Devonport's lead in NPL could increase to 8 points or be cut to 2 points this weekend

Devonport City will be seeking to go 8 points clear at the top of the NPL Tasmania standings this weekend.

Devonport travel to Lightwood Park tomorrow to take on sixth-placed Kingborough Lions United at 2.15pm and must be favoured to come away with the 3 points.

The Lions will be under new coach Jez Kenth for the first time and Devonport coach Rick Coghlan knows that this spells danger for his team.

“There’s a sense of unpredictability whenever a new coach comes in and wants to impress his stamp on a team,” Coghlan said.

“There’s a very effective honeymoon period when a new coach comes in and everyone is out to impress.

“It definitely brings a new element to their game in week one against us.

“It’s going to be huge test for us to make sure that we’ve got ourselves 8 points clear come the end.”

Devonport will train tonight, as they always do before a Saturday game, and leave at about 7.45am tomorrow for the bus trip to Kingston, arriving a couple of hours before kick-off.

New signing from Queensland, Toby Barton, will be included in the Devonport squad after being cup-tied last weekend for the Lakoseljac Cup semi-finals.

Barton came to Tasmania for reasons other than football and signed for Devonport because he was residing in the area.

It will be interesting to see what sort of team Kenth sends out against the league leaders.

Under caretaker coach Cameron Ellis two weeks ago, Kingborough lost 4-2 to South Hobart after a backs-to-the-wall first-half performance and an improved second-half display which saw them score twice.

Kingborough’s new coach, Jez Kenth, said:  “The weather was a factor, unfortunately, but we did manage to complete two good training sessions.

“I’m still getting to know the players.

“A couple of players were away this week and Phil Kantzos is unavailable due to injury.

“The team list is unlikely to change much from last week.

“Generally, the spirit is good among the boys.

“Strikers are the benchmark at the moment and it’s a big challenge, but we have to believe we can get a result.”

 

With second-placed South Hobart having the wretched bye, all attention on Sunday will focus on Warrior Park at 2.30pm when third-ranked Olympia entertain fourth-placed Hobart Zebras.

Olympia will be keen to win as they could possibly move to within 2 points of leaders Devonport if the North-West Coast outfit somehow falters against Kingborough.

Olympia and Zebras drew 2-2 at North Hobart Oval the last time the sides met and this game should be every bit as close.

Olympia will again be without injured defender Jake Vandermey, while centre-forward Jack Ryan is suspended.

Hobart Zebras will be refreshed after a week off.

“Hopefully, the week off will be good for us after a really intensive five weeks,” said Zebras coach, David Smith.

“It has enabled a few boys to have an easy week.

“Last week was light, but this week we had good numbers on all three nights and are really looking forward to playing Olympia on Sunday with a close to full-strength squad.

“Jayden Hey will be missing after his appeaj was dismissed, but Jan Charuza and Henry Fagg will come into the squad, as will a fully-fit Dwayne Walsh.

“In the first game at North Hobart, Olympia were the better team and we were fortunate to claim a draw, so we hope to be much better defensively after giving them both goals last game.

Olympia are a much better team at Warrior Park and Clarkie [coach Rob Clarke] and his team will be intent on bouncing back after two poor results.

“We have struggles at Warrior Park over the last few years, so we need to change that.

“As underdogs, we need to be at the top of our game to get a result to enable us to stay in the Devonport chase.”

Fifth-placed Glenorchy Knights host bottom-side Clarence United at KGV Park at 7.15pm today.

Knights will be without the suspended Mathew Nowicki and Declan Brown.

New signing from South Hobart, Alex Leszczynski, should get a start in place of Nowicki after making his debut as a substitute against Riverside Olympic a few weeks ago.

Dmitri Nester may also return in goal for the Knights.

Clarence will miss defender Odaine Demar.  The Jamaican international has left for Scotland, where he has signed for Gretna FC 2008.

In the remaining game of the round, second-last Riverside Olympia host third-last Launceston City at Windsor Park at 2.30pm tomorrow.

Jasper King comes back into the Riverside squad after injury, but Tom Prince is suspended after being sent off against Glenorchy Knights two weeks ago in the 4-2 defeat.

“Our performances have improved over the past month, and our motivation as a squad continues to grow to turn these performances into wins,” said Riverside coach, Alex Gaetani.

“There seems to be a real growing togetherness as a playing group to show the league what we are capable of and that is pleasing as a coach to see.

“We just need to learn to manage games better, and be more consistent throughout a full 90 minutes, and not just perform well for only a half or 60 minutes.

“The inconsistency throughout games have hurt our ability to get good results.

“Launceston City have improved considerably since last time we played and Lino [coach Lino Sciulli]  has been able to spend more time with his players and that has resulted in some positive results.

“We are wary and know that we have to be 100 per cent at the top of our game to think about beating them

“They are a team with a group of players we respect.”

Launceston City have had some weeks off, which could be a problem.

“We’re a little rusty as we have had so long off,” said Launceston City

 coach, Lino Sciulli.

“Jarrod Linger is away on Australian futsal duties, while skipper 

 Lindsay Millington is starting to recover from injury and will come

 off the bench.”

NPL Tasmania (As at 19 May 2019)

TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Devonport City	11	9	1	1	34	7	28
South Hobart	11	7	2	2	42	15	23
Olympia Warriors	11	7	2	2	33	12	23
Hobart Zebras	11	5	5	1	41	15	20
Glenorchy Knights	10	4	2	4	24	21	14
Kingborough Lions	11	3	1	7	18	28	10
Launceston City	10	2	3	5	19	19	9
Riverside Olympic	10	2	0	8	9	35	6
Clarence United	11	1	0	10	3	71	3