South Hobart qualified for the final of the NPL Summer Cup when they beat Glenorchy Knights 1-0 at KGV Park on a sweltering Saturday on the weekend.
The Knights’ shooting again left a lot to be desired and explains their loss.
Hugh Undy, for example, blazed way wide of the target as early as the 2nd minute when provided with a chance.
Knights were also fragile at the back. In the 4th minute, a wayward pass by captain Eli Luttmer let Iskander Van Doorne in with a chance, but he, too, drove wide of the target.
South Hobart hit the front in the 31st minute when Knights goalkeeper Jackson Gardner parried Nick Morton’s stinging shot and Joshua Schofield netted the rebound.
As the first half drew towards an end, Undy had another chance for Knights but headed wide.
South Hobart appeared to go on the defensive in the second half as Knights cranked up the pressure and just 2 minutes after the resumption Jack Turner fired wide of the left-hand post against his former club, while 4 minutes into the half, Luttmer cracked a shot against the South Hobart crossbar.
In the 52nd minute, Adam Gorrie, another former South Hobart player, had two powerful shots blocked as the Knights searched desperately for an equaliser.
As the game wore on, South Hobart managed a couple of promising counter attacks, but both Sam Berezansky and Morton shot high over the bar when they should at least have worked the keeper.
South Hobart hung on for the win and they will now meet Devonport Strikers in the NPL Summer Cup Final at Windsor Park in Launceston next Saturday at 3pm.
Devonport have been the most impressive side in the NPL Summer Cup and have scored 21 goals in their three outings without conceding a single goal.
On Saturday, they demolished the visiting Launceston City 6-0 at Valley Road.
Brody Denehey put them ahead in the first minute, while Roberto Garrido added a second before the break.
Ali Dulleh made it 3-0 just past the hour-mark, while Garrido completed his brace in the 71st minute.
Further goals by Dulleh and Fahim Moradi in the closing five minutes completed Devonport’s tally.
On the evidence of this tournament, who is going to stop Devonport from dominating Tasmanian football yet again?
In the remaining games, Kingborough Lions United finally came good when it was too late, beating Clarence Zebras 5-2 at KGV Park, while Launceston United downed Riverside Olympic 2-1 at Windsor Park.
Clarence Zebras were missing the suspended goalkeeper Josh Jones, top striker Riley Dillon, who was also suspended, and the injured Josh Mathie for the game against Lions.
A misunderstanding at the back in the opening minute saw the Lions take the lead when goalkeeper Manny Hennicke’s attempted clearance cannoned off Kobe Kemp and into the net.
Cade Smith levelled for Clarence Zebras just 2 minutes later, but Greg Downes netted with a volley at the far post in the 23rd minute to give the Lions a 2-1 advantage at the interval.
Three goals in a 7-minute period early in the second half put Kingborough out of reach.
Downes completed his brace in the 55th minute, as did Kobe Kemp in the 62nd, while Noah Mies sandwiched a goal between those.
Matthew Pace netted a second for Clarence Zebras in the 76th minute to make it 5-2, but he was sent off 9 minutes from the end after collecting a second yellow card for a late challenge on Kingborough’s substitute keeper Roan Gillam.
Clarence Zebras’ new Dutch import, centre-back Pritchard Adjei, arrived from the UK on Saturday. How they are going to need him.
Goals by Abdelkhalig Abdelrasoul and Lachlan Dean gave Launceston United their 2-1 win over Riverside Olympic, who replied on the final whistle through Karma Gyeltshen.
The Under-21 Summer Cup Final between Launceston City and Clarence Zebras has been scheduled for Windsor Park in Launceston next Saturday at 12.30pm.
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