with his feet.

Five minutes after the resumption, the Knights took the lead.

Corey Smith foraged forward and, after being knocked flat in a scrimmage, rose to his feet, advanced on goal and clipped a great shot in under the bar, despite McCallum getting his hands to the ball.

In the 53rd minute, it was 2-0. Koroma’s fine touch put Will Roberts through on the left and his low cross was turned home by Hope.

Midway through the half, Koroma skipped past a couple of opponents inside the box, but his shot was deflected by John Andrews for a corner.

Substitute Sherman had an effort saved by McCallum in the 76th minute, but six minutes later, he was luckier, heading home Fielding’s cross from the right to make it 3-0.

Two minutes into stoppage time, Peter did well to turn Bull’s free-kick over the bar for a corner, but the Knights were not finished.

In the 94th minute, Fielding fired against a post.

It had taken the Knights a long time to assert their superiority, but they were well worth their win in the end, which took them level on 6 points with league-leaders South Hobart.

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• Glenorchy Knights coach, Eamonn Kelly, said:

“We started off in a blaze of glory for ten or fifteen minutes, but then we just seemed to lose concentration.

“We took them in at half-time and gave them a good talking to. Fishy [Fielding] addressed them, I addressed them, and we came out and we were a different team.

“We played football. We kept the ball on the ground, we knocked it about, we moved it, we supported one another.

“A tribute to James Hope tonight. He had a great game.

“Jade Clay. There’s not many people that I can’t run through that didn’t really play a good game.

“We fall down when we start to play as individuals, trying to do too much, instead of just keeping it simple. When we play simple football, we look good.”

• University coach, Scott Gallacher, said:

“A bit of a disappointing end, I thought.

“Our fitness is a problem, obviously.

“We’re a few weeks behind everybody else. If we can get fit, which I think we will, we’ll get there.

“I thought we outplayed them in the first half. If we’d knocked a couple of goals in then, it might have been a different story.

“We just ran out of puff.

“From being a 60-minute team, we’ve become a 40-minute one.”
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STATISTICS

GLENORCHY KNIGHTS UNIVERSITY
25 Goal Attempts 9
7 Shots on Target 6
5 Corners 2
8 Fouls Committed 10
1 Off-Sides 2
0 Yellow Cards 0
0 Red Cards 0

Glenorchy Knights:

PLAYER GOAL ATTEMPTS SHOTS ON TARGET
Fielding 5 1
Koroma 3 1
Hope 5 2
Dzelalija 1 0
Wiggins 1 0
Clay 5 1
Smith 2 1
Marsh 1 0
Sherman 1 1
Roberts 1 0

University:

PLAYER GOAL ATTEMPTS SHOTS ON TARGET
Bull 4 3
Hindmarsh 3 2
Bones 1 1
Opira 1 0