Top-of-table clash at Pontville should be exciting

Second-placed Hobart United entertain Division One leaders Beachside at Pontville at 2.30pm on Sunday in a top-of-the-table clash that is extremely important to both title aspirants.

United will be without suspended Akuel Guot, who is the league’s leading scorer with 5 goals.

He is suspended after being sent off against Metro.

Beachside will be without Jason Harvey, who is unavailable, and his replacement is Adam Direen.

Player-coach Nathan Robinson will make no other changes to the side that drew 3-3 with University last weekend.

“We are expecting a fast and physical encounter,” said Robinson. “We know Hobart’s strengths, but being able to stop them will be a challenge.

“Our players are looking to repeat the dose from the opening game of the Summer Cup, when we defeated them 2-1.”

A win for the visitors will give them a valuable 4-point lead over United, while a win for the home side would put them two points ahead of Beachside.

A draw may see third-placed Nelson Eastern Suburbs move to equal top spot, providing they can beat the FFT Under-15s, who are bottom, at North Warrane at 2.30pm on Saturday.

Rhys Endall will be missing from the Nelson line-up because of a strained quadricep. Craig Stockdale may be his replacement, but there is some doubt about his availability because of work commitments.

Pat Lenck has an injury and missed training on Wednesday, but he is likely to start in midfield.

Max Caulfield comes into the side at left-back, while central-defender Alex Priest gains a place in the Division One squad for the first time this season after being a regular under-19 player last year.

Striker Ryan Mills is on the bench but will start if Stockdale is unavailable.

The rest of the starting line-up is similar to last week.

“It’s good to have Max Caufield back in the squad,” said Nelson coach, Michael Roach.

“He’s a really good attacking left-back, while Alex Priest is a tall central defender who has been getting forward at set pieces and scoring goals in the reserves.

“The State under-15s look to be improving fast, going on their recent results, so we will need to ensure we put up a good performance.

“Poor finishing cost us a win versus Metro, but I’m generally happy with the way we are playing and if we can keep building on that and start putting away the chances we are making we should go well this week at home.”

Sixth-placed DOSA entertain fourth-placed Metro at the Showgrounds at 2.30pm on Saturday.

“Having drawn against the FFT Under-15s, it should give us a bit of confidence for this game against Metro,” said DOSA coach, Pedro Ramirez.

“Metro is a team with youth and experience and players such as Darrin Chaffey and Terry Kent know how to give the kids support.

“We will need to be strong in the way we play this game. Fifty-fifty challenges are the way we need to play this game.”

DOSA will be without Blake Smedley and Dominik Filip, who are injured and may be out for eight to ten weeks.

Adam Woodward is ill and a doubtful starter, while Roland Stern is on a two-week interstate holiday.

Salvador Iraheta, Kyle Dermody and Webetu Aboye have been included in the senior side.

“We have not been playing our structure as good as I would like, but persistence and time will allow the players to adapt,” Ramirez concluded.

The remaining match of the round is at Olinda Grove at 2.30pm on Sunday, when fifth-ranked University host second-last Southern FC.

University should win comfortably against the visitors and Julian Proud may well become the league’s new leading marksman.