Tilford Zebras will welcome back midfielder Paul Cairns and striker Ben Crosswell for Friday night’s showdown with New Town Eagles at KGV Park at 8pm.
Defender Henry Fagg is suspended after accumulating five yellow cards.
Cairns will strengthen an already potent midfield, while Crosswell poses a huge threat to a brittle Eagles defence.
Zebras are top of the Forestry Tasmania Southern Premier League, while Eagles are second last on the ladder and in danger of becoming embroiled in the relegation battle.
Zebras have beaten Eagles 4-2 and drawn with them 3-3 this season, so Eagles must have some chance, but only if their finishing improves.
They have missed goals galore in recent games and this has exasperated coach Georg Krambousanos.
Eagles will be without striker Cormac Collins, who is still injured, which means that Adam McKeown will carry much of the responsibility for scoring.
Defender Mark Page will return to the Eagles line-up.
Eagles also have two or three players who must travel down from Launceston on Friday to play and this will not be the ideal way for them to go into this match.
“This is an important game for both sides, but for different reasons,” said Krambousanos.
“Zebras must win to stay on top, while we must win to stay ahead of bottom-side University.”
Second-placed South Hobart travel to KGV Park on Saturday to take on fourth-placed Hobart Olympic at 6pm and South Hobart must win to stay in touch with leaders Zebras.
Both sides should be at full strength and, with Olympic having taken some big scalps in recent weeks, South cannot afford to be complacent.
Michael Bulis will pose the major threat to South and their defence will have to be alert if he is to be kept scoreless.
South have been having a lot of possession in games, but the goals have not always followed.
If this failing is not rectified, the reigning champions may well come unstuck against an Olympic outfit that has new-found self-belief and is enjoying a high level of morale.
Young defender James Pennicott may be included in South’s starting line-up.
South Hobart have three more tough games coming up - against University, Tilford Zebras and Glenorchy Knights - and they need a good win against Olympic so that they can go into those games full of confidence.
Third-ranked Glenorchy Knights are away to sixth-placed Clarence United on Saturday at 6.30pm and a win is essential if the Knights are to stay in touch with the leading pair.
Clarence have beaten Knights 4-1 this season, while the Knights have beaten Clarence 3-1, so both teams will feel they have a chance.
But, Clarence has struggled in recent weeks and will be hard-pressed to get even a point from this meeting.
Clarence will have Chris Hunt back in their squad, but Andy Barron has not trained because of the ‘flu and may be rested.
Goalkeeper Michael Moschogianis should also be back after missing last week’s game because of a finger injury.
Knights will have Brazilian midfielder Breno Bianchini Joviano Dos Santos back after a few weeks out through injury.
Will Roberts will start in midfield and Mathew Nowicki in attack, but Lindsay Millington will be rested because next weekend’s bye means he will have a couple of weeks more to recover from an injury sustained against Somerset in the Milan Lakoseljec Memorial Trophy quarterfinals last month.
“We will continue our youth policy,” said Knights coach, Eamonn Kelly.
“We had no aspirations to win the Premier League title this year but we did wasn’t to build up a squad of youngsters.
“We are out to win games and not the Premier League title, but if winning games leads to us winning the title, then so be it.
“We need to improve for this game, though, especially the technical side of our game.”
Bottom-side University entertain fifth-ranked Kingborough Lions United at home at Olinda Grove on Saturday at 2.30pm and anything less than a win for the home side will be unacceptable for the Students.
University are 4 points adrift of second-last Eagles and are running out of time to avoid relegation.
Kingborough have slumped in form after a promising start to the season and must improve considerably to win this game and avoid being sucked into the relegation dogfight.
University are only 6 points behind Kingborough and Clarence, and a win will give them great confidence in the remaining games of the season.
Kingborough’s chances would be improved somewhat if striker Greg Freeman is fit to start.
Michael Palmer and Brett Andrews are unavailable due to interstate travel, while Ross Hinkley will be limited to bench duties due to a torn cartilage in his knee.
Ryan Bevan and Andrew Kerr will be the replacements for Andrews and Palmer.
9 comments:
Knights / Clarence game off, How soft are the council closing the ground again!!!! i think i'll play AFL next year just to get some mud on me
It's now a Knights home game :-( At least we get to play.....
do you know something the rest of us dont Norge ?
have just found out FFT have moved the u/19's res and seniors to Prince of Wales Bay
Councils r so soft , the ground shave plenty of time to repair over the summer
i belive Norge that it is not official at this point and is dependant on a ground inspection
Well all this bad weather, games being relocated ( at least someone with half a brain has been able to do this). I think all clubs need to fund a roof over all their grounds. Council's getting softer than a soggy marshmellow. Wonder how many Aussie rules games will be called off this weekend, hmmmm, NONE.
Clarence Council seem to be the worst. WWP is fast becoming a joke and a liability to Clarence. Can't train, can't play.
The rain and resultant effect on the ground availability has stuffed Clarence's season.
I see people training/playing on Queens walk every day of the week!!
Kingborough council aren't far behind. Kingborough vs huon valley div 2 game on at the showgrounds this morning. At least they're going ahead I guess.
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