Knights cannot afford to spurn this chance to close in on Strikers

Photo:  Riley Dillon has scored 9 goals for Clarence Zebras this season and much will be expected of him against Riverside Olympic tomorrow. [PlessPix] 

Second-placed Glenorchy Knights can put the pressure of NPL leaders Devonport Strikers by winning away at Valley Road tomorrow.

A Knights win would put them only a point behind the strikers and really open the race for the title.

Devonport could be vulnerable as they just squeezed home 1-0 against Kingborough Lions United last week and they lost to South Hobart at Valley Road the week before that.

Knights seem to be in goalscoring mood recently and they will be confident going into this top-of-the-table clash.

“The squad won’t change for the trip to Devonport,” said Knights coach, James Sherman.

“I’ve been really pleased with the players the last month and I do feel we have another level to go.

“There can’t be 5- or 10-minute periods where we lose concentration.

“If we can get on top of managing the game defensively in that period, I can see us doing well.

“The goals have arrived now and we are doubling our chances created compared to the first 8 games, so we must go up there really believing in a complete performance and nothing less.”

Tyler Harrison has been playing exceptionally well and it will be fascinating to see if he and skipper Eli Luttmer can contain Roberto Garrido, who has scored 17 goals in just 13 games for Devonport.

Brody Denehey and Nick Lanau-Atkinson are fast and mobile and the Knights will need to cut them out of the game if they are to win.

Third-placed South Hobart will have a full squad of 16 players for their clash with fourth-ranked Launceston City away at Bucky Motors Park.

South Hobart coach Ken Morton is expecting Joel Stone to be back in action for City and will plan accordingly.

Morton flies out to Sydney straight after the game after being invited to the Football Writers’ Conference and said he would feel really good if he did so with 3 points in the bag.

Both sides can run hot and cold so an intriguing game is in store.

Fifth-placed Clarence Zebras take on second-last Riverside Olympia at Windsor Park and this game is a danger one for the southerners.

Riverside lost narrowly to South Hobart last weekend and Clarence Zebras went down to Glenorchy Knights so there is great incentive for both teams to win this one.

Clarence Zebras will be hoping to have goalkeeper Josh Jones and midfielder Jayden Hey back in action, but there are still fitness doubts about central defender Pritchard Adjei.

Bottom-side Launceston United entertain sixth-placed Kingborough Lions United at Birch Avenue and if the Launceston outfit is ever going to earn a point, this could be it.

The Lions’ form changes like the weather and coach Alfred Hess will need to ensure his charges are at their best to survive this trip to the north.

Saturday fixtures (15 July 2023)

Riverside Olympic v Clarence Zebras (Windsor Park, 2.30pm)

Devonport Strikers v Glenorchy Knights (Valley Road, 2.30pm)

Launceston City v South Hobart (Buckby Motors Park, 4.45pm)

Launceston United v Kingborough Lions United (Birch Avenue, 3.45pm)

NPL Tasmania (As at 9 July 2023)

TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Devonport Strikers	13	11	1	1	41	11	34
Glenorchy Knights	13	10	0	3	33	10	30
South Hobart	13	8	2	3	37	22	26
Launceston City	13	7	1	5	21	21	22
Clarence Zebras	13	6	2	5	36	27	20
Kingborough Lions	13	5	0	8	36	26	15
Riverside Olympic	13	2	0	11	10	51	6
Launceston United	13	0	0	13	9	55	0