Bad night for Clarence teams in two codes

Photo:  Clarence's Jeremy Price gets the better of Knights' Alex Leszczynski [PlessPix]

(NPL Tasmania. KGV Park, Friday, 31 May 2019)

Glenorchy Knights 10 (N Naden 18, 23, 86, A Leszczynski 25, 43, C Brown 41, 52, 57, J Stuart 66, R Backhouse 84)

Clarence United 0

HT:  5-0   Att:  80   Ref:  B Kopra

Glenorchy Knights:  Nester  -  Toghill, Harrison, Young, James  -  Bellini, Gutierrez-Chavez, C Brown  -  Naden, Leszczynski, Heggie  (Subs:  Backhouse, Hardwick, Hart, Kadisah, Stuart)

Clarence United:  Dyson  -  Lange, Price, Reibel, Ebini  -  Cannamela, Burt, Thapa, Randall  -  Moynihan, Mangar  (Subs:  Amani, Downham, Hatcher, Houston, Kannegiesser)

Photo:  Knights' Jake Stuart on the attack against his former club [PlessPix]

Glenorchy Knights scored five goals in each half to annihilate bottom-side Clarence United at KGV Park on Friday night.

Knights keeper Dmitri Nester had one save to make, and a brilliant one it was.  Midway through the first half, a shot by Jackson Ebini from the left had Nester diving full length his left to turn the ball wide of the far right-hand post.

Other than that, Knights never looked like conceding against a Clarence team that was missing Odaine Demar, Adam Hedge and Paul Palmer.

Knights were without the suspended Mathew Nowicki and Declan Brown, so Alex Leszczynski was given his first start since signing from South Hobart.

Ironically, it was former Clarence players that did most of the damage for Knights.  Nick Naden, Callum Brown and Jake Stuart were all Clarence players once.

Photo:  Nick Naden completes his hat-trick [PlessPix]

Naden started the deluge when he netted in the 18^th minute from Callum Brown’s low cross from the right.

A clever goal by Naden in the 23^rd minute made it 2-0.  He flicked the ball over the advancing keeper Matthew Dyson and then rolled it into an empty net.

Leszczynski scored his first goal for the club in what was his second appearance when, in the 25^th minute, he picked up a pass from Alex Bellini and fired home to make it 3-0.

Callum Brown added the fourth in the 41^st minute, while Leszczynski completed his brace 2 minutes before the interval to make it 5-0 at half-time.

Seven minutes after the resumption, Callum Brown rounded the goalkeeper and stroked the ball home for an easy sixth for his side.

Five minutes later, he completed his hat-trick by outplaying Jeremy Price and scoring to make it 7-0.

Photo:  Knights' Sam James tackles Clarence's Ganga Mangar [PlessPix]

Substitute Jake Stuart drove home from the edge of the box in the 66^th minute to take the score to 8-0 and double figures were a distinct possibility at that stage.

Urged on by the Knights supporters behind the goal, Knights continued to press and substitute Ryan Backhouse, who had joined the club from Hobart Zebras, added the ninth goal 6 minutes from the end.

Naden completed his hat-trick and rounded off the scoring in the 86^th minute with a superb bending shot that beat Dyson and lodged inside the far right-hand post.

It could have been more, but Knights twice hit the woodwork.

It was a bad night for Eastern Shore footballers.  On the adjacent Aussie Rules ground at the same time as this match, Clarence were receiving a thrashing at the hands of Glenorchy, who were celebrating their 100^th anniversary.

Photo:  Clarence footballers and Clarence Aussie Rules players warm up on adjacent grounds [PlessPix]