Keilor Park beat Glenorchy Knights 3-0

Photo:  Keilor's packed defence against Knights [PlessPix]

Keilor Park, the visiting Victorian State League 1 side, beat Glenorchy Knights 3-0 in a pre-season friendly at KGV Park tonight.

The game started 20 minutes late because an airline delay meant the Victorians were late to the ground.

The attendance of a couple of hundred was reasonable, but Football Federation Tasmania will need to take urgent action in relation to the closed grandstand.

There are, apparently, safety issues surrounding the grandstand and it has been closed to spectators for a couple of weeks now, although the dressing rooms for the teams are still open.

The first round of the NPL Tasmania competition involves a triple-header at KGV Park and something will have to be done about the grandstand before that as there is little alternative shelter available for patrons.

Photo:  Keilor's Goran Jozeljic (left) takes on Knights' George Hallard [PlessPix]

Goran Jozeljic, who began his career in Tasmania with Glenorchy Knights, put Keilor ahead after 7 minutes.

Adrian Barresi made it 2-0 for the visitors 8 minutes after the resumption, while David Prosia grabbed Keilor’s third 6 minutes from the end.

The Knights were better than the scoreline suggested and Rowan Heggie was always a threat up front.

He should have had at least a couple of goals, including near the end when he was thwarted by a brave interception from the Keilor goalkeeper.

Jozeljic was the pick of the visitors, while Jade Clay was busy for the Knights when he came on and Mathew Nowicki always posed a physical threat.

Photo:  Knights' Rowan Heggie (left) under pressure from Keilor's Dean Compelj [PlessPix]

Knights keeper Trent Le Rossignol also had a good game and made several important saves.

Paul Falzon, coach of Keilor, was content with his team’s display.

“I thought it was a very good game and the standard was pretty good,” Falzon said.

“I thought the pace of the game was also very good.

“We were very happy with our first competitive game and Glenorchy gave us a really good one.

“They were well drilled and it all worked out fine.”

Photo:  Goran Jozeljic (left) gives Knights' Teddy Kadisha a run for his money [PlessPix]

Glenorchy Knights coach, James Sherman, said his side were better than the score-line indicated.

“We definitely created some opportunities that, realistically, we should have put away,” Sherman said.

“It was a good hit-out because they offered us plenty of challenges and I thought we dealt with quite a lot of them.

“I was happy with a few good performances because we were missing quite a few players tonight, but I’m very lucky to have the squad depth that I do.

“The handful of guys that came in probably didn’t expect to do as well, but they have done.

“That’s the major positive for myself.

“It’s another 90 minutes for a handful of them, too, and that’s always a bonus.

“We’re a little bit off where I’d like to be and we have a lot of work to do.”

Photo:  Goran Jozeljic (No.20) sends a Knights opponent tumbling [PlessPix]

Goran Jozeljic was delighted to open the scoring against his former club and ran to the side of the pitch to embrace his former mentor and Glenorchy Knights star striker of yesteryear, Brendon Lakoseljac.

“It was a good hit-out, especially for us in only our third week into pre-season,” Jozeljic said.

“There was some good physicality out there, which is good for us.

“Knights played well in patches, especially in the first half hour and outplayed us a bit.

“But, we got a positive result out of it.

“It’s always good scoring, but when it’s against your old club it means a lot to me.

“A goal is a goal and in the end you’ve got to do the things you’re out there for.”

Photo:  Knights' Rowan Heggie (No.9) heads clear [PlessPix]

Glenorchy Knights:  Trent Le Rossignol;  Aaron Marney, Alex Bellini, Tyler Harrison, Declan Graham, Matt Nowicki, Jack Kupsch, Nick Naden, Teddy Kadisha, Goeroge Hallard, Rowan Heggie  (Subs:  Lachie Hart, Nic Devereaux, Ganyar Mangar, Phil Chasri, Jade Clay, Luke Warrener)

Keilor Park SC:  Mark Spiteri, Brandon Scerri, Douglas Cunnison, Dean Campelj, Joel Pilcher, David Prosia, Okada Kazuki, Patrick Grigg, Goran Jozeljic, Harry Hillary, Adrian Barresi  (Subs:  Carmine De Fazio, Malik Furlong, Mathew Sirgiouanni, Joel Grech, James Johnston)

Photo:  Knights' Mathew Nowicki (left) takes on Keilor's Douglas Cunnison [PlessPix]

Photo (L-R):  Bradley Lakoseljac, Goran Jozeljic and Brendan Lakoseljac after the game [PlessPix]