New Town Eagles scrape into Division One Summer Cup semi-finals

Eagles' Richard Leszczynski (front) still as fit as ever

NEW TOWN EAGLES 1-0 HOBART UNITED
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This narrow win at Olinda Grove gave New Town Eagles second place in Group A of the Division One section of the Summer Cup.

They will meet Taroona in the semi-finals.

Hobart United are but a shadow of the team they were last year because of a mass exodus of players.

Coach Mark Broadbent, who attended the recent international coaches’ convention hosted by the FFA in Sydney, is doing the best he can and United were not disgraced in this match.

They were quite lively at times, with Gaylet Mu and Suphachok Luekhamhan causing a few problems at the back for Eagles with their mobility and speed.

United’s goalkeeper, Nathan Grandin, was also busy and had to act as a sweeper at times as his exuberant midfielders and defenders pushed forward.

The solitary goal came in the 19th minute following an Eagles throw-in from the right.

Alex Ayres gained possession and drove a low shot in off the far left-hand upright.
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• Hobart United coach, Mark Broadbent, said:

“We were very unlucky. I thought that our competitive spirit picked up.

“We brought in a lot of new kids around the 15 and 16 years of age mark and they’re really putting in a lot of effort.

“I think our understanding of positional play is slowly getting better and better and it gives us time on the ball.”
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New Town Eagles: D Kruijver, Michell, A Jones, Louden, R Leszczynski, Graham, Williams, Wiggins, S Vernon, Ayres, Reeve [Substitutes: Donohue, Hadfield, Somerville]

Booked: Somerville

Goals: Ayres

Hobart United: Grandin, Horne, Walker, Htoo, Luekhamhan, A Otto, Mu, Woodward, Smedley, Chang, McKay [Substitutes: Cooper, E Otto, Saleh Bin Taleb]

Booked: A Otto

Ref: I Jozeljic

Att: 100