Olympia Warriors lose 4-1 to South Hobart in pre-season friendly

Photo:  Olympia's Lucas Hill (right) tackles South Hobart's Ben Hamlett [PlessPix]

South Hobart beat Olympia Warriors 4-1 at Warrior Park today in what was possibly the opening pre-season friendly in preparation for the 2019 NPL Tasmania season.

Olympia took the lead through Joffrey N’Koso, but two goals by Ben Hamlett gave the visitors a 2-1 lead at the interval.

Hamlett looked sharp.  His first was tucked away after a miscued attempted clearance by Olympia defender Paul Stevens, while his second came after a neat cross to the near post from the right by South Hobart skipper Nick Morton.

Second-half strikes by Reilly Morton and Pajari Sculthorpe saw South Hobart run out 4-1 winners.

Both sides used all their substitutes  -  37 players in all took the field today  -  so not much can be read into the result.

 Photo:  Daniel Brown (left) and Ken Morton watch today's game [PlessPix]

Daniel Brown looks as if he has retired and is now on the South Hobart coaching staff.

He was making many of the decisions as Ken Morton took a back seat and it was Brown who addressed the players in the dressing room at half-time.

Rob Clarke, Olympia’s new coach, was assisted by Andrew Tye, while technical director Nick Taylor also kept an eye on things.

Dale Itchins, who coached Olympia last year, has seemingly joined Glenorchy Knights as assistant to James Sherman.

Knights coach of the past three seasons, Franco Previdi, will coach the Knights Challenge League side next year.

Olympia had two new faces on view.  Jack Ryan, a striker, is from Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire, UK, while midfielder Jake Thompson is from Penrith in New South Wales.

Photo: (Top) South Hobart's Ben Hamlett challenged by Olympia's Jake Thompson (right). (Bottom) Olympia's new Englishman, Jack Ryan [PlessPix]

Fifteen-year-old James Ross was in goal for Olympia and made some fine saves.

Olympia midfielder Nick Mearns watched the game from the sidelines as he has a stress fracture in a foot but should be ready to resume playing in January after missing most of last season through injury.

 Photo:  Tobias Herweynen in action for South Hobart today [PlessPix]

South Hobart had fullback Tobias Herweynen, from Kingborough Lions United, on view, as well as midfielder Jake Pullen from Hobart Zebras.

Kingborough Lions United’s new coach, Greg Calvert, was watching the game from outside the ground.

Photo:  Kingborough coach Greg Calvert watches today's game from behind the fence at Warrior Park [PlessPix]

South Hobart also had a couple of former Olympia youngsters in Kyle Vincent and Mason Attfield starting on the bench.

South Hobart’s Kobe Kemp was at the game, but he has moved to Victoria to join Sunshine George Cross in the State League Second Division.

Sunshine are now coached by former Tasmanian Corey Smith and have another Tasmanian in Liam Scott in their squad.

South Hobart fullback Adam Gorrie has reportedly moved to Altona FC in Victoria.

 Photo:  Olympia goalkeeper James Ross saves from Ben Hamlett [PlessPix]

The following statistics from today’s game were compiled by local statistician Ben Smith.  I have Ben to thank also for alerting me to today’s game.

Olympia FC Warriors 1 (1)

South Hobart FC 4 (2)

Game Details

Saturday December 08, 2018 @ 11:15am

Stadium: Warrior Park, Warrane

Crowd: 70

Referee: Stratos Plomaritis

Game Events

Olympia FC Warriors

Goals: 19’ J.N’Koso

Yellow Cards: Nil

Red Cards: Nil

South Hobart FC

Goals: 26’ B.Hamlett 34’ B.Hamlett 61’ R.Morton 70’ P.Sculthorpe

Yellow Cards: 65’ C.Schmidt

Red Cards: Nil

Line-ups

Olympia FC Warriors

1. James Ross (GK, AUS)

5. Joel Sammut (DEF, AUS) 8. Paul Stevens (DEF, AUS) 3. Lucas Hill (DEF, AUS) © 4. Ewan Sloan (DEF, AUS)

11. Mark Ortmann (MID, AUS) 16. Jake Thompson (MID, AUS) 10. Samuel Hills (MID, AUS)

6. Joffrey N’Koso (FWD, AUS) 9. Jack Ryan (FWD, ENG) 17. Brayton Allan (FWD, AUS)

Substitutes

2. Noah Smithies-Sharples (DEF, AUS) 12. Lochlan Hardwick (DEF, AUS) 20. Lutfi Baddiley (DEF, AUS)

14. Christo Tsakiris (MID, AUS) 13. Hugh Undy (MID, AUS) 7. Warren Wadawu (FWD, AUS) 18. Austin Yost (FWD, AUS)

Manager

Robert Clarke (AUS)

South Hobart FC

1. Kieran Brown (GK, AUS)

12. Anthony Legendre (DEF, CAN) 2. Connor Schmidt (DEF, AUS) 4. Jack Bowman (DEF, AUS) 19. Tobias Herweynan (DEF, AUS)

15. Ewan Larby (MID, AUS) 17. Nicholas Morton (MID, AUS) © 5. Tae Evans (MID, AUS)

10. Alex Walter (FWD, AUS) 14. Benjamin Hamlett (FWD, AUS) 8. Bradley Lakoseljac (FWD, AUS)

Substitutes

21. Lachlan Hart (GK, AUS) 13. Jake Pullen (DEF, AUS) 16. Reilly Morton (DEF, AUS) 3. Samuel Berezansky (MID, AUS)

6. Pajari Sculthorpe (FWD, AUS) 11. Kyle Vincent (FWD, AUS) 7. Mason Attfield (FWD, AUS) ?. Sam Tooze (FWD, AUS)

Manager

Ken Morton (ENG)

Photo:  Olympia coach Rob Clarke points as his assistant Andrew Tye watches [PlessPix]

 Photo:  Olympia's technical director, Nick Taylor, formerly with Brisbane Roar, thinks it's all a bit of a yawn [PlessPix]

 Photo:  South Hobart's Reilly Morton (second from left) is congratulated by team-mates after his goal [PlessPix]