Zebras should beat Clarence tonight and go top of the table on goal-difference

Hobart Zebras should go top of the NPL Tasmania ladder tonight when they host Clarence United at 7pm at KGV Park.

It will be the first league game of the season for both teams.

Zebras should be close to full strength, but defender Dwayne Walsh is still unavailable because of injury.

Walsh once played for Clarence so will miss this chance of nostalgia.

Former Zebras goalkeeper, Jake French, will be in goal for Clarence so there’ll be a touch of nostalgia as far as he is concerned.

Mathew Sanders came down from Melbourne a couple of days ago and will take his place in the Zebras attack.

He has been doing some junior coaching while in Hobart and will stay for the long weekend as Zebras take on Devonport City.

Zebras coach, David Smith, is wary of Clarence despite all indications that his team should win comfortably.

He said it’s eleven versus eleven once the teams are out on the park.

He expected Clarence to be defensive and it was up to Zebras to break down the opposition and score goals.

Clarence have had over 20 players at training this week so coach Warren Burt, himself a former Zebras coach, should be able to pick a decent side.

Clarence will be without Paul Palmer, Sam Cannamela and Odaine Demar, but captain Jeremy Price should be available.

"We expect a very tough encounter but will be playing an open and hopefully attacking style, but that will depend on our ability to move the ball forward," said Burt.

Football is unpredictable, which makes it so appealing.

Zebras should win by the proverbial mile, but anything is possible on the night, so we must wait and see the outcome.