Friday, August 28, 2020

The hopes of the rest of the pack rest with the Lions as they tackle leaders Devonport


Photo:  South Hobart's Kobe Kemp smiling at today's media conference.  He is looking forward to taking on Olympia Warriors tomorrow. [PlessPix]

It’s going to be a busy day tomorrow in the NPL Tasmania competition south of Oatlands.

There’s a game at 2.15pm at Lightwood Park, one at KGV Park at 4.30pm, and one in the evening at Warrior Park, which kicks off at 6.30pm.

That’s how it should be.  Football fans and reporters want to be able to attend as many games as possible on a given day.

The day’s programme begins at 2pm at Windsor Park in Launceston, where sixth-placed Riverside Olympic host seventh-ranked Clarence Zebras.

This should be a close tussle and a draw would not surprise, although Riverside’s Nils Sanz could swing things in his side’s favour.

Probably the most important game is at Lightwood Park, where fourth-ranked Kingborough Lions United entertain reigning champions and current ladder-leaders Devonport City.

‘Entertain’ could be the wrong word here as the Lions will be out to contain and overcome Devonport, and it may not be pretty.

At least two of the other top-four teams  -  second-placed Glenorchy Knights and third-ranked South Hobart  -  will be praying for a Kingborough victory because if it doesn’t happen, and if Devonport win, they’ll be hot favourites to retain their crown with half the season gone.

Devonport have not been playing attractive football and they have usually been winning by one-goal margin.  But, hey, if you’re unbeaten and top of the league by 6 points, who’s going to complain?  Winning 3 points is the aim of the game and, ultimately, it doesn’t matter if you do that pretty or ugly.

Kingborough’s defence is a worry.  They were 2-0 down at half-time last week but drew 3-3 with Olympia Warriors after actually leading 3-2 with half an hour to play.

Devonport have the best defence in the league and I doubt that Kingborough will be able to breach it.

Devonport have to come right soon, and this may be the day they score more than one or two goals.

Second-placed Glenorchy Knights should stay on the heels of Devonport by beating bottom-side Launceston City at KGV Park.

The Knights deserve to be second and they could and should have got something out of their trip to Valley Road last weekend, where they lost 1-0 to Devonport.

They should be much too good for City and the Knights strikers may well have a field day.

Olympia parted company with coach Andrew Brown this week and that could work two ways for them against South Hobart.

The ‘new coach syndrome’  -  former coach Rob Clarke will be in charge  -  could work in their favour as players try to impress.

But, it could also work the other way, especially if Clarke rearranges the line-up and adopts new tactics.

Centre-forward Jack Ryan will be playing his final game for Olympia before returning to the UK for family reasons and he will want to go out with a bang and give Olympia’s fans something to remember him by.

His goal scoring ability could be crucial in this clash, and Olympia desperately need a win after starting the season poorly.

Photo:  South Hobart skipper Kobe Kemp at today's media conference [PlessPix]

South Hobart coach Ken Morton is out of hospital and recuperating after gall bladder surgery and South Hobart’s captain, Kobe Kemp, said at today’s media conference that Morton was hoping to be able to attend the game and even take a spot on the coaches’ bench.

Kemp predicted a tough game and said all the players were familiar with each other  -  four Olympia players are from South Hobart  -  and that the contest would be fierce on the field but that’s where the emotions and aggression would stay after the game.

“We know Olympia will come out ready to fire after losing their coach,” Kemp said.  “We have to expect a tough game, as always.

“We’ll just focus on us and make sure we’re ready for the game at hand.

“There’ll be a lot of feeling in it, but it’s all in good faith.

“It’s the big one and we obviously need to win and keep in touch with Devonport and Glenorchy, so we’ll be going out there to win.

“Olympia will be keen to turn things around for them and so they’ll be up for it as well.”

Kemp said the team had missed Ken Morton’s coaching, but his replacements, including Ned and Max Clarke and Harry Rickus, had done a good job, while the leadership group within the team had also held things together.

NPL Tasmania Standings (As at 22 August 2020)

TEAM
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
Devonport City
6
6
0
0
10
3
18
Glenorchy Knights
6
4
0
2
13
7
12
South Hobart
6
4
0
2
12
7
12
Kingborough Lions
6
3
2
1
12
12
11
Olympia Warriors
6
2
1
3
13
12
7
Riverside Olympic
6
1
1
4
8
15
4
Clarence Zebras
6
1
1
4
6
12
4
Launceston City
6
0
1
5
7
13
1

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

The only thing missing on days like today Walter is the ability for a neutral fan like myself to purchase some sort of season pass to make going to the games more economical. Some weeks I’d like to go to several games, other weeks none. The ability to purchase a season pass up front, for around the average cost of $5 per game would be great. This season for example could have been a pass that gets you into up to 14 games for a cost of $70. Each time you go to a game you membership ticket is stamped.
Surely something like this would get more people to games. I know it would get neutrals like me out and about more.

Walter said...

That's a wonderful idea. How about it FT and clubs? Promote our game. Cheers! Walter

Anonymous said...

No Brown's and Ryan leaving. Olympia are stuffed. Good job George.

Anonymous said...

I am not an Olympia fan, however I was impressed with their performance yesterday. The game was at a cracking pace for the full 90 mins. They stayed with South in the 1st half and managed to get on top in the 2nd half. What a season Olympia may have had if they started the season as they played yesterday. Brown's who?