Saturday, February 27, 2010

South Hobart progress to final but Lions have everything to fight for









Photos (Top to Bottom): South Hobart's Kostas Kanakaris takes on Eagles' Michael Anderson while Eagles' Andrew Clark and Ben Whitehall prepare to cover; Eagles coach George Krambousanos looks content with his team's efforts; South Hobart's Kostas Kanakaris gains possession in a dangerous position but he shot into the side-netting; Eagles' Chris Jones was used as a second-half substitute; Clarence's Joseph Stevens does battle with Taroona's Toby Dove while Sam Johnson and Duncan Carey look on; Taroona's Duncan Carey prepared to cross as Clarence's Mattias Toghill arrives on the scene; Clarence's Nathan Rees heads clear; Clarence's Ben Parker under pressure [PlessPix]


South Hobart qualified for the Premier League section Summer Cup final from Group A when they beat New Town Eagles 1-0 at South Hobart today.


Their opponents from Group B will be known on Sunday when Glenorchy Knights take on Kingborough Lions United at 2.30pm at South Hobart.


In today’s Group B match, Clarence United downed Taroona 2-0 to move level on 6 points with Knights, but Clarence have completed their games, whereas Knights have the game against Lions still to play.


Kingborough must beat Knights on Sunday by three clear goals to reach the final.


If they beat Knights 2-0, then Knights, Clarence and Kingborough will be level in every regard - points, goal-difference and goals scored.


If Kingborough win 3-1, then Clarence are out and Kingborough and Knights will be equal in every regard.


A win of 3-0 or better is, therefore, the target for the Lions.


Eagles put up a plucky display against South today and only a last-minute goal by Jonathon Lo settled the issue.


South had nearly all the possession and sprayed passes over every square centimetre of the pitch, but they could not score.


They went close in the 12th minute when a deep cross from Greg Downes was headed against the crossbar by Liam Scott. The ball rebounded to Kostas Kanakaris, who shot into the side-netting.


Most of South’s other shots were straight at goalkeeper Craig Minty, who, nevertheless, had to make one superb save when he turned Scott’s shot over the bar 11 minutes from the end.


Two minutes later, Bart Beecroft lifted a half-volley over the Eagles’ bar as South kept up the pressure without reward.


Adam McKeown worked his socks off for Eagles in a lone role up front. At times he was surrounded by three defenders, but he stuck to the task and was probably Eagles’ best player.


Shane Kent was solid at sweeper, while his fellow defenders fought tenaciously against a team that stretched them this way and that without being able to get in an effective strike at goal.


Steve Louden was ferocious in the tackle and often disrupted South’s attacks before they became too menacing.


Eagles introduced Chris Jones 6 minutes after the interval and it took him only four minutes to get booked.


His impact was mainly physical and he was never able to gain possession and make things happen.


When South brought on Garry Upton, the sparks soon flew between the pair.


Upton stabilised the South Hobart ship, however, and won every aerial duel and actually found team-mates with his passes from midfield.


Too often, before he came on, South’s midfielders squandered possession by playing bad passes.


Eagles, on the other hand, had their backs to the wall and relied on sporadic counter-attacks that usually came to nothing.


They had only one genuine chance, but Michael Anderson was off target.


With seconds remaining and South assured of a place in the final, regardless of the outcome of the penalty shoot-out if the game ended in a draw, Eagles cracked and allowed their opponents to collect all three points.


A long ball forward by Scott was collected by Kanakaris, who played a short pass inside to Lo, who hammered it home from close range.


Clarence were comfortable winners over Taroona, who finished the tournament without scoring a goal and losing all three games.


Clarence wore black armbands in memory of Jack Huigsloot, the grandfather of Luke Huigsloot, who passed away during the week.


Ben Hamlett fired Clarence ahead in the 10th minute with a long-range effort from the right.


Sam McIntyre made it 2-0 seven minutes into the second half when he turned home Alex Nandan’s precise left-wing cross.


Nandan added the third direct from a corner from the right midway through the half.


Taroona had a couple of half-chances before the end but poor finishing yet again cost them dearly.


With seven minutes remaining, for example, Hugo Luttmer put Marc Gates away on the right and when his shot was partially blocked by the Clarence keeper, the ball fell to Garry Hamilton, who miscued in front of an empty net.


South Hobart produced an excellent performance in the Reserves, downing New Town Eagles 8-0.


