Metro's nerves jangling

If Metro have lost their nerve, they may well throw away the Division One title on Saturday when they travel to Pontville to take on fifth-placed Hobart United at 6.30pm.

The situation at the top is finely balanced, with Taroona leading with 42 points and with one game remaining - against Hobart United.

Metro are second, two points adrift of Taroona, but with two games remaining - both against Hobart United.

A defeat for Metro today could cost them the title.

Cracks have started to appear in the Metro fabric and they only drew 2-2 with fourth-placed Nelson Eastern Suburbs last time out.

Hobart United, on the other hand, are bursting with confidence after winning several matches and moving off the foot of the ladder and up two places to fifth.

“I think the boys have finally found the motivation to play good football after a convincing win against Nelson,” said Hobart United’s Pedro Ramirez.

“The discipline in the team structure has been very good in the last two games.

“This week we need to play a smarter game as Metro have experienced players who will make our team pay for the slightest mistakes.

“But, I think we can and will upset Metro if we play our new type of game.

“We are going into the game aware of what is at stake and we will play defensive football and try and keep possession and our shape.”

The Metro camp has been silent, with no news at all, and this indicates they are a very worried group as a loss on Saturday may well scupper their title hopes, which had looked so promising earlier in the season.

The only other Division One game is at the Showground on Sunday at 2.30pm, when bottom-side Christian United and second-last Northern Suburbs DOSA clash.

DOSA will have midfielder and captain Mark Wakefield back, as well as defender Richard Korn and striker Stephen Swift.

Christian appear to have given up the ghost and will have to be at their best to get even a point from this showdown.