The battle for second place on the NPL Tasmania standings is on.
Glenorchy Knights are currently second, a point ahead of third-ranked South Hobart, and the two teams meet tonight at 8.15pm at KGV Park to decide second spot.
If Knights win, or if the game ends in a draw, the status quo will be maintained.
But, if South Hobart are victorious, they will move into second spot with just three games for each side remaining.
Glenorchy Knights should have Tyler Harrison back and his partnership with skipper Eli Luttmer will shore up the defence.
Daniel Schmidt is likely to be missing again for Knights because of an ankle injury.
South Hobart will be missing the suspended Eduardo Castaneda, a former Knights player.
Youngster Harrison Oates will start, while fellow youngsters Daniel Arnaiz and Sam Lancaster will be on the bench.
Ewan Sloan is injured and will not be in the squad.
“We’re confident that we can play our way,” said South Hobart coach, Ken Morton.
“We trust our young lads and this should be one of the better games of the year.”
When the sides met earlier in the season at KGV Park, only a brilliant display of goalkeeping by Canadian import Jackson Gardner enable Knights to win 1-0.
When the sides met for the second time at South Hobart Oval, South Hobart won 4-3.
These results presage a blockbuster tonight and a game well worth watching.
Meanwhile, league-leaders Devonport Strikers should inch closer to retaining the title by disposing of second-last Riverside Olympic tomorrow [Saturday] away at Windsor Park at 4.30pm.
Fourth-placed Kingborough Lions United host fifth-ranked Launceston City at Lightwood Park at 2.30pm and a City win would enable them to leapfrog the Lions into fourth spot.
Current form would indicate the Lions are favoured to win, but City have much to prove and it should be a tight tussle.
Clarence Zebras have been disappointing recently and they have the chance to prove their critics wrong when they travel to Birch Avenue tomorrow to take on bottom-side Launceston United at 4.30pm.
The defence is Clarence Zebras’ problem and stand-in coach Alex Tatnell must be brave enough to discard individuals who are not up to it.
They lost 5-2 last Sunday to the Lions and careful analysis of the video of the game will show where the problems lie.
Clarence zebras cannot make the top-four so Tatnell can at least finish the season on a high by being ruthless and getting rid of dead wood.
If he can do this and pick the best players in the right positions, he will get the rewards.
This is no time for sentiment. There are players at the club who can do the job and now is the chance to give them the opportunity.
NPL Tasmania (As at 13 August 2023)
|
TEAM |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
|
Devonport Strikers |
16 |
14 |
1 |
1 |
50 |
13 |
43 |
|
Glenorchy Knights |
17 |
12 |
0 |
5 |
43 |
15 |
36 |
|
South Hobart |
17 |
11 |
2 |
4 |
52 |
25 |
35 |
|
Kingborough Lions |
17 |
9 |
0 |
8 |
54 |
33 |
27 |
|
Launceston City |
16 |
8 |
1 |
7 |
23 |
24 |
25 |
|
Clarence Zebras |
17 |
6 |
2 |
9 |
42 |
46 |
20 |
|
Riverside Olympic |
16 |
3 |
0 |
13 |
16 |
61 |
9 |
|
Launceston United |
16 |
0 |
0 |
16 |
10 |
73 |
0 |
No comments:
Post a Comment