Photo: Zebras' Kurt Engels tries to lift the ball over University's Nigel Blundell
University 1-3 Tilford Zebras
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University ended two decades of life in the top flight when they were beaten 3-1 at home by second-placed Tilford Zebras.
Next season, they will play in Division One and who knows when they will return.
Zebras were determined to win in case South Hobart lost to New Town Eagles, which would have kept the title race open.
They hit the front in just the third minute when Jayden Welch scored with a low drive from the left.
University were far from overwhelmed, however, and Andrew King had a shot blocked by Troy Kaden, while Matthew Besley also went close.
Josh Thorpe hit back for the visitors in the 17th minute, his shot going just wide.
Dwayne Walsh fired over the bar for the Zebras in the 20th minute as they sought to kill off a University revival.
In the 27th minute, a great run down the left by Richard Delara resulted in the equaliser.
Delara skipped over one tackle on the left of the box which would have been a penalty if he had gone down and his low cross across the face of goal was hammered home by Rory McCallum.
Ricky Self had a header blocked at the far post following a corner in the 33rd minute, but the Zebras’ pressure paid off five minutes before the break.
Kurt Engels cut inside from the right and fired against the bar, the ball dropping inside the six-yard box where Walsh forced it home to give Zebras a 2-1 lead at the interval.
Engels made it 3-1 ten minutes into the second half with a fine finish.
University then created several excellent chances but poor finishing cost them the chance of earning at least a point.
The heavy conditions in the goalmouth the Students were attacking certainly did not help.
In the 68th minute, Andrew King squared the ball across the goalmouth from the right and into the path of Besley, but he appeared to over-run the ball and failed to get in a shot and the chance went begging.
In the 77th minute, only a timely intervention by substitute Matthew Hall saved Zebras, his tackle preventing McCallum from getting in a shot.
Zebras hit the post through Hall in the 80th minute, but three minutes from the end, an excellent shot by Alexis Bull was parried by Kaden, but Brayden Pace cleared before King and McCallum could pounce.
It was a solid performance by University and one which will rarely be bettered by their opponents in Division One next season.
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· University coach, Scott Gallacher, said:
“I thought it was probably the best overall performance we’ve put in all year.
“We worked the whole game.
“The difference between them and us today was that we had more chances but they finished better than us.
“I thought the boys really stood up, but unfortunately we’re down.”
· Tilford Zebras coach, Nick Lapolla, said:
“I thought the first half was a bit scrappy in the conditions.
“But, in the second half we started to play the ball around a bit more and started to get a bit more possession.
“We opened them up a bit and finished up with two more goals.”
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University: Peacock - Andrews (Hewson 78), Bones, Merry, Blundell - Hindmarsh, Bull, Delara (Griffiths 59), Besley - McCallum, King (Substitutes not used: Burgess, Gooch)
Booked: Hewson 63
Goals: McCallum 27
Tilford Zebras: Kaden - Fagg, Telega, Smith, Pace - K Engels, Thorpe, Self, Welch (F Lapolla 81) - Walsh (Hall 74), Crosswell (Substitutes not used: Pennicott, Mainella)
Goals: Welch 3, Walsh 40, Engels 55
Att: 60 (Olinda Grove)
Ref: S Natoli
23 comments:
Ho Hum, no comment on the relegation certainty so thought I’d put in 2 bobs worth.
There was no FFT present or media coverage for a match that was likely to decide the Premier League title for up and down season 2009. Appalling publicity for the game!
Despite being 3rd on the ladder and 8 points off the pace mid season, the mighty South pulled one out of the hat to earn a point and the title on Saturday.
The first half was ordinary after a Ross/Hickey goal in the first minutes. But whatever was said in the Eagles rooms had them come out, take it to South and make them pay for poor (or no) finishing with 2 excellent goals and a lead going into the final minutes.
Bart will not knock in many more important goals than the one that got this draw.
After the season “Low Point at Lightwood” and plenty of stick from the peanut gallery, South have taken the title for the second year in a row, with a game to spare.
Not sure what all the white marshmallows were in the stand & at the clubrooms afterwards but a few people may be plucking them out of their ears.
So – CU at Wentworth this week (if it’s played given the forecast?). SH with a lot to prove in the reserves plus several players with injuries, work & travel commitments could make for an interesting game. South did not want to be looking for a point at Wentworth at the best of times.
South appreciate the Eagles game on Saturday and the players and officials returning to the clubrooms before heading to their own function – they could easily have taken the points with them.
Whether it was the Boys relaxing coming off the Zebras/Knights games or the pitch conditions on the day, SH will need to regroup to contest the N-S series.
But what a year !!!!
amazing how you can make a post about university playing zebras into a story about south hobart's endless qualities
Greg
Why dont you ask Mr Morton why no media at your game!!
congratulations to south.no doubt the poaching allegations will be used again to make the sour grapes taste better.as for me i hope eagles get up next year,it was a great even competition this year and every team can hold their head up high..
i almost forgot.ken morton,congratulations on a job well done.
