Zebras move into second place after win over Clarence

Photos (Top to Bottom): Zebras on the attack on a misty and damp night at Wentworth Park; Zebras' Ben Crosswell gains ground down the left; Clarence defend a corner; Action near the coaches' boxes; Clarence's Cameron Sweeney cuts a lonely figure in the eerie light; Clarence keeper Cameron Sweeney watches the action upfield; Spectators watch from the shelter of the canteen building; New Town Eagles coach George Krambousanos in deep conversation with Glenorchy Knights coach Nick Harrison; Zebras' Frank Perri in discussions with referee Kim Barker after Perri had initiated repairs to the goal net in the background after half-time; The Zebras committee was out in force, including Ron De Felice, Rocky Schiro, Bruce Pears and Robert Corradetti; Zebras goalkeeper Jason Voss had a busy second half [PlessPix]

Forestry Tasmania Southern Premier League (Wentworth Park, Saturday, 29 May 2010)

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Clarence United 3 (L Cripps 71, 91, J Stevens 85)

Tilford Zebras 5 (B Crosswell 11, D Walsh 30, 34, J Welch 56, J Ladic 87)

HT: 0-3 Att: 70 Ref: K Barker

Clarence United: Sweeney - Lush, Parker, Cannamela, McMahon (Rees 63) - S McIntyre, Stevens, Malcolm, Hunt - Cripps, Hamlett (Kunwar 75) [Substitutes not used: Ling, Sweetten] [Coach: Andrew Brown]

Tilford Zebras: Voss - Fagg, Telega, Muller, K Engels - Self, Cairns, Ladic, Welch (Hall 75) - Crosswell, Walsh [Substitutes not used: Cox, D Lapolla, Kaden] [Coach: Romeo Frediani]

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Tilford Zebras gave an indication of what was in store for the home side as early as the 3rd minute when Ben Crosswell powered a header from Dwayne Walsh’s right-wing cross against the Clarence United crossbar. The ball rebounded to Jayden Welch, who headed over when he should really have scored.

Zebras hit the front in the 11th minute when a marvellous pass from Jonathon Ladic, who had an excellent match, released Crosswell down the inside-left channel and he slotted home past the Clarence keeper, Cameron Sweeney.

Luke Cripps then squandered three chances as the home side rallied, although Zebras keeper Jason Voss was lucky to catch the ball at the second attempt on one of these occasions.

Crosswell almost caught Sweeney out in the 19th minute with a shot that dipped at the last second, but the young keeper managed to beat it out.

It was 2-0 on the half-hour when Sweeney was slow in coming out to Ricky Self’s cross, which was delivered perfectly into that No Man’s Land area of the box between the penalty spot and the D that every keeper dreads, and Walsh nipped in to score.

The Zebras’ third goal came in the 34th minute and was beautifully fashioned and executed. Ladic’s pin-point pass split the Clarence defence and allowed Welch in on the left of the box. He cut the ball inside to Walsh, who controlled, turned and fired beyond Sweeney and into the far corner of the net.

Two minutes into the second period, Voss did well to deny Cripps, while in the 53rd minute, Voss again saved from the Clarence striker and conceded a corner.

But, it was the Zebras who extended their lead in the 56th minute when Ladic’s free-kick was slammed home by Welch.

Grant Malcolm wasted a great chance for Clarence on the hour when he shot over the bar from a good position inside the penalty area.

The home side was finally rewarded for its efforts in the 71st minute when Cripps’s crisp shot took a slight deflection and flew in off the underside of the bar.

Five minutes from the end, Joseph Stevens added Clarence’s second when he beat Voss with a chip from the right, the ball sailing over the keeper and dropping under the bar and into the far corner of the net.

This certainly put Clarence back into contention, but time was against them. Ladic’s superb strike from 20m metres in the 87th minute made it 5-2 for the visitors and Cripps’s neat finish from the left of the box in the first minute of stoppage time was a mere consolation goal.

Clarence were determined to fight until the end, however, and Voss had to produce an outstanding save from Sam McIntyre in the closing seconds.

The win put Zebras into second spot and dumped Glenorchy Knights into third, but they are 11 points adrift of leaders South Hobart, who beat Olympia Warriors 3-1 earlier in the day.

South gave a debut as a substitute to their new Korean centre-back, who travels to Queensland with coach Ken Morton today for a trial with A-League side Gold Coast United.

Clarence dropped a place to sixth as a result of their loss and Kingborough Lions United’s win over Glenorchy Knights on Friday.

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· Tilford Zebras coach, Romeo Frediani, said:

“The first half, I think, was brilliant the way we, you know, went from one side to the other and got balls across from wide positions and finished them off nicely, which was a joy to watch, really.

“The second half, yeah. I think we played well all game. There were a couple of deflections there that went in, one of theirs from the right, but all in all, I was happy with that.”