Monday, October 5, 2020

Devonport virtually wrap up the title as Knights falter


Photo:  Olympia's Nick Mearns in possession as Devonport's Eddie Bidwell moves in [PlessPix]

Devonport City are almost certain to retain their NPL Tasmania title after beating Olympia Warriors 2-1 away at Warrior Park last Saturday.

Devonport now lead second-placed Glenorchy Knights by 6 points after the Knights were held to a 1-1 draw at home at KGV Park by South Hobart.

There are three games remaining and Devonport would have to lose two of those and Knights win all three of their games for the Knights to have any chance of usurping the crown.

It just isn’t going to happen.

Photo:  Brody Denehey brings down Olympia's Loic Feral [PlessPix]

While the rest of the field have a change of fortunes virtually week by week, Devonport are consistent performers and continue to win games.

They aren’t setting the world on fire with their performances, but any win is worth 3 points.

On Saturday, Devonport fell behind to an early goal by Callum Brown, who fired home from the right after a cross by former Devonport player Adam Gorrie, who had been released down the right by Nick Mearns