Top NPL game clashes with Lakoseljac Cup encounters today

South Hobart take on Hobart Zebras at 2pm at South Hobart Oval today in another clash of NPL Tasmania title aspirants.

On Saturday, Devonport City beat the visiting Olympia Warriors 1-0 at Valley Road in another contest to determine the early-season pecking order.

At the moment, there are five teams level on 3 points, but some have played a game more than others.

In terms of superior goal-difference, the leading five teams are:  Hobart Zebras, Glenorchy Knights, Devonport City, South Hobart and Olympia Warriors.

Then come Kingborough Lions United, Riverside Olympia and Clarence United.

Launceston City have yet to play a game and will host Devonport City on Wednesday.

Also on Wednesday in the south, Glenorchy Knights welcome Olympia Warriors to KGV Park at 8.15pm, while Clarence United travel to Lightwood Park to meet Kingborough Lions United at 8pm.

Zebras will be confident of beating South Hobart today.

Zebras found their goal-scoring touch against Clarence last week and knocked in 9 goals without reply.

Their fly-in from Melbourne, Mathew Sanders, scored five goals to make him the league’s leading marksman already and he will test a somewhat rickety South Hobart defence.

Riley Dillon is also having a great start to the season for Zebras and his attacking forays down the left flank may force South’s right-back Adam Gorrie to concentrate a little more on his defensive duties.

Gorrie is also a marauding full back, so he and Dillon may cancel each other out on the same flank.

South’s Nick Morton may be showing an improvement in form after relinquishing the captaincy to veteran defender Hugh Ludford, so he will need to be watched by the Zebras defenders.

This should be a close match and even a draw will see the two sides move to joint leadership on the table.

Having a bye and having had the opening round postponed, the ladder positions can be like a dog’s breakfast and misleading at this early stage of the season in terms of form.

The Lakoseljac Cup preliminary round is also being played today and there are three cup ties scheduled for KGV Park.

At 10.30am, Nelson meet South East United, while at 1pm, Beachside take on Ulverstone.

New Town Eagles play University at 3.30 pm.

At North Chigwell, Metro entertain Launceston United at 2pm, while at Montello, Burnie United and Somerset clash in a North-West derby.