Warriors travel to Valley Road with something to prove against Devonport

Photo:  Olympia general manager Sarah Black confirmed the club would appeal the deduction of points [PlessPix]

Second-placed Olympia Warriors go into Saturday’s NPL Tasmania game against leaders Devonport City away at Valley Road at 2.15pm with a huge cloud over their heads.

The Warriors have been deducted 3 points for fielding an ineligible player in last Friday’s 3-1 home win over third-ranked South Hobart at Warrior Park.

Another club complained that Olympia captain Lucas Hill played when he should have been suspended for accumulating too many yellow cards and, after investigating, Football Tasmania overturned the match result and awarded South Hobart the 3 points on a forfeit.

Olympia are appealing the ruling but go into Saturday’s game minus the 3 points.

Hill will not play, but defender Paul Stevens has been ruled fit after an earlier injury scare.

Photo:  Rob Clarke, Olympia's coach, said his players would be fired up for the showdown with Devonport [PlesssPix]

Olympia coach, Rob Clarke, said Stevens had hyper-extended a knee, but the injury was not as serious as first thought.

Jake Vandermey or Jonathon Ladic are available to replace Hill.

Vandermey has made appearances off the substitutes’ bench in recent games, while Ladic returns to the squad after being unavailable for the match against South Hobart because he was interstate.

Clarke said his team were hyped up after the Football Tasmania decision and were keen to come away from Valley Road with 3 points.

Devonport are expected to be at full strength and home-ground advantage could play a factor in the outcome.

South Hobart will meet Launceston City at South Hobart Oval at 2pm on Saturday in a game that has been brought forward from later in the season.

South Hobart have re-signed former midfielder Kobe Kemp from Caroline Springs George Cross in Victoria.

City beat Kingborough 2-0 at Lightwood park last weekend and showed they could be a threat to South.

Fourth-placed Hobart Zebras will me missing the suspended Jan Charuza and Riley Dillon for their away game against bottom-side Clarence United at Wentworth Park at 4.30pm on Saturday.

They will also miss Japanese defender Ryu Yonezawa, who has returned to Japan.

In addition, Luke Huisgloot is out because of an injured foot, while Jordan Muller has an injured groin and will not play.

Coming into the squad will be Chase Clark, Sam Jones, Alex Smith, Arthur Wilson and Sam Plunkett-Smith.

“We are fortunate to have Henry Fagg, Dwayne Walsh and Adam McKeown, who will step in to replace a number of those missing, but it will also give us an opportunity to provide starting opportunities to two teenagers,” Smith said.

“We want to give a number of our Challenge and Under 16-18 boys an opportunity to show where they are at over the next 7 weeks.

“Losing 5 players from the starting-eleven from previous week is a nightmare, but we need to manage this and be positive, believing in the guys we bring in, which is a great challenge for all of us.  

Zebras should be much too strong for Clarence, who did well in going down by just 2-0 last weekend away to second-last Riverside Olympic.

Riverside Olympic host Glenorchy Knights at 2.15pm at Windsor Park in Launceston on Saturday.

Knights have been hugely disappointing in recent games and will need to produce a form reversal to come away with even a point.

Thomas Bellini is fit again after injury and should be included in the Knights squad.