Andy Brennan, Jo Yeong-Sun and Mizael Linhares Caires all scored braces, while Seth Otte and Will Ross netted a goal apiece.


Caires’s two goals, in particular, were outstanding. His first came from a beautifully flighted chip from the right, while his second came when he broke clear in the inside-right channel and beat the advancing keeper.


A goal by Luke Wilcock gave Clarence a 1-0 win over Taroona.


In Group A in the Division One Summer Cup, Metro beat the Tasmanian Institute of Sport 4-1 through two goals by Jason Dawes and one each by Aaron Marney and Jeremy Morris.


Nelson Eastern Suburbs overcame Huon Valley 7-1, with Tom Gordon netting a hat-trick and Bill Hanley, Adam Mills, Patrick Lenck and Will Stalker grabbing a goal apiece.


Huon Valley replied with a penalty.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't know what Eagles are trying to achieve playing Kent as sweeper and 10 men behind the ball.

Anonymous said...

What happens Walter, if Clarence, Knights, Boro are even on each regard? Certainly not saying it would happen, just curious.

Anonymous said...

anon 12.41am - a 0-0 draw maybe? They nearly did it which would have been a good result. I reckon most clubs would take that against South this year.

Rupert Pupkin said...

I heard if Jackson Marsh can't stop his current form slide he's contemplating retirement, then doing his AFC coaching badge and looking to coach an under 15 girls team.

Anonymous said...

Form slide? He just cant get a came. Hes not playing badly. There is just better players ahead of him

Anonymous said...

olympic beat zebras 2-1 today. both teams look average but there is something going very wrong in the zebras camp. will frediani be the first coaching casualty of the season???

Anonymous said...

congratulations that is one of the more stupid posts

Anonymous said...

Beachside 2-0 Uni, Klasen 2

Anonymous said...

Some horror tackles from uni in that game. They were never in it and were lucky not to have several sent off.

frog said...

those sort of tackles always seem to happen against beachside

Anonymous said...

Yer because Beachside deserve them

Anonymous said...

yep beachside are the most hackers ive played against, totally agree, hack that good player beachside,because you cant handel the skill, hack, hack, hack.

Roy said...

pullen, klasen, robertson, sozynski hackers? you guys really are pathetic lift your game! these hackers might just win div 1 this year! Give these players the respect they deserve!

Anonymous said...

respect for winning div 1? lol look at taroona! frediani comment is stupid also? why would they sack him for losing a game that means nothing? he played adam young and benched the best striker they have in walsh to give some young blood a run? seriously wake up! olympia got lucky!

one touch jones said...

what was jones doing? looked like he had never played before... his only touch was a two metre lob to the other side

roley poley said...

walter was your comment "shane kent was solid at sweeper" a pun? he did look solid, as solid as a barrel

Roy said...

anon 9:53pm im talking bout giving respect to some of the best players to have played in tassie in the last twenty years in pullen, klasen, robertson, sozynski! if you dont know why you should respect these guys then u dont deserve to be commenting on here!

Anonymous said...

Women's Summer Cup Premier League

Taroona 0 Olympic 2

This was a close game between two evenly matched teams.

Taroona did well to stifle Olympic's passing game in midfield. There was considerable off the ball pressure exerted by Taroona. Holly Ayrton lead the Taroona midfield in closing down Olympic's irrepressible, midfield general, Vanessa Johnson. To stifle her, is a key part of winning any game against Olympic.

Ayrton's strengths are to negate opposition midfielders from playing, and, beating players one on one. Her range of passing is not equal to Johnson's and the Olympic player's ability to bring team-mates into the game.

The distance between the lines was pretty tight. Olympic have been used to playing with more time and space in midfield against most teams encountered last season.

Hannah Manuela was very effective at the back for Taroona in repelling Olympic's thrusts and marshalling the rest of the defence. She is finding it easier being screened by a stronger midfield than last year at South Hobart. Manuela is the key figure in a strong defence, whereas Olympic's is more of a collective effort. Taroona kept the usually dynamic Bliss Cantrell, very quiet.

Some of Olympic's regular players have been training spasmodically in preseason and it showed. With the rapidly improving young Clarence side, augmented this season by the capable Dixon sisters, and the strong Taroona side, not to mention other strengthened squads in the Southern Premier League, they will struggle to remain unbeaten this season.


