Clarence score only their fifth goal of the season but lose 5-1

Photo:  Kingborough keeper Jake Hayers catches the ball in goalmouth action [PlessPix]

(NPL Tasmania, Wentworth Park, Saturday, 13 July 2019)

Clarence United 1 (J Ebini 45)

Kingborough Lions United 5 (B Allan 25, P Kantzos 32, J Brennan 38, N Cuthbertson 63, C Steele 72)

HT:  1-3   Att:  50   Ref: M Piesse

Clarence United:  Downham  -  Lange, Kannegiesser, Price, Ebini  -  Cannamela, Burt, Hatcher, Houston  -  Amani, Hedge  (Subs:  Bremner, S Randall, Reyenga, Smith)

Kingborough Lions United:  Hayers  -  Zammit, Cowen, Cuthbertson, Sammut  -  Brennan, Steele, Kantzos  -  Hall, McDonald, Allan  (Subs:  Gutierrez jr, Mackie, Nugent, Smithies-Sharples, V Turner)

Photo:  Kingborough's Jake Brennan wins a header in the Clarence penalty area [PlessPix]

Two goals in 8 minutes just past the half-way mark of the first half paved the way for Kingborough Lions United’s 5-1 away win over bottom-side Clarence United at Wentworth Park.

Brayton Allan netted in the 22^nd minute, while the speedy Phil Kantzos finished clinically on the half-hour to make it 2-0.

Jake Brennan added Kingborough’s third 7 minutes before the break.

Clarence pulled a goal back on the stroke of half-time when Jackson Ebini headed home Jeremy Price’s free-kick from the left.  It was Clarence’s fifth goal of the season.  By the end of the game, they had conceded 114 goals.

Photo:  Kingborough's Cameron Steele (right) comes up against Clarence skipper Jeremy Price [PlessPix]

Ebini’s goal failed to spark the home side into a revival and the second half was mainly one-way traffic with Kingborough scoring twice more.

In the 63^rd minute, centre-back Nick Cuthbertson threw himself at a losse ball to sweep home Kingborough’s fourth.

In the 72^nd minute, American import Cameron Steele knocked in the visitors’ fifth when he was left unattended at the far left-hand post.

Photo:  Clarence's Jackson Ebini (left) sets himself to head what would be Clarence's fifth goal of the season [PlessPix]

Kingborough’s other American import, Horatio Gutierrez Jr was rested because of a leg injury.  He was included on the bench but did not see action.

The club’s third American import, goalkeeper Kenneth Perkinson, was unavailable as he was in Sydney for a break with his visiting brother.  Youngster Jake Hayers, who took Perkinson’s place in goal for his first NPL appearance of the season, acquitted himself well.

Clarence’s experienced Paul Bremner, available again after a 6-weeks suspension, was on the bench but was not called upon.  He played in Friday night’s Challenge League game against Olympia, scoring in the 6-2 defeat.

Photo:  Clarence's Adam Hedge gets past Kingborough's Tom McDonald but is about to run into Nick Cuthbertson [PlessPix]