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Tilford Zebras 6 (Walsh 3, 27, 78, 81, Crosswell 5, 85)
Glenorchy Knights 1 (Clay 23)
HT: 3-1 Att: 153 Ref: I Jozeljic
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Tilford Zebras: Mainella - Pace, Telega, Connolly - Brazendale, Cairns, Fagg, Self, Welch (Hall 80) - Walsh, Crosswell [Substitutes not used: Thorpe, F Lapolla] [Coach: N Lapolla]
Glenorchy Knights: Peter - Marsh, Grundy, Holmes, Wiggins - Clay, Fielding, Hope (Lawler 60), Kamba (Roberts 54) - Koroma (Sherman 80), Smith [Substitute not used: Tatnell] [Coach: E Kelly]
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This emphatic win puts Tilford Zebras on top of the Forestry Tasmania Southern Premier League ladder.
They are three points ahead of second-placed and previous leaders South Hobart, who can regain top spot by beating Clarence United away at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
It could have been a disastrous start for the Zebras as they survived a scare as early as the first minute, when Amadu Koroma had a tame shot cleared off the line by Andrew Telega.
After that, the Zebras never looked back.
They hit the front in the 3rd minute and led 2-0 after 5 minutes. It could have been 7-3 after just 25 minutes if both sides had taken their chances.
The Knights defence was atrocious and goalkeeper Ben Peter had a nightmare.
As it was, Zebras led 3-1 at the break and, although the Knights were on top for the first 20 minutes of the second half, Zebras hit another three goals before the end to assert their superiority.
The Knights spent most of the half-time break out on the pitch and it did seem to focus them on their task as the second half started, but they soon fell away and were given a footballing lesson as the Zebras might have easily reached double figures.
Jade Clay was probably the Knights’ best player and he hit a marvellous goal to make it 2-1 after 23 minutes.
Walsh scored four goals and Crosswell two as the two Zebras strikers ran riot.
They might have had plenty more but for poor finishing.
The Knights' Jayden Wiggins was a lucky player. He received one yellow card but was fortunate not to be sent off later. In the second half, he up-ended Aaron Brazendale near the left corner flag and Mr Jozeljic took a lenient approach to the foul.
Corey Smith was a busy player for the Knights. He went close to scoring on a couple of occasions and even had a case for a penalty in the second half when he appeared to be impeded by Andrew Telega as he threatened to break through on goal. But, earlier in the game, his shoulder charge on Telega was a bit ordinary and he was lucky to get away with out a word from the referee.
In the 3rd minute, Peter was spoiled by team-mate Anthony Grundy as he went for a high ball into the box from Jayden Welch on the left. The keeper spilled the ball, straight to the feet of the gleeful Walsh, who hammered it home.
Two minutes later, a long ball out of defence by Henry Fagg eluded Wiggins and Brazendale and fell to Crosswell, who easily beat Peter to make it 2-0.
It should have been three in the 19th minute when Telega’s long ball into the box found Peter stranded. The ball fell perfectly for Welch, but he unbelievably headed it gently into Peter’s arms from close range when a goal seemed certain.
In the 22nd minute, a long goal-kick by Frank Mainella found Aaron Brazendale, but his shot was turned wide for a corner by Peter.
The corner created chaos in the Knights defence and Brayden Pace fired against a post, while Crosswell’s shot from the rebound was blocked by Peter.
Knights counter-attacked immediately and Clay was allowed to run unimpeded down the right and smash home a bullet of a shot from long range to make it 2-1.
In the 27th minute, Welch gained possession on the left and slipped the ball through to Crosswell, who knocked it inside for Walsh to make it 3-1.
Corey Smith went close for the Knights in the 45th minute, his shot just flashing wide of the far right-hand post.
Brazendale fired wide when well placed in the 64th minute, but the Zebras did increase their lead 14 minutes later.
Grundy fouled Crosswell just outside the box and, as the Knights were disorganised and trying to form their defensive wall, Walsh poked the ball home to give the Zebras a 4-1 lead.
Nine minutes from the end, Michael Connolly’s deep cross from the left towards the far post found Walsh, who beat Marsh before almost breaking the net with a powerful drive from the right to collect his fourth of the night and make it 5-1.
In the 85th minute, Ricky Self, who had earlier squandered a wonderful opportunty to score, chipped the ball towards the far post from the byline on the right and Crosswell powered a header past Peter to hit the Knights for six.
Peter produced a brilliant save in stoppage time from a header to deny Walsh a fifth goal.
First-half goals by Adrian Venettacci and Alex Wiley gave Tilford Zebras a 2-0 win over the Knights in the reserves curtain-raiser.
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- Tilford Zebras coach, Nick Lapolla, said:
“I think it was a great game and we deserved what we got.
“Six in the end, but it could have been more. But, I’ll take that.
“It puts pressure on South Hobart now.”
- Glenorchy Knights coach, Eamonn Kelly, said:
“It was a football lesson. Credit to Zebras. They played very well.
“We got the spanking we deserved.
“We felt confident coming into the game, but, the first ten minutes again…we didn’t score that first one and that’s the difference.
“It’s a completely different game if we get off to the right start.
“But, we don’t. We let silly goals in, silly goalkeeping errors, and it cost us dearly. Simple as that.
“Well done to Nick and his guys. They deserved what they got. They deserved the three points.”
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STATISTICS
TILFORD ZEBRAS GLENORCHY KNIGHTS
17 Goal Attempts 15
12 Shots on Target 7
10 Corners 8
12 Fouls Committed 7
2 Off-Sides 2
1 (Cairns 72) Yellow Cards 2 (Smith 72, Wiggins 88)
0 Red Cards 0
Tilford Zebras:
PLAYER GOAL ATTEMPTS SHOTS ON TARGET
Walsh 5 5
Crosswell 6 5
Welch 2 0
Brazendale 2 1
Pace 1 1
Glenorchy Knights:
PLAYER GOAL ATTEMPTS SHOTS ON TARGET
Koroma 2 1
Clay 4 2
Hope 1 0
Kamba 2 0
Fielding 1 0
Smith 2 1
Roberts 2 2
Holmes 1 1
3 comments:
incredible win by the zebras!
dwayne walsh what can i say great game he he looks far more comfortable playing on the wing
damn should have gone to watch. 6 to 1 against knights. well lets hope tonights game will be just as high scoring (except both ways). hope clarence win.
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