Knights down TIS in mid-week game

Photos (Top to Bottom): The TIS celebrate their third goal; TIS's Sam Hamilton takes on the Knights' Robbie Bolonja; The Knights' Callen Griffin gets in a tackle; The Knights' Callen Griffin in possession as team-mate Robbie Bolonja (No. 10) looks on and the TIS's Hugh Foley and Sam Hamilton move in; The TIS's Will Abbott clears ahead of the Knights' Will Roberts; Knights defend a TIS corner; Knights official Ray Green ushers on substitute Will Roberts as assistant referee Stratos Plomaritis signals for the attention of referee Michael Thain; Match officials (L-R) Stratos Plomaritis, Michael Thain and Greg Balmer [PlessPix]

[KGV Park Wednesday, 4 August 2010]

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Tasmanian Institute of Sport 3 (R Bolonja 22 og; D Foley 43, H Foley 52)

Glenorchy Knights Reserves 4 (J Hope 18, M Nowicki 39, R Bolonja 83 pen, J Harrison 87)

HT: 22 Att: 30 Ref: M Thain

Tasmanian Institute of Sport: Prendergast - McClung, Hill, Abbott, Luttmer - Ince, D Foley, De Smit (Curran 69) - Walker, H Foley, Hamilton [Substitutes not used: Devine, Green, Mearns]

Glenorchy Knights Reserves: Grainger - Bolonja, Mrzyk, Vavoulas, Griffin - Paite (Sherman 67), Russell, Minucci, Robb (Roberts 55) - Nowicki, Hope (Harrison 78)

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Glenorchy Knights twice led the Tasmanian Institute of Sport in this match, but twice they were pegged back.

When the TIS finally took the lead early in the second half, the Knights seemed in trouble. But, a penalty 7 minutes from the end drew them level and a clever goal three minutes from time gave them victory.

Scott Gallacher was in charge of the TIS in the absence of Dean May, but the team started the game in characteristic efficient style and almost hit the front after just 7 minutes when Jeremy Walker made a fine run down the right and picked out Hugh Foley with his cross. Foley’s shot appeared scuffed, however, and the ball came back off the left-hand post. It was not cleared and the Knights were lucky when a defender deflected Sam Hamilton’s shot from the left over the bar.

The Knights took a shock lead in the 18th minute through James Hope, whose shot from 25 metres caught keeper Tristan Prendergast by surprise.

The TIS were level in the 22nd minute when Hugh Foley’s right-wing cross looped over keeper Brad Grainger and was turned into his own net by Robbie Bolonja.

Mathew Nowicki restored the Knights’ lead from close range 6 minutes before the interval when the TIS defence seemed to dither and failed to clear the ball.

Declan Foley then fired home from the edge of the box in the 43rd minute to make it 2-2 at the break.

Hamilton might have sent the TIS into the break with the lead, but his shot from the left in stoppage time flashed across the face of goal and flew past the far post.

Seven minutes after the resumption, Hugh Foley pounced on Jamie De Smit’s square ball inside the box and beat Grainer to make it 3-2 for the TIS.

Knights coach Zac Baltic then made three changes in the space of 23 minutes and his side clawed their way back into the game, inspired on the field by Matt Russell, who made his debut for the seniors last weekend.

In the 83rd minute, a long throw-in from the right by Russell was handled by Lucas Hill and Mr Thain awarded Knights a penalty, which was converted n flamboyant fashion by Bolonja, who thereby atoned for his first-half own-goal.

With 3 minutes remaining, Russell slipped the ball through the middle for substitute Jack Harrison to turn in for the winner.

TIS were unlucky not to snatch an equaliser when Eli Luttmer's downward header from a corner scraped the top of the crossbar and went out for a goal-kick.

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· Glenorchy Knights coach, Zac Baltic, said:

“It’s a great result for the lads.

“The boys finally played the way I’ve been asking them to play for the last seven or eight weeks.

“It’s difficult at training when you don’t have every player there, but we’ve been trying to play the way the TIS play and I’m happy to say we beat them at their own game.

“We kept possession pretty well and played wide balls and through balls, so I was quite happy and positive. In fact, I predicted before the game that we’d win.

“If the boys continue like this, playing the way they played, and keeping their shape and structure, I think in the next two or three games we’ve got left, they should be winnable as well.”