Taroona to fight tooth and nail against league champions as relegation looms

Bottom-side Taroona and second-last Olympia Warriors continue their battle against relegation this weekend and both sides face tough encounters in the Forestry Tasmania Southern Premier League competition.

Taroona face the daunting task of meeting league champions South Hobart away at South Hobart on Sunday, while Olympia may have a slightly easier task away against third-last Kingborough Lions United at Lightwood Park on Saturday.

If Olympia win or draw, that will place added pressure on Taroona to perform on Sunday. And, Olympia have a significantly better goal-difference than Taroona, which is one more cross for Taroona to bear as the league season winds to a close.

South Hobart will be without State representative, Daniel Brown, who is carrying an injury after Tuesday’s game against the Central Coast Mariners.

Coach Ken Morton will introduce some youngsters on the bench, but his starting eleven will be close to the strongest side South have.

With seven South Hobart players having represented the State against the Mariners, they will be the better for the experience and Taroona could be in for a hiding.

They will not surrender meekly, however, and will fight tooth and nail to maintain their Premier League status, but it is doubtful that they can earn even a point against South Hobart.

Marc Iseli and Marcello Marchioli will also have benefited from representing the State on Tuesday and they will be key players for the Lions against Olympia.

Olympia have the ability to get three points from this encounter, as long as they are not complacent and content to rest on their recent laurels.

The battle for second place also continues this weekend, with second-placed Tilford Zebras meeting third-ranked Glenorchy Knights at KGV Park on Saturday at 6.30pm.

The teams are level on 31 points, but Zebras have a five-goal advantage in goal-difference over their rivals.

Matches between these sides are always fiercely contested and this one will be no different.

The remaining match of the round is at Clare Street on Saturday, where home-side New Town Eagles entertain fourth-ranked Clarence United.

Eagles are fifth and 6 points adrift of Clarence, but a win would keep them in contention for a top-four finish.

Clarence will miss striker Ben Hamlett, who is in the United States on a sports scholarship, while Andy Barron is likely to be absent after suffering facial injuries last weekend against Burnie United in the semi-final of the Milan Lakoseljac Memorial Trophy competition.

Eagles will be without midfielder Simon Strang, but Blayne Hudson has resolved his differences with coach George Krambousanos and will play.

Krambousanos knows his side has a tough schedule remaining, but a win against Clarence will put his team in the right frame of mind for the more difficult encounters to come.