TIS beat Lions a second time in 5 days to finish second on ladder

Photos (Top to Bottom): Assistant referee Greg Balmer (left), with referee Kim Barker and referees' head Robert Freke before the game; Referee Kim Barker gets ready to start the match; TIS prepare to kick off; The Lions prepare to take a goal-kick; The TIS on the attack from the back; TIS prepare to defend a Kingborough free-kick to be taken from the half-way line as a full moon rises in the east; Plenty of space at the back for Kingborough leaves the TIS with attacking options [PlessPix]

Premier Reserve League (KGV Park, Wednesday, 25 August 2010)

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Tasmanian Institute of Sport 3 (D Foley 20, J Walker 82, S Hamilton 85)

Kingborough Lions United 1 (J Brown 21)

HT: 1-1 Att: 20 Ref: K Barker

Tasmanian Institute of Sport: Prendergast - McClung, De Smit (Ochaya 46), Abbott, Mearns - D Foley, Curran (Devine 57), Ince - Walker, H Foley, Hamilton

Kingborough Lions United: Leamey - T Wailes, Polmear, Lucas, Davis (Laning 63) - G Wailes, While (Shimizu 63), J Brown, Watkins - L Brown, T Pearce (Hartog 63)

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The Tasmanian Institute of Sport finished second on goal-difference on the Premier Reserve League ladder with this 3-1 win over sixth-placed Kingborough Lions United. They are level on points with third-placed Clarence United and 5 points adrift of champions South Hobart.

For a long time in this match it looked as if it would end in a draw, despite the TIS having more and better chances than the Lions.

But, two times in the last 10 minutes of the match, Kingborough lost possession in midfield and the TIS scored with two lightning counter-attacks.

The TIS had to re-arrange their line-up from that which played the Lions on Saturday. In the absence of Lucas Hill, Jamie De Smit partnered Will Abbott in the centre of defence. De Smit was substituted at the interval and Declan Foley then moved to centre-back with Abbott.

Jeremy Walker almost put the TIS ahead in the 13th minute following Hugh Foley’s left-wing cross, but he drove his shot wide from close range.

Ben Watkins missed a great chance for Kingborough in the 17th minute when he got onto the end of Travers Wailes’s right-wing cross but blasted over the bar from close range.

A minute later, an error at the back by Tim Polmear, whose clearance cannoned off a TIS attacker, almost led to the TIS taking the lead. Walker gained possession and played the ball inside for Hugh Foley. He was put off by goalkeeper David Leamey, who dived at his feet but could not gain possession. The ball rolled out to Sam Hamilton, whose shot was blocked by Travers Wailes.

The TIS did take the lead in the 20th minute, however, when a superb through-ball by Hugh Foley found Declan Foley in the middle and he took the ball on for a few paces before beating Leamey with a shot from just inside the box.

Kingborough were level a minute later when a short chip into the box from the left by Watkins found Jeremy Brown, who beat Tristan Prendergast with a fine half-volley from 12 metres.

Kingborough almost added a second in the 25th minute after Trent Pearce’s free-kick. A poor punch by Prendergast sent the ball to Peter While, whose hurried shot flew wide.

Two minutes later, a free-kick from the left by Sam Hamilton was not properly cleared by the Kingborough defence and the ball fell to Declan Foley, whose instant shot from outside the box was superbly saved by Leamey.

Declan Foley shot over from 20 metres 5 minutes before the interval as the TIS continued to dominate possession without being able to add to their score.

The Lions were still dangerous at times, however, and two minutes before the break, after an excellent passage of play in midfield involving several players, Liam Brown sent in a powerful shot, but it was directed straight at the goalkeeper.

Leamey’s distribution was generally poor and usually found an opposition player, as did many of the passes from the midfielders, but this last attack showed what the Lions could do.

The TIS, with Gift Ochaya on for De Smit at half-time and leading the attack, were on the offensive from the start of the second period. In the opening minute, Walker tested Leamey with a fierce shot that the keeper held.

In the 51st minute, a snap shot from the left by Jesse Curran, following a corner by Hamilton, clipped the outside of the far right-hand post.

The Lions launched a dangerous and direct attack in the 55th minute when Isaac Lucas put Liam Brown away on the right. Brown managed to outpace Abbott but shot wide of the target.

Kingborough made three substitutions in the 63rd minute, with Iwao Shimizu, Tim Laning and Dylan Hartog replacing Pearce, While and Davis.

With 13 minutes remaining, the excellent left-footed Hamilton took advantage of a poor defensive header by Kingborough to get in a strike at goal, but his volley flew wide.

In the 82nd minute, Kingborough gave the ball away with a wayward pass in midfield and the TIS counter-attacked quickly and Ochaya set up Walker, whose shot from the right of the box gave Leamey no chance and put the TIS 2-1 ahead.

Incredibly, a minute later, the Lions again lost possession in midfield and Hamilton seized the opportunity to score with a vicious volley with his ‘wrong’ right-foot from the edge of the box.

The Lions had one more bite left and, in the 87th minute, Tim Laning forced a fine save from Prendergast.

It was a disappointing end for Kingborough, who must have learned a lesson or two from Saturday’s confrontation and seemed about to hold out for a point before the calamity of the final 10 minutes.

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Kingborough Lions United coach, Warren Iles, said:

“A much better performance than Saturday.

“We had a few changes in the team and our first half, I thought, today was excellent.

“We worked hard. We had a set plan and you have to allow for the fact that they are going to have a lot of possession. They’re technically very good.

“I thought we defended well. We had a style we wanted to defend and I thought we did that very well. I thought the three under-19s we played tonight - Will Davis, Ben Watkins and Dylan Hartog, who came on as a sub - were outstanding.

“An excellent start. Hopefully, they’ll be part of the reserve set-up next year.

“It was just disappointing to concede two goals like that. Whilst they had a lot of possession, I thought we were good value for a draw and worked pretty hard towards that.

“But, that sums up our season.”