Monday, July 15, 2019

Zebras fail to take third spot by losing to South Hobart


Photo:  Zebras keeper Sam Whatman punches the ball away while challenged by South Hobart's Loic Feral [PlessPix]

(NPL Tasmania, South Hobart Oval, Sunday, 14 July 2019)

South Hobart 2 (N Morton 45, K Hallam 67)
Hobart Zebras 0

HT:  1-0   Att:  120   Ref:  C White

South Hobart:  Wright  -  Gorrie, Bowman, Thomas, Herweynen  -  Lakosejac, Feral, Morton  -  Walter, Hamlett, Berezansky  (Subs:  K Brown, Desouza, Foley, Hallam, Ludford)

Hobart Zebras:  Whatman  -  Dillon, Charuza, Little, Hey  -  Pace, Yonezawa, Huigsloot, Muller  -  Edwards, Sanders  (Subs:  Ackerley, Reid, Clark, Fagg, Walsh)

Photo:  Zebras keeper Sam Whatman dives and turns Nick Morton's free-kick wide [PlessPix]

South Hobart held on to third place on the NPL Tasmania standings with this comfortable 2-0 win over fourth-placed Hobart Zebras at South Hobart Oval.

The home side also struck the woodwork twice.

Ben Hamlett missed an absolute sitter in the first half when Nick Morton’s lob came back off the bar and fell to Hamlett’s feet.  The striker was so surprised, he struck the ball wide of the far right-hand post when it seemed easier to score.

South Hobart, who had Graeme Wright in goal instead of youngster Kieran Brown, took the lead on the stroke of half-time.  Sam Berezansky crossed from the right and Morton outjumped Riley Dillon to plant a header past Zebras keeper Sam Whatman.

Alex Walter made his first appearance for South Hobart after a lengthy spell through injury and he and Berezansky tormented Zebras on the wings, switching sides midway through the opening half.

Photo:  Nick Morton powers a header past a leaping Zebras keeper Sam Whatman [PlessPix]

Hamlett also fired against the base of Zebras’ right-hand post and the lurking Bradley Lakoseljac was unable to get to the loose ball to punish the Zebras defence.

Midway through the second half, substitute Kasper Hallam made it 2-0 when he attacked down the right and cut inside before placing a low shot beyond Whatman and inside the far left-hand upright.

Hallam limped off seconds before the final whistle with a foot injury after being cut down from behind on the edge of his own penalty area by Mathew Sanders, who was immediately shown a yellow card by Mr White.

Photo:  South Hobart's Tobias Herweynen cannot stop Zebras' Nicky Edwards from crossing the ball [PlessPix]

South Hobart coach, Ken Morton, said:

“I was happy today.  I thought we performed very well from the off,  We got about the pitch well and we closed spaces down and when we got on the ball we moved it about well.

“I think it was a very competent performance and I think we had chances to win by more.”

Photo:  Zebras defend a South Hobart corner [PlessPix]

Hobart Zebras coach, David Smith, said:

“Pretty disappointing.  Even though we were second-best for most of the game, I actually thought we were still in it.  Until we conceded the second one, I thought we got on top.

“We’re just not good enough.  We’re not good enough because we can’t keep the ball long enough and we’re not looking to play through midfield.  We turn the ball over too much.

“Poor coaching.  It’s down to me.  Basically, I’m trying to do something and it’s not working. It’s obviously poor coaching.  I’m not blaming the players.  I put them out there and I put the formation out there and I ask them to play a certain way.

“We tried changing it at half-time and we get a few different results but we conceded a soppy goal.  We’ve got people doing their own thing again.”

Photo:  South Hobart's Alex Walter (right) shoots narrowly wide [PlessPix] 

Photo:  Zebras players appeal for a handball against South Hobart defender Jack Bowman [PlessPix]

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Funny comments.
Contradicting a bit.

“I’m not blaming the players. I put them out there and I put the formation out there and I ask them to play a certain way.

“We’ve got people doing their own thing again.”

Which one is it?

Anonymous said...

That's the second time in as many weeks that the zebras coach has said that the players are doing their own thing on the pitch. It sounds to me like he may have lost the dressing room. History would suggest that this is terminal to his tenure.

Anonymous said...

bring markaj back

Anonymous said...

Zebras were very poor yesterday plain and simple

Anonymous said...

7.33 they have been poor for many years now.
Not just yesterday.

Mr Darcy said...

Sth v zebras Sunday afternoon Darcy street., ... used to mean intensity at the very least!
It was not there last Sunday.
Maybe it's the pink strip.
Seriously, on a general point.. do clubs have to ware an away strip even if there normal strip doesn't resemble the home sides?
It serves as merchandising in the big leagues ..but here?

Anonymous said...

Zebras were uninspiring even in their warm up before the game.
No intensity in what they were doing. They seemed disinterested.
You could heart Souths players shouting and encouraging each other as soon as that stepped out.
Their exercises / drills were intensive and with purpose.
Zebras must have all fallen asleep when they went back into the rooms
after the warm up. That must have been why they were late coming out .

Anonymous said...

So what is the problem at Zebras ?
We cant blame Smithy in his first year at the helm and also back in the state, things have been put into place that have caused this problem over the past ten years, shall we break it down !!!

last title 2007 or similar - back then mixed team of ages and experience with good youth coming through.

Since then - bad coaching appointments across the top two / three tiers which failed to develop youth and retain experience.

This leads to desperate measures to find quick fixes eg: constant changing of coaches, Lapolla - Freddy - Dohonahue - Gabby - Hey - Savill - Fotak - Tie (did I miss any??) -Harrison..

Then large injections of $$$$$$$$ to buy a team ..... = drop in culture / belief from local players etc etc.

What has been the constant over this time ? = President / some committee...

They make the appointments, they decide the direction of the club , only a positive business plan which allows time to build a youth system and build a culture which doesn't rely on $$$ to fix everything will turn this sinking ship around.. Honestly I recon if the club stick with Dave and allow him to build that it will be ok (maybe get him to stop bagging the players !!) and most importantly identify some new fresh coaches to help Dave with the underpinning sides eg; challenge(reserves) & 18s as no disrespect personally to Enzo and Co but they just are not up to improving things at zebras..

Just ideas

Anonymous said...

Would not be surprised if most of the challenge team are gone by seasons end, many good young players gone already, simply because of the lack of interest from both club and senior coach.
How can Enzo run an effective coaching session with 6 to 8 players.
NOT GOOD ENOUGH ZEBRAS

Anonymous said...

Anon 5.29. The question is why are they only getting 6-8 to training sessions?
That may be where the issue is.

Anonymous said...

Gee David Smith is just what zebras need the people on here bagging him out he has upset you no longer in charge of the website ,And all the juniors accepted it and keep shooting away the committee are fantastic people stop destroying everything you touch .

YOU CANT CONTROL EVERYTHING !

Anonymous said...

Kingborough gets blamed for being a "family club", what's Zebras excuse?

Anonymous said...

David Smith is exactly what zebras need. He doesn't mess around and is honest. You can't expect things to turn around instantly but it will happen. Alot of talent needed to be competitive as his current squad is not up to it

Anonymous said...

10.30 am. Boro the family club?
More like the social family unprofessional club
Please don’t compare them with Zebras

Anonymous said...

8.51 am. Can you please translate into English?