Photo: Olympia concede a penalty as Jake Vandermey and Brayton Allan sandwich Riverside's Fletcher Fulton [PlessPix]
Glenorchy Knights are becoming real challengers for the NPL
Tasmania title.
They swept aside Clarence Zebras 5-2 on Saturday in an
excellent display of attacking football.
The Clarence Zebras defence found Joffrey N’Koso too hot to
handle as his speed and dribbling skills paved the way for Knights’ victory.
Alex Walter used his speed and clever tricks to good
effect, too, as his back-heeler set up Tom Young for a goal. Walter also scored a goal himself.
Photo: Clarence Zebras captain Jayden Hey tries to stop Glenorchy Knights' Jordan Muller [PlessPix]
Tom Young was probably the star for the Knights.
He appeared to be badly injured when he was tackled by Luke
Huigsloot, but after treatment, he returned to the arena and hit a hat-trick
with feet and head.
It was a remarkable recovery for player who was writhing in
agony after clashing knees with the taller and more powerful Clarence Zebras
opponent.
Photo: Tom Young is assessed by Knights' trainer [PlessPix]
The Knights also showed the commendable quality of being
able to bounce back from set-backs.
They fell behind to a Matt Pace goal after just 9 minutes. An under-hit pass by Jack Bowman enabled Pace
to gain possession and he evaded a last-ditch tackle by Tyler Harrison before
advancing on goal and beating Lachie Hart.
Nick Naden equalised from close range for Knights in the 32nd
minute when Oscar Thomas, positioned at the far post, nodded N’Koso’s corner
from the left down to his team-mate’s feet.
Knights hit the front in the 37th minute after
an excellent exchange of passes on the left between Alex Bellini and N’Koso
ended with Bellini’s cross from the byeline to the far post, where Young
powered home a header.
Photo: Tom Young wins a header against Luke Huigsloot [PlessPix]
It was 3-1 on the stroke of half-time. N’Koso played the ball forward to Walter in
side the box on the left and his clever and perfectly executed back-heel found
the on-rushing Young, who drove past Clarence Zebras keeper Josh Jones to complete
his brace.
Four minutes into the second half, it was 4-1 as Young
completed his hat-trick. A long ball
forward by right-back Bowman released Walter on the right and his low cross
towards the far post saw Young beat a defender to the ball and smash it home.
Clarence Zebras pulled a goal back in the 51st
minute when an under-strength back-pass by Connor Schmidt put keeper Hart in
all sorts of trouble. Hart failed to
clear and merely played the ball into the path of Jake Thompson, who ran it
into the net despite a desperate attempt by Thomas to prevent a goal..
In the 71st minute, Riley Dillon’s lazy
back-pass found Alex Walter instead of team-mate Jeremy Price and Walter was
untroubled in advancing on goal and firing past Jones to make the final score
5-2.
Photo: Knights' Alex Bellini evades Jayden Hey [PlessPix]
The Knights showed they have probably the most potent
attack in the league, but they still need to work on their defence as both the
goals they conceded should never have happened.
Knights are third on the table and within striking distance
of leaders Devonport City, who beat the visiting South Hobart 1-0 at Valley
Road through a goal by Eddie Bidwell in the 69th minute.
Kingborough Lions United are second after beating
Launceston City 2-0 at home at Lightwood Park to relegate the visitors to last
place after Olympia Warriors, who had been last, won their first game of the
campaign by downing the visiting Riverside Olympic 5-1 at Warrior Park.
Adam McKeown gave Lions the perfect start with a goal in
the 28th minute, while James Hall netted the second in the 47th
minute.
Launceston City barely mustered a decent attack and with
such a short season ahead they will start have recurring nightmares about a
wooden spoon.
Photo: Olympia's Jack Ryan gives this shot everything he's got [PlessPix]
Olympia Warriors should have scored twice as many goals as
they did against Riverside Olympic, but they were denied by the woodwork twice
and by excellent goalkeeper by Jarrod Hill on at least three occasions.
Jack Ryan produced an incredible miss just after the
resumption, but he netted two penalties late in the game to bag a brace.
Nick Mearns and Declan Brown both scored shortly before the
interval to ease any nerves Olympia may have had about this game.
When Riverside pulled a goal back from a Nils Sanz penalty
20 minutes from the end, the tension at Warrior Park went up a notch.
Photo: Olympia's Nick Mearns gets to a cross first [PlessPix]
Substitute Ben Hamlett scored 2 minutes later to restore
Olympia’s two-goal buffer before Ryan’s two penalties, in the 73rd
and 90th minutes, ensured the Warriors of their first 3 points of the
league season.
I must now raise a point about match scheduling and
question Football Tasmania’s rostering.