Nevertheless, the Olympic defence, which kept rotating positions, yet keeping its compact shape, of Adele Jarvis, Ellie Longo, Nicole Hale and Natalie Price, were effective in containing Taroona shooting from distance, unless from set pieces. This defence was pretty miserly last year in preventing teams scoring against them. Nothing has changed. The distancing, cohesion and compact nature of the line, not to mention the individuals' positional play, makes this defence very difficult to penetrate. They also play out well from the back. Han Berger would be pleased!

Olympic have also added the impressive Maddie Jonah as a goalkeeper, which has strengthened their defence even more. Taroona, to their credit, put them under more sustained pressure than they were used to.

Taroona's impressive Ashley Tolman went close early in the match from a superb header. But it was the always dangerous Sarah Morris who converted with an accurate shot to beat the Taroona goalkeeper.

A short time later Hannah Manuela cleared off the line to prevent Olympic from scoring again. this involved great anticipation and reading of the game by the Taroona defender.

Half time: Taroona 0 Olympic 1.

In the second half the usually dominant Olympic midfield was probably outplayed, until McNeill was hacked down in the penalty box from a fast break down the left flank. The ref pointed to the spot and Johnson converted a well taken penalty to make Olympic two goals up.

Taroona created a lot of pressure by defending from the front, preventing Olympic from executing their renowned 8-12 pass sequences from one end of the pitch to the other, which demonstrates excellent teamwork to create the effective passing lanes to achieve this end.
Hopefully, Olympic will be able to repeat this pleasing feature of their game from last season in 2010, as it is good to watch. Often Olympic's possession game involves deft and technical, continental one and two pass sequences. This needs to manifest more frequently in Tasmania in the premier leagues of both genders.

Olympic started to control more possession towards the end of the game. They won a hard fought match played in good spirit.

The Women's Premier League is gaining more depth. This augurs well for the future of women's football. The standard should continue to improve as the ambitious challengers try to knock Olympic of its pedestal.

Walters lovechild said...

great to see some womens stuff, also roy if you think klasen or soz are good players or ever have been you have no idea, pullen great of the game and robbo was solid player thats it

Anonymous said...

oh come on, beachside are well know for hacking players, even if they have vets in the side they still do it, and the refs says "play on", maybe thats why the standard of football here is shite, and by the way i do respect the players of beachside, not there intentional fouls.

Roy said...

Soz is shit? are all the players at these clubs shit too?

In Tasmania: Newtown Eagles 1999 and 2008, Taroona 2000, Hobart Olympic 2001, South Hobart 2002, Beachside 2005 and 2007/08.

Interstate: Adelaide Polonia 2006 SA Premier League.

England: Leigh RMI 2004/05, Altrincham FC 2005, Droylsden FC 2005 – All English Conference League. Train-on keeper with Chester City in 2004 (League 2), Bury in 2004/05 (League 2) and Stockport County, 2005 (League 1).

Trialed with Legia Warszawa (2003) and Crakovia (2003) (Polish Ekstraklasa)

Anonymous said...

Roy = Soz?

S - 1 = R

O

Z - 1 = Y

Why don't you just talk yourself up using your real name Michael Soszynski?

You are the best keeper in the state there is no argument!

Anonymous said...

tatters best keeper in the state ay, can play the kid.

Anonymous said...

Liam Donohue is the best keeper in the state

Anonymous said...

Pitchy is the best Keeper I have seen in the state by a long way. Shame he was injured last year but hopefully he will be back soon.

Anonymous said...

hydraulics would be the most ridiculous amateurish unreliable keeper ever

Roy said...

I would of thought you would know i am infact not Soz if you had read any other comments i had made on other posts. Soz is a mate and a good bloke and spends his time working with other young keepers to better the quality and hopes of several young keepers in this state. that its self deserves respect!

Anonymous said...

so roy you are hydraulics boyfriend? at least now we know not to take your posts so seriously anymore?

Roy said...

no not boyfriend... just wish i had his manly chizelled jaw!

Anonymous said...

there are two good keepers in this state, pitchford for eagles, and sam from south. all other keepers in the premier league are shit. wouldnt last a single game on mainland. no heart, no technique, terrible.

Anonymous said...

anon 1:03 - you are a fool. Neither Sam or Nathan have played a game on the mainland, and neither ever will.

only keeper with any promise in this state is tatnell.