Saturday, September 7, 2019

Golden Boot Award an item of interest in final NPL Tasmania round of the season


Photo:  Mathew Sanders can win the Golden Boot Award in what could be his final season with Zebras in Tasmania [PlessPix]

The 2019 NPL Tasmania season ends on Saturday with four games in the south of the State.

Champions Devonport City visit South Hobart Oval for a 2pm kick-off against third-placed South Hobart.

If Devonport are in the mood, they should win against a South Hobart side that has been hit by injury.

Photo:  Devonport's Miles Barnard in his University days [PlessPix]

Miles Barnard is in the running for the Golden Boot Award as the league’s leading marksman and he will be keen to get amongst the goals.

His tally stands at 28, one less than Hobart Zebras’ Mathew Sanders.

Sanders will be in action for the Zebras at KGV Park at 2.15pm against Riverside Olympic.

It is reported to be Sanders’s final game for Zebras.  He has flown in from Melbourne each weekend, but is unlikely to do that next season as Zebras rebuild and promote youngsters.

Second-placed Olympia Warriors host Launceston City at Warrior Park at 2.15pm and this is City’s last chance to climb one place on the standings and finish sixth.

If they beat the Warriors and if Kingborough Lions United go down at home at Lightwood Park to the visiting Glenorchy Knights, City will leapfrog the Lions into sixth spot.

Olympia have had a good week.  They will be cock-a-hoop after winning their appeal against the deduction of 3 points for the win over South Hobart for supposedly playing an ineligible player and so will go into this game with renewed energy and enthusiasm.

The Knights and Lions should produce an exciting contest at Lightwood Park with a draw a distinct possibility.

Football Tasmania’s award presentation dinner is on Saturday night at Wrest Point Hotel Casino and there could be some tired players at the event given the heavy conditions expected at most grounds on Saturday.

Twenty-two of the players will need to be disciplined at the award presentations because they’ll be in action on Sunday when a Tasmanian select squad takes on A-League outfit Central Coast Mariners at South Hobart Oval at 2.30pm.

NPL Tasmania (As at 6 September 2019)

TEAM
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
Devonport City
23
20
2
1
91
21
62
Olympia Warriors
23
17
2
4
75
29
53
South Hobart
23
13
5
5
78
30
44
Hobart Zebras
23
11
6
6
67
43
39
Glenorchy Knights
23
10
2
11
56
42
32
Kingborough Lions
23
8
3
12
40
48
27
Launceston City
23
7
4
12
35
45
25
Riverside Olympic
23
4
2
17
24
66
14
Clarence United
24
1
0
23
8
160
3

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