Tilford Zebras 5 points clear at the top

Photos (Top to Bottom): Ricky Orr congratulates Colin Sweeney on opening the scoring for Metro; Sweeney wheels away after putting Metro ahead; Zebras reserves scored their sixth goal against Olympic; Olympic's Abdaltam tries to stop a Zebras opponent in the reserves curtain-raiser; Zebras Brett Pullen takes on an Olympic opponent in the reserves clash; Metro's Rahni and Malcolm try to stop a Nelson opponent; Sweeney has opened the scoring for Metro

Tilford Zebras opened up a 5-point lead at the top of the Forestry Tasmania Southern Premier League ladder when they thrashed second-last Hobart Olympic 11-0 at KGV Park today.

Glenorchy Knights moved into third spot after beating reigning champions and second-placed South Hobart 3-1 at KGV Park on Friday night.

Tonight’s Clarence United versus University match, scheduled for Wentworth Park, was postponed because of the wet ground conditions.

Zebras raced to a 4-0 lead over Olympic in half an hour with two penalties by Ben Crosswell, both conceded by Youssef Mohamad, and goals by Paul Cairns and Jayden Welch.

Catastrophe then struck Olympic as Peter Tsakiris and Mohamad were both sent off in the 34th minute, Tsakiris for alleged inappropriate language in Greek directed at an official, and Mohamad after collecting a second yellow card for dissent.

Mohamad had a disastrous game. He needlessly handled the ball to concede the first penalty, and then brought Crosswell down for the second.

That opened the floodgates and further goals by Welch and Dwayne Walsh made it 6-0 at the interval.

Henry Fagg struck twice in the second half and Aaron Brazendale once, while Crosswell and Welch both completed their hat-tricks.

A 20th minute goal against the run of play by Jackson Marsh put the Knights ahead against South Hobart, who equalised in the 73rd minute through a Julius Ross glancing header from a Kostas Kanakaris cross from the left.

As South Hobart pushed forward in search of a winner, the Knights counter-attacked and took advantage of poor defending to score twice in the closing minutes.

In the 88th minute, substitute James Hope headed home Jade Clay’s free-kick to put the Knights ahead 2-1, while in the final minute, Josh Fielding released Amadu Koroma down the right and he rounded the advancing goalkeeper, Mark Moncur, to slot home the third.

Metro maintained their 3-point lead at the top of Division One with an 11-2 victory over Nelson Eastern Suburbs at North Chigwell today.

Scottish imports Ricky Orr and Colin Sweeney each scored four goals, while Danny Cowen netted twice and Scotsman Grant Malcolm once for Metro, while Craig Stockdale scored both goals for Nelson.

Second-placed Taroona kept up the chase by downing third-placed Beachside 5-3 at home at Kelvedon Park.

Taroona scored through Marcus Atkinson, Ben Horgan, Hugo Luttmer, Duncan Carey and an own-goal, while Beachside’s marksmen were Luke Atkin, Colin Shepherd and Nathan Robinson.

Goals by Ashley Page and Matthew Sly gave second-last Christian United a 2-1 win over bottom-side Hobart United, who replied through Adam Woodward.

Sly and Hobart United goalkeeper Alex Dand were both sent off by referee Chris Ware.

In the Forestry Tasmania Northern Premier League, Somerset beat Prospect Knights 3-1 at Cardigan Street after trailing 1-0 at the interval through a 3rd-minute own-goal.

Strikes by Hamilton, Nettleton and Hamilton again in the first 20 minutes of the second half gave Somerset a 3-1 lead before a long-range shot by Sean Harris made for a tight finish.

Launceston City were no match for the visiting Devonport City at Mitsubishi Park.

The visitors led 2-0 at half-time through goals by Sean Howe and Kiren Mulraney, while second-half goals by Howe and Scott Wilson completed the victory.

Burnie United succumbed 2-0 at home at Montello to Riverside Olympic.