Southern Youth hit Northern Youth for six

Photos (Top to Bottom): Northern Tasmania Under-20s starting line-up; Southern Tasmania Under-20s starting line-up; The Southerners warm up on a fog-enshrouded pitch; A fight for possession in midfield; The Southerners in attack [PlessPix]

Intrastate Youth Match (Aurora Stadium, Launceston, Sunday, 25 July 2010)

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Northern Tasmania Under-20s 1 (Hughes 67)

Southern Tasmania Under-20s 6 (Holmes 4, Brennan 32, 65, 68, K Engels 51, Hill 70 og)

HT: 0-2 Att: 200 Ref: P Galloway

Northern Tasmania Under-20s: Smith - Chilcott, Kolodjashnij, Cuschieri, Bart - Denehey, Hughes, Beard, Johnson - Mann, Sessay [Substitutes: Rigby, Douce, Moores, Lanau-Atkinson, Hill] [Coach: Mitchell Billing]

Southern Tasmania Under-20s: Sweeney - Scott, Holmes, J Huigsloot, K Engels - Bevan, Atkinson, S McIntyre, Abbott - Bremner, Brennan [Substitutes: Cronk, Leszczynski, Marshall, Nandan, Voss] [Coach: Nick Lapolla]

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The Southerners took an early lead and might easily have have been more than 2-0 up at the interval.

Although they got a goal back in the second half, the Northerners were never in the hunt and conceded four more goals in the second half, including an own-goal. Their thinking at the back often seemed as foggy and groggy as the conditions at Aurora Stadium.

The Northerners’ defence looked shaky and the goalkeeper lacked confidence and was erratic, which paved the way for some of the visitors’ goals.

Both teams had limited preparation for this match and a return game would be a useful exercise.

Matthew Sessay presented the greatest danger to the South, while Brayden Mann and Adam Beard were also prominent when the home side did attack.

Andy Brennan, who had played the previous day for South Hobart in the 2-1 win over New Town Eagles, netted a hat-trick for the Southerners but should have had more goals.

His finishing was a little erratic, exemplified by his third goal. Facing an open goal, he somehow contrived to hit the crossbar. Fortunately for him, the ball rebounded to his feet and he stroked it home.

But, Brennan is still young and has much to learn. There is no question, however, that he has had an impact at senior level this season and possesses the talent to develop into a fine player.

David Abbott provided a threat down the left flank for the Southerners and his crosses were always dangerous after he had beaten his man down the line.

Alex Holmes was reliable at the back, while Liam Scott and Kurt Engels repeatedly attacked down the flanks and put enormous pressure on the opposing midfield and defence.

It was Holmes who put the South ahead after just four minutes, with heavy fog still enveloping the ground and making the view from the stands less than satisfactory.

In the 6th minute, Abbott cracked a great shot against the crossbar as the Northerners fought to contain their opponents.

In the 21st minute, a Marcus Atkinson foul on Sam Hughes resulted in a free-kick and a ‘goal’ to the North, but the effort was disallowed through off-side.

Sessay should have scored in the 25th minute when Brayden Mann attacked down the right and his low cross was fumbled by Cameron Sweeney. But, the North striker mis-kicked and the chance evaporated before his eyes, just as the fog was doing at long last.

Two minutes later, the Southerners went close as Jacob Huigsloot headed Scott’s corner over the bar.

The Southerners increased their lead in the 32nd minute with a fine counter-attack. Huigsloot released Abbott down the flank and he left his marker sprawled on the ground and crossed low for Brennan to score a simple goal and make it 2-0.

Brennan almost had another in the 35th minute after the Northerners’ keeper failed to deal with Engels’s left-wing cross, but the youngster fired over the bar.

In the 39th minute, Engels played a fine ball to Brennan, but his first touch let him down. He pushed the ball a little too far ahead of him and the goalkeeper managed to reach it. But, he made a complete hash of it and gifted the ball back to Brennan, whose follow-up shot was turned wide for a corner by the keeper, who had redeemed himself with that save.

But, the keeper again did poorly in going for the corner and it was only a timely save on the line by Luke Kolodjashnij which prevented the Southerners from scoring.

Engels made it 3-0 six minutes after the break when he beat the keeper from just inside the box with a firm strike.

Brennan added the fourth before Hughes pulled a goal back for the home side midway through the second half.

Brennan made hard work of his third and the Southerners’ fifth shortly after, while the rout was completed in the 70th minute when Brennan’s shot was turned into his own net by the unfortunate substitute Chris Hill.

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· Northern Tasmania coach, Mitchell Billing, said:

“I thought the standard of the game from both teams was really good.

“Both had a great desire to get the ball forward and they retained possession well and then moved forward.

“It came down to the second half when we made individual mistakes which cost us the goals, which was the disappointing thing.”

· Southern Tasmania coach, Nick Lapolla, said:

“I think, given that we only had one training session, I was very happy with the way we played.

“The passing was crisp and we got around the back of them and our possession was very good.

“It’s good to see a bunch of promising youth players that are the future of Tasmania. They played well.”