Taroona outclassed by Glenorchy Knights

Photo:  Taroona goalkeeper Kieran Siedler can only look as the ball is nestled in the back of the net after Tom Young's (second from left) long-range lob [PlessPix]

Glenorchy Knights easily accounted for Taroona 5-0 in a pre-season friendly at KGV Park tonight.

Southern Championship side Taroona were never in the hunt and trailed 1-0 at the interval.

The goal came in the 19^th minute from an audacious long-range lob by former Taroona player Tom Young, who has signed for the Knights for this season.

Photo:  Knights' Mathew Nowicki (second from left) powers a header home to make it 2-0 [PlessPix]

Taroona’s new goalkeeper, Kieran Siedler, who has joined the club from Beachside, was left flat-footed as the ball sailed over him.

Siedler showed his worth by restricting the Knights to just one goal in the first half, producing some fine saves, including one in the 24^th minute.  Alex Bellini fed Young down the left but Siedler saved acrobatically, turning the ball over the bar.

Knights ran riot in the second half, scoring four goals without reply.  They were, in fact, never tested.

Photo:  George Hallard (second from left) heads home a corner to make it 4-0 for Knights [PlessPix]

Mathew Nowicki made it 2-0 in the 56^th minute, heading home powerfully after Tyler Harrison had released Thomas Bellini down the right and the youngster, signed from Olympia, sent over a pin-point cross.

Thomas Bellini added the third in the 59^th minute when he cut in from the left and curled the ball around Siedler and inside the far right-hand post.

George Hallard made it 4-0 in the 62^nd minute when he headed home a corner.

Photo:  Knights' Teddy Kadisha tackles Taroona's David Abbott [PlessPix]

Nowicki’s powerful drive in the 70^th minute took the score to 5-0 and that’s how it stayed, despite the Knights creating some good chances.  Poor finishing saved Taroona from conceding more goals.

Young promises to be a great signing for the Knights.  He was dominant all over the park, covering a huge amount of territory.

An injury to Nowicki near the end soured the Knights' win.  He raced into the box in pursuit of a through-ball and seemed to twist his ankle in the process.  He rolled off the pitch and grimaced in pain before being assisted back to the dressing room by a trainer.

Taroona will need to do a lot of work if they are to be competitive in the second-tier, judging from their display tonight.

Photo:  Thomas Bellini  (partly obscured, third from left) scores the Knights' third [PlessPix]