Launceston City pulled off a major surprise on Saturday when they beat Clarence Zebras 3-2 away at KGV Park in the NPL Summer Cup series.
City had lost 9-0 the previous weekend to Olympia Warriors and, although Clarence Zebras aren’t the best team in town, they were expected to have the measure of the northerners.
It didn’t turn out that way and the warning signs were there for the home side when the visitors from Launceston took the lead in the 4th minute through a penalty. Daniel Smith got into the box and was brought down and Gediminas Krusa slotted home the spot-kick to the right of keeper Joshua Jones.
Riley Dillon showed his talents as a striker when he equalised in the 10th minute. He ran onto a pass down the inside-left channel and beat keeper Lachlan Clark to the ball and prodded it home inside the far right-hand post, despite a desperate attempt by Jacob Horton to keep it out.
Dillon struck again 3 minutes later when he beat Matthew Oh and fired home from the edge of the box to give Clarence Zebras the lead.
City continued to press and Smith shot wide as the half drew to a close.
City equalised in bizarre fashion in the 57th minute when Clarence Zebras goalkeeper Joshua Jones allowed a harmless looking cross-cum-shot from Yasin Mohammadi to slither through his legs and over the line.
City made it 3-2 in the 76th minute when Mohammadi’s free-kick from an acute angle and wide on the right somehow found its way through a crowded penalty area and into the net.
The result was a bitter blow for Clarence Zebras, but it offered a ray of hope for the season for Launceston City.
Clarence Zebras are reported to be awaiting the arrival of a talented midfielder from Sydney.
Glenorchy Knights were untroubled in downing Riverside Olympic 3-1 away at Windsor Park through goals by Alex Walter, Nick Naden and Eli Luttmer. William Humphrey netted Riverside’s consolation goal.
Kingborough Lions United thrashed Olympia Warriors 6-0 at Lightwood Park, but it would be hasty to read too much into this result as the Lions often flatter only to deceive.
In the Southern Championship Summer Cup, New Town White Eagles scraped home 2-1 against a South East United side that did not make the most of their chances.
Patrick Quinlan might have scored for South East United as early as the 10th minute, but he fired across the face of goal when well-positioned on the left.
Five minutes later, skipper Nick Zammit also let Eagles off the hook when did the same as his team-mate, but this time from the right.
Eagles hit the front in the 19th minute when Toby Butler was fouled wide on the left and just outside the corner of the box. Butler took the free-kick and found the net to make it 1-0 for Eagles.
South East United squandered another chance in the 21st minute when Rommy Moynihan skewed his shot wide from the right.
Sam Leszczynski made it 2-0 for Eagles in the 57th minute, while Nicholas Roland’s goal for South East United 20 minutes from the end was too little and too late.
The match ended with South East United having two more good chances, but they unable to beat keeper Mitch Stalker, who produced one excellent save in these closing exchanges.
In other Championship games, University gave Metro a 7-1 hiding away at North Chigwell, South Hobart beat Taroona 1-0, and Olympia Warriors downed Clarence Zebras by the same margin.
In the Women’s Summer Cup, there was another mammoth scored as Clarence Zebras annihilated New Town White Eagles 15-0 at KGV Park. The Eagles girls never stopped trying, but it’s going to a long season for Shane Revell’s side.
Olympia Warriors accounted for Glenorchy Knights 4-0, while Kingborough Lions United beat South Hobart 4-1.
