Saturday, July 4, 2009

Olympic throw title race wide open and move into fourth spot

Hobart Olympic moved up a place to fourth on the Forestry Tasmania Southern Premier League ladder when they beat league-leaders Tilford Zebras 3-2 at KGV Park tonight.

The result throws the title race wide open as second-placed South Hobart, 3 points adrift of Zebras, have two games in hand.

Zebras, who led 2-0 at half-time, squandered several other good scoring chances and this came back to haunt them as Olympic rattled in three goals after the break to win a valuable three points that has distanced them from the relegation dogfight.

Michael Bulis was in fine form for Olympic, scoring twice with devastating half-volleys from right-wing crosses.

Jayden Welch put Zebras in front in the 4th minute with a low shot from the edge of the box that Olympic keeper Dmitri Nester should have saved.

Henry Fagg and Dwayne Walsh then missed good chances for Zebras, who were missing injured striker Ben Crosswell, but Bulis hit the bar from Chris Tsakiris’s cross in the 17th minute as if to warn the visitors of what was in store for them in the second half.

Chris Tsakiris should have scored from Bulis’s pass five minutes before the break, but he shot high and wide, while Adam Hedge forced Zebras keeper Troy Kaden to concede a corner by turning his dangerous shot wide in the 44th minute.

In stoppage time at the end of the first half, Welch rammed home the Zebras’ second goal from Kurt Engels’s cross from the left.

Early in the second half, a misunderstanding at the back by Olympic gifted Walsh an easy chance, but he shot wide.

Hedge pulled a goal back for Olympic in the 61st minute when he took advantage of confusion between Tommy Fotak and Ryan Smith to beat Kaden with a tame shot, the keeper getting to the ball after it had rolled over the line.

Bulis then struck twice to give Olympic victory, his first coming in the 69th minute from Robert Lebski’s cross, and his second in the 88th minute from Lee Mason’s cross.

In the only Division One match, second-placed Taroona dropped a valuable point in a 3-3 draw with third-placed Beachside away at Sandown Park tonight, a result that can only benefit leaders Metro.

Goals by Beachside’s Colin Wain (16th minute) and Colin Shepherd (27th), and Taroona’s Hugo Luttmer (13th) and Jack Elliot (39th), made it 2-2 at the interval.

Luttmer gave Taroona the lead midway through the second half with his second goal of the match, but a header in stoppage time by Bernhard Klasen made it 3-3.

Taroona played the entire second half with 10 men after Darragh Carey was sent off just before half-time for a professional foul on Shepherd.

A win would have lifted Beachside into second spot as they have been awarded the three points for their game last month against Hobart United, which they lost 3-0.

United used an ineligible player in that game and their 3-0 win was cancelled and Beachside were awarded the game by a 3-0 scoreline.

This decision drops Hobart United back to last place on the ladder, a point adrift of second-last Christian United.

4 comments:

soccerwatcher04 said...

who was the ineligible player for united?

Pixel 40 said...

I Think FFT want a three title race, Funny that 3 point take Beach side close to Metro and Taroona. Dodge if i must say. as Hobart United had win the game fare and square, That is FFT for as Player and club

Anonymous said...

I presume Pixel 40 is trying to claim Hobarrt Utd were hard done by or FFT has it in for them or something. If so, I think most people's response would be "if you break the rules & get caught, don't complain. Don't cheat in the 1st place. Show some sportsmanship."

It would be interesting to go through their team sheets in other games as well.

Pixel 40 said...

J you entitled to you own opinion but regardless of what ever you comment mean, Hobart united have nothing to loose. we beat Beach side 3 Nil and that hurt if you are a beach side supporter or player. but now Beach side is in much better position make the Ladder look Good. Don't take things personal and if you do tough and Akuel was was an Honest mistake, FFT is incompetent not much of costumer service there as they told as 4 weeks after. I am shore you have come across that at some stage. Games have official but you welcome to go through the team selections if you thing we do wrong. LOL