Toothless Lions really were the underdogs

Photo:  South Hobart's new signing Guilherme de Souza (right) gives a sign of approval as he warms up and his team-mates celebrate a goal [PlessPix]

(NPL Tasmania, KGV Park, Sunday, 16 August 2020)

South Hobart 5 (N Morton 44, S Berezansky 45, S Tooze 49, K Kemp 60, B Lakoseljac 88)

Kingborough Lions United 0

HT:  2-0   Att:  150   Ref:  B Kopra

South Hobart:  Reid  -  Herweynen, Foley, Kibler, Larby  -  Kemp  -  Lakoseljac, N Morton  -  Hallam, Tooze, Berezansky  (Subs:  de Souza, Divin, Eugster, Mocur, R Morton)

Kingborough Lions United:  Mackie  -  Douce, Bighin, Cowen, Sammut  -  Bryan, Vivarelli, Downes, Trac  -  Kantzos, McKeown  (Subs:  Gates, Hayers, Kipnis, Martin, V Turner)

Photo:  Kingborough's Davis Bryan tries to elude South Hobart's Bradley Lakoseljac [PlessPix]

Kingborough Lions United may just have found their level.

The Lions had made an excellent start to the league season with three wins and a draw from their five outings to be second on the standings.

They were found out on Sunday, however, in a game that was switched from South Hobart Oval to the artificial surface of KGV Park because of the heavy rain.

South Hobart had made a slow start to their league campaign, but they are now starting to hit form and with a couple of players still to come in, they are beginning to look formidable.

Andy Brennan was injured and did not play, while new signing Guilherme de Souza came on as a late substitute but is sure to feature regularly.

Photo:  South Hobart's defensive midfielder and captain Kobe Kemp has the measure of Kingborough's Adam McKeown [PlessPix]

Nathan Reid finally got his chance in goal and he capped a tidy debut by saving Keenan Douce’s penalty on stoppage time at the end of the game.

South Hobart were the better side from the start as they dominated possession and had the most attacks.

But, they had to wait for almost the entire first half before taking the lead.

In the 44^th minute, Nick Morton went on a long run down the left and, after playing a one-two with Sam Tooze, he continued to the edge of the box before cheekily chipping Lee Mackie for the opening goal.

Photo:  South Hobart's Ewan Larby thwarts Kingborough's Chris Downes [PlessPix]

A minute later, Sam Berezansky was put away down the left by Ewan Larby and he beat Mackie with a chip to send South Hobart into the half-time break 2-0 ahead and with their confidence high.

Four minutes after the resumption, Tooze attacked down the left and was upended just as he got a toe to the ball and it carried over the line to make it 3-0.

A Berezansky corner from the left on the hour was headed powerfully home by Kobe Kemp to give South Hobart an unassailable 4-0 lead.

Two minutes from the end of regulation time, Nick Morton’s chip from the left to the far post was hammered home by Bradley Lakoseljac for South Hobart’s fifth goal.

Photo:  South Hobart's Kasper Hallam (left) battles for possession with Kingborough's Joel Sammut [PlessPix]

A foul on the advancing Keenan Douce in stoppage time earned Kingborough a penalty, but Reid dived to his left and turned the ball wide of the post to keep a clean sheet and South Hobart’s lead intact.

South Hobart’s performance showed genuine potential and they should at least finish in the top-four.

The Lions were disappointing and found it difficult to launch meaningful attacks, while their defence was reasonably solid in the centre but ragged on the flanks.

Kenneth Trac provided some speed down the left early on but nothing came of his crosses and he gradually dropped deeper and deeper and the danger was gone.

Kingborough coach Jez Kenth predicted that his side would start as underdogs.  He was right on the money.

Photo:  South Hobart clear a cross into the box by Kingborough [PlessPix]

Photo:  Sam Tooze falls under a challenge from Keenan Douce, but his touch was enough to carry the ball over the line.  A Kingborough defender may have got the final touch, but referee Mr Kopra awarded the goal to Tooze. [PlessPix]