Photos (Top to Bottom): The South Hobart squad prepare to received their winners' medals; FFT CEO John Boulos (left) calls upon South Hobart captain Bart Beecroft to introduce his players at the medal presentation; Kingborough keeper David Leamey punches the ball clear in a packed goalmouth; TIS's Jamie De Smit gets away from Kingborough's Peter While; The TIS's Jessie Williams gets a pass away against Taroona in the Women's State-wide Cup final; TIS women's coach Michael Edwards (left) and his assistant Rodney Tattam discuss a point during the game; The TIS women's side on the attack against Taroona in the Women's State-wide Cup final [PlessPix]
Forestry Tasmania Southern Premier League champions South Hobart won their fourth piece of silverware this season when they beat Clarence United 2-1 on Saturday night in the final of the Milan Lakoseljac Memorial Trophy at KGV Park.
Clarence were the holders of the trophy and have been South Hobart’s bogey side in the past.
This final was a closely contested confrontation and either side could have won it.
South Hobart were the better side in the opening half and led 1-0 at the interval, but Clarence were a side transformed in the second half and they came back strongly to equalise and almost take the lead when Nathan Rees’s header hit the crossbar.
South Hobart regained their composure, however, and snatched the winner five minutes before the end.
Andy Brennan gave South Hobart the lead after just four minutes. Jim Pennicott’s deep cross from the right was flicked on by Kostas Kanakaris to Brennan, who controlled the ball, turned and fired past Cameron Sweeney.
Brennan had two other glorious chances to extend his side’s lead and claim a hat-trick.
In the 20th minute, a perfectly weighted pass by Shae Hickey put Brennan through with only the goalkeeper to beat, but Sweeney raced off his line and blocked the striker’s shot.
Three minutes later, a long ball out of defence by Hugh Ludford found Brennan in the clear. With Sweeney way off his line, Brennan tried to chip the keeper from the left side of the box, but the ball bounced just wide of the far post.
It was all South Hobart at this stage, with Jonathon Lo driving an effort just over the bar and Kanakaris shooting straight at the goalkeeper from another Pennicott cross from deep on the right.
Clarence replaced the injured Luke Cripps with Chris Hunt for the second half and with the speedy Andy Barron moving to a traditional centre-forward role, they began to control the game.
South Hobart keeper Sam Kruijver had to produce an excellent save to deny Barron in the 61st minute, while Mattias Toghill drove narrowly wide after a corner a minute later.
The equaliser came in the 64th minute. Daniel Brown’s attempted clearance cannoned off Barron’s knee and hit the left-hand post. Barron was the first to reach the rebound and he swept the ball into an empty net from close range.
South Hobart were reeling at this stage and they almost fell behind in the 75th minute when Nathan Rees rose for a corner and smashed a header against the crossbar. Ben Parker hammered the rebound at goal, but it was blocked on the line and referee Kim Barker awarded South Hobart a free-kick for a foul on the goalkeeper as players from both sides swooped on the loose ball in a huge goalmouth scrimmage.
Sweeney did well to block a pile-driver from substitute Greg Downes in the 76th minute as South Hobart fought their way back into the match.
With 5 minutes remaining, yet another deep cross from the right by Pennicott was not cleared by Clarence and, as the ball fell just inside the box, Tom Roach swivelled and volleyed the ball into the net from 15 metres for the winner.
The defeated Clarence side sportingly formed a guard of honour and clapped South Hobart off the field after the medal and trophy presentations.
The Tasmanian Institute of Sport won the Women’s State-wide Cup 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out against Taroona after the sides were locked together at 1-1 after normal time and extra-time.
Beachside again failed to secure promotion to the Premier League when they were held to a goalless draw by Hobart United and second-placed Metro trounced DOSA 7-0.
With just two rounds remaining, Beachside need only a point to clinch promotion.
In the Premier Reserve League, the Tasmanian Institute of Sport downed Kingborough Lions United 4-1 at KGV Park on Saturday afternoon in the first game of a three-match program.
10 comments:
South Hobart won the silverware in a good game of football played in a pretty good spirit. However, South again demonstrated a weakness when under midfield and defensive pressure.