SJ, South won the league so I imagine that gives them bragging rights on the blog!
They basically have the last laugh as does any side that wins the league!
They have copped a lot and all credit to them as they are deserving winners and definitely the best squad in the league over the past 2 possibly 3 years.
More sides should look at the style of play they try and produce and the fact they try and play attractive football in a league where many teams play for results only with all men behind the ball and long balls to the strikers.
new futsal tasmania website now launched.
www.tasfutsal.com
credit where credit due guys.. south hobart are by far the best squad this year
what seperates them form the rest is they can defend
the winners in england, spain and italy were the teams with the best defences
well done to them
yep agree with 'amazed' walter was there for the start of the eagles v south game.. mr morton should be able to tell you why he (walter) left and went to the zebras v uni game instead.
Cheers Amazed, have heard.
Apparently if you offend the Pen you bear the consequences!!
Greg
just confirms that leopards never change their spots!
would be interesting to see how he would go with dosa , for example, without changing the squad!
Hi Greg
"The Keyboard", please, and not "The Pen".
I wasn't offended at all. If the club doesn't want publicity, that's perfectly fine by me. It's the club's choice.
I'll go to cover clubs that do want publicity and offer no impediments to one's normal course of work.
The Mercury failed to send a photographer to the game on Saturday so I was hoping to use some of my pics.
Amazed, Morton knows his stuff. He would improve any team. He is a master at analysing the individual. He will then find the right spot for that individual and make a team as strong as possible There aren't many coaches around that possess the qualities he has. Congratulations to South Hobart
madmcglone , I agree that Ken is a good coach and possibly the most organised,committed and dedicated.As he should be if coaching is his living.I would suggest that most of us who earn a living doing other types of work ,must be just as committed to our jobs , if we are to survive.I do agree with Amazed to a certain extent regarding Ken Coacjing DOSA.Suggesting DOSA is stretching it a bit maybe, but I agree with what he is suggesting.Ken Morton has never gone to a club that is struggling ,player wise.He will always join a club that has players that are decent players already , will pick up another few , and then moulds them into a squad to play the way he likes.Nothing wrong with that.You still need to be a good coach to be able to do that however .Look at the clubs he has been at since coming to Tasmania ....Rapid ,Calies ( I think ?)Juventus ,Olympia,Devonport ,Croatia ,South Hobart.
I dont see a Metro ,University ,Eagles or Taroona for example. Just one more comment regarding the premiership this year ...Zebras threw it away again.They lost it ,South just happened to be second at the the time.
Observer,
I'm pretty sure Ken also coached Taroona.
capello wouldn't coach dosa to a title.
so morton get's what he wants from the game ...
this year he has given youth a go, maintained a good defensive outfit and got the results.
Rich saying that South Hobart have fallen into top spot. South have won twice now and against the odds. Mid year the team changed dramatically through injury and player departure. Credit to Ken Morton who has raised younger players and worked to the teams strengths. In regards to the comment of strong defence left and right back are 17 and 15 year olds respectively comnbined with great experience and talent.
Congratulations to team and Coach fantastic effort once again.
Outsideview ,you must agree that Zebras threw away the title.South a good squad that maintained pressure though.If you look at the results between the two teams over last 2 years ,I think South only won 2 games in all competitions.
Also regarding your comments on the full backs ,Liam Scott was already a good player before going to South.He would have been a good player in any team he played for.I rest my case re Morton enticing already established players (regardless of age)Morton did not develop Liam from a junior to his current status.
observer,players who are happy where they are cannot be enticed away
Jerry ,I agree with your comment.
However by virtue of your comment you are actually confirming what I originally suggested , and that was that Ken is good at enticing good players .He then works and moulds them into a good team. He doesnt take an ordinary team ,or a young team and develops them. That will take far too much work and far too long before any accolades or success is obtained.
So what if Morton gets hold of players from other clubs, its a competitive game and each club needs improving in certain areas.
There are players who came from other teams for whatever reason in every squad.
South are clearly the fittest and most organised side and that is down to Morton.
The signing of striker Kanakaris made a huge difference to them, he scored crucial goals towards the end. Zebras will be disappointed to some extent, although they lost key players just like South from last year. Croswell was injured for a while but he barely got on the scoresheet in the last 7 or 8 games and this id say cost them the title after holding a good lead.
Does anyone think there will be much interest in the finals series?
observer,i could ask you to come and play for me at george town.it would still be your decision to accept.sir mix a lot yes simply because it is the nearest thing we can get as far as a statewide competition.
I find the endless debate abouth K M's ability tedious . Why beacause it is never ending and repetitive . The simple fact that weheter or not he is full time or otherwise he is good at his job.
When I coached in Divs 3 and 4, far beyond the pale , I endeavoured to recruit if I saw a shortcoming in the squad .
However as my recruits came from the lower echelon albeit higher grades than mine no one noticed .
All Coaches seek to bolster their squads . It is what you can offer that counts .
I didn't offer a great deal.
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