Next Sunday, we have the only NPL game to be played on a
Sunday this season when South Hobart host Kingborough Lions United at South
Hobart Oval at 2pm.
All NPL games other than this one are on Saturdays to
ensure that women’s football has the stage to itself on Sundays.
So, what happens next Sunday? The big showdown in women’s football, the
game between Clarence Zebras and Olympia Warriors, is scheduled for Wentworth Park
at 2.30pm.
Those of us who love football would have been quite keen to
see both these games and yet now we have to make a difficult decision. Go figure.
Photo: Riverside Olympic's Tom Prince clears as Olympia's Jack Ryan rushes in [PlessPix]
NPL Tasmania
Standings (As at 8
August 2020)
TEAM
|
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
F
|
A
|
Pts
|
Devonport City
|
4
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
3
|
12
|
Kingborough Lions
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
0
|
9
|
4
|
10
|
Glenorchy Knights
|
4
|
3
|
0
|
1
|
11
|
6
|
9
|
South Hobart
|
4
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
5
|
6
|
6
|
Riverside Olympic
|
4
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
7
|
11
|
4
|
Olympia Warriors
|
4
|
1
|
0
|
3
|
8
|
8
|
3
|
Clarence Zebras
|
4
|
1
|
0
|
3
|
4
|
8
|
3
|
Launceston City
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
4
|
9
|
0
|
See my Goal!Weekly report here: https://www.facebook.com/goalweekly/
20 comments:
Knights should be contenders for the ridiculous amount of money they have spent.
Walter I think the Women's game would be the pick next week.
Have FFT ever being so badly run not for a long time last two leaders below par bigtime .
Tend to agree FFT apart from Tony Peart are lacking even most of their media work is palmed out to ,Ash the FFT people rock up 10 mins before kick off then head home if it wasn't for ash and the camera peoples great work and yourself ?????
Ulverstone WSL play only on Saturday's, hence the swap with WSL and NPL fixtures for South Hobart Oval on the weekend.
Not sure many people in Tasmania saw Andy Brennan making a home debut and Boro being 2nd after 4 rounds 2 months ago when the fixtures were being thrashed out either.
Its steadily gone downhill since John left. He left it in great shape as well.
You might be struggling to see Brennan play on Sunday, anyway. Looks like he went off with a hamstring injury towards the end of the 1st half v Devonport.
anon August 10 6.20am. please tell how much ridiculous money have the Knights spent. you noddy. you obviously have no idea. every one has had to tighten their belts, sponsorship is not what it was, perhaps the players that have gone to the Knights have gone because they where not happy were they where. Perhaps they enjoy a better club culture, they like the coaching systems and methods. it might be to you, but money is not everything. keep silent and let people think you a fool or in your case open your gob and prove it.
FFT have been holding the game back in Tasmania for a long time. You just have to take one look at their website to see what an amateur organisation they are. Then there is the terrible state of KGV, it's embarrassing when mainland teams come down and play on that ground.
Excellent action photos , Walter.
Players talk. You would be best to not try to defend the indefensible when its common knowledge in the football community. It makes you look like a clown.
Lets face it Darcy St are best to be quiet when it comes to payments real quiet .
Love this blog ! Ok here’s my weekend BIG Upset , Zebras Will Beat Devonport , ok now go for it ,
Who is the fool the anonymous person who writes the comments or the people that take it as gospel .
Anon 1.08.
I think there may be more than one ‘ anonymous’’. What do you think?
Since the restart the officiating has been very inconsistent. Serious tackles going unpunished and then cards for the slightest thing of questioning.
It seems that some officials are not up to the standard to the competition they officiate in.
NPL officials being intimidated by players. So much back chat.
Respect should always be in place but unfortunately when officials lose control and the back chat and the abuse starts.
I hope things change soon and I know you can not blame Tony as it's up to the people officiating to get better just like players.
Are there not any NPL officials in the North/North West?
5:18pm
There was a case last week where offside was paid from a throw-in. Figure that one out.
I know of a booking a couple of week ago for a comment. According to this person he was booked for saying :I'm going to tell your auntie on you" as the referee was this persons nephew.
I thought this was bloody funny.
Walter what do you think about the current standard of football at the highest levels in Tasmania? Im also interested on your thoughts of two teams recently who have travelled North with the bare 12-13 due to players not wanting to travel? Where do you see football going in the next 2-3 years here?
Sherman should be Red Carded every week for his circus performances on the sideline but he's continually allowed to perform his act week after week with hardly a stare at him
anonymous aug 13 11.59am Shermans act every week, shows him to be a class act, you have no doubt posted things against him this year and in the past, are you a player who couldn't make the grade or an opposing supporter who is jealous.
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