Hobart United through to first-round proper of Lakoseljac Cup

Photo:  Action from the game at Pembroke Park [PlessPix]

(Lakoseljac Cup, Preliminary Round, Pembroke Park, Saturday, 29 February 2020)

South East United 0

Hobart United 8 (Zhor Ngor-Apuol 2, John Buga 2, Solomon Lagu, Abel Berhane, Salah Mohamad, John Wani)

HT:  0-3   Ref:  S Plomaritis

South East United:  Grandin;  Bailey, Calvert, Charlton-Fitzgerald, Lodu, Mason, Mayo, Pender, Semelbauer, Singh, Taban  (Subs:  Govinden, G Roland, Smith)

Hobart United:  Cooper-Bagu;  Berhane, Buga, David, Kamba, Kangogo, Kon, Lagu, Letiko, Ngor-Apuol, Wani  (Subs:  Eldayar, Gebreselassie, Mohamad, Seven)

Photo:  Referee Stratos Plomaritis asks for the player to be moved from the pitch [PlessPix]

Photo:  Mynonge Kamba and Harkirat Singh battle for possession as the unfortunate Michael Charlton-Fitzgerald receives treatment behind the goal [PlessPix]

Hobart United, 2019 champions of the Southern Championship league, were comfortable winners over South East United in hot and oppressive conditions at Pembroke Park in Sorell.

The visitors’ prize was a place in the Round-of-16 of the State-wide Lakoseljac Cup competition.

Photo:  Hobart United's Zhor Ngor-Apuol celebrates his goal [PlessPix]

Abel Berhane gave Hobart United the lead after only 4 minutes, while a 9^th-minute header by Zhor Ngor-Apuol after a corner from the right made it 2-0.

Excellent goalkeeping by Nathan Grandin denied Hobart United repeatedly until the 37^th minute, when Solomon Lagu scored a brilliant goal, flicking the ball over an opponent and picking it up again as it fell and then netting to make it 3-0.

South East United lost defender Michael Charlton-Fitzgerald late in the half.  The game was delayed for almost 5 minutes as he was treated for breathing problems and then helped off the pitch to await the arrival of an ambulance.

Photo:  Zhor Ngor-Apuol (right) wins the ball [PlessPix]

Hobart United increased the tempo in the second half and scored five more goals to run out easy winners.

“We had a slow start but were much better in the second half,” said Hobart United coach, Joe Stevens.

“We’re still not where we’d like to be in terms of fitness and how we like to play.

“We’ll get better as the season progresses and we play more games.”

Photo:  Hobart United coach Joe Stevens (left) in his technical area [PlessPix]

Photo:  Jal David in possession for Hobart United.  Stefano Lufi can be seen in the background filming the match for Football Tasmania. [PlessPix]

Photo:  Hobart United's Nyang Kon (No.2) tackles a South East United opponent [PlessPix]

Photo:  As the game goes on, a LAN Chile Boeing 787 Dreamliner passes overhead at 28,000 feet en route from Melbourne to Santiago, Chile, in South America [PlessPix]