Their early structure was a lovely thing to watch, long balls crossing the park to targets and exposing both flanks in a style that surely won them so much football this year.
CUFC switched its structure about 20 minutes in, hit its tempo and showed that with just enough hard work and pressure, South can be reduced to a hit-and-hope individualistic shadow of itself which, if they can't fix it, will stop them being one of the best teams of our modern times.
That's a shame, because their best is pretty damn good to watch.
I would haved loved to have watched that game with Ben Hamlett sitting alongside Andy Barron up forward for Clarence, though.
I would like to thank the Clarence players and coaching staff for the spirit in which the game was played last night. For those that weren't there Clarence formed an honour guard for our players and coaching staff at the end of the match. My thanks and that of all at SHFC for this fine gesture.
Vicki Woods
President SHFC
A great game last night, it was wonderful to see so many supporters
out to watch football on a cold winters night. Congrats to Ken, South Hobart Football Club and the team on the win and Thankyou to Clarence for coming out to PLAY and not only defend..... it made for much more interesting watching.
I have to say I was very disappointed with the quality. South Hobart are undoubtedly the best team in the state with some very talented young players, but their second half performance especially was poor. Once Clarence applied some pressure, there were so many errors from South, and most alarmingly they resorted to a lot of (English)long balls hit into channels, and a few players started hoofing it. I would hate to think that Ken would be happy with that. It actually allowed Clarence back into the game as the one thing they could do as win physical contests/headers. The mark of a good side is surely the ability to keep their system and style of play under pressure? Defensively they looked very suspect, the two CB's and GK unimpressive.
Clarence worked hard and were much better without Cripps, but it was noticeable that they never played from the back, and everything was cleared/hit long - terrible. The Clarence fans around me seem to revel in the distance of the kicking though! We have a hell of a long way to go in our understanding of how the game should be played.
The standard has undoubtedly continued to fall across the state over the years. The question is how we improve it. Please discuss (putting club loyalties aside)
I thought the womens game was average at best.The TIS back 4 were good and there were 1 or 2 other decent midfielders, but technical quality was sadly lacking. TIS movement upfront was non-existent. Disappointing considering the resources. Surprising none could keep count with the shoootout scores!
On another note, where were the northern league tables in the programme? It is a statewide cup...
Again none of the above points are meant as a criticism of any club or person, but if we are to improve the game here we need to be able to discuss these things objectively surely, and face up to the problems we have here?
A pulsating cup final last night, Clarence surprised me by starting slowly, but their second half was a cracker, they won three quarters of the fifty fifty balls, and put heaps of pressure on the South boys, and they combined well at times. That 6 or 7 of the South lads had their worst games this season yet they still won was partly down to good luck, but also to a great fighting spirit. It could have gone either way, in the end. Clarence forming a guard of honour to escort the South Hobart team off the park at the end was truly a magnificent bit of sportsmanship from Browny and the Clarence lads. Respect!
Hey Walter - your story was posted at 2:37 AM! That is DEDICATION! For God's sake, get some sleep mate!
Richard Bladel
I wish to echo our President's comments set out above .
In my time with Tasmanian Football (60 years) I have never witnessed such a gracious act as the Clarence guard of honour .
My congratulations to their Club for this geasture.
Clarence could have done better but for the walking midfielder who seemed disinterested.
Great act from Clarence. Last year Northern Rangers did the same for Clarence, and the last 2 seasons Devonport have formed a guard of honour for Rangers after the final league game of the season. Great to see such gestures
Think the gaurd of honor is the true winner, shows at the end of the day respect for the stronger opponant, I also think clubs should consider making it a habit, I know At Northern Rangers it was introduced by Roslan Sa'ad when we played Devonport in the Reserves in 2009, we had won the game but they were the champs and he said that was worthy of respect. Devonport returned the gesture, waiting patiently after the clebrations went on mid pitch following the senior, after all it was our first ever. Rangers observed the same for Clarence in the 2009 SWC loss, Devonport again for Rangers in 2010, shows great character and Tasmania should be known for it. I hope more clubs that find themselves in the same situation would offer the same gesture.
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