Knights drop off the pace and now have South Hobart breathing down their necks

Photo:  The league's leading marksman, Devonport Strikers' Roberto Fernandez Garrido, scored two penalties against Glenorchy Knights on Saturday. [PlessPix] 

Reigning champions Devonport Strikers extended their lead at the top of the NPL Tasmania standings to 7 points by beating second-placed Glenorchy Knights 3-1 at home at Valley Road on Saturday.

You can’t expect to win if you concede two penalties and an own-goal, and that’s exactly what the Knights did in this top-of-the-table clash.

Daniel Sagno took advantage of a defensive error by the home side to put the visitors ahead in the 25^th minute, but the Knights then pressed the self-destruct button.

Roberto Garrido equalised with a penalty in the 37^th minute before Knights skipper Eli Luttmer put the ball into his own net to give Devonport the lead in the 50^th minute.

Garrido scored a second penalty in the 78^th minute to wrap up a 3-1 win and take his personal tally to 19 goals in 14 games.

Not only did Knights allow Devonport to extend their lead to 7 points, but they now have third-placed South Hobart breathing down their necks.

South Hobart defeated Launceston City 2-0 away at Buckby Motors Park and moved to within a point of Knights.

Nick Morton (37^th minute) and Jaden Fidra (68^th minute) were South Hobart’s marksmen.

Fifth-ranked Clarence Zebras lost 3-2 away to second-last Riverside Olympic at Windsor Park.

Clarence Zebras were without the suspended Xuan Cappellino and utility player Jayden Hey, but their had central defender Pritchard Adjei and goalkeeper Josh Jones back.

They could have done with Argentine import Cappellino as he is their leading scorer.

Ben Tilley fired Clarence Zebras in front in the 27^th minute, but Gediminas Krusa equalised on the stroke of half-time.

Sam Tooze restored the visitors’ lead, but Austin Marshall equalised again for the home side in the 76^th minute.

Campbell Young hit the winner for Riverside Olympic in the 4^th minute of stoppage time at the end of the match.

Alfred Hess. Kingborough Lions United’s player-coach, silenced his critics by leading by example as his side thrashed bottom-side Launceston United 6-1 away at Birch Avenue.

Hess scored the first and last goals for the lions, in the 41^st and 87^th minutes.

Noah Mies’s goal in stoppage time at the end of the first half gave the visitors a 2-0 advantage at the interval.

Ahmad Othman added the third 3 minutes after the resumption, while centre-back Jacob Huigsloot made it 4-0 in the 53^rd minute.

Mies completed his brace midway through the second half before Hess netted his second goal 3 minutes from the end.

Jaeden Mercure netted a consolation goal for the cellar-dwellers in the 78^th minute as they trailed 5-0.

Launceston United are now 9 points adrift of second-last Riverside Olympic and that wooden spoon just about has their name inscribed on it.

NPL Tasmania

Devonport Strikers 3-1 Glenorchy Knights

Riverside Olympic 3-2 Clarence Zebras

Launceston United 1-6 Kingborough Lions United

Launceston City 0-1 South Hobart

NPL Tasmania (As at 15 July 2023)

TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Devonport Strikers	14	12	1	1	44	12	37
Glenorchy Knights	14	10	0	4	34	13	30
South Hobart	14	9	2	3	38	22	29
Launceston City	14	7	1	6	21	22	22
Clarence Zebras	14	6	2	6	38	30	20
Kingborough Lions	14	6	0	8	42	27	18
Riverside Olympic	14	3	0	11	13	53	9
Launceston United	14	0	0	14	10	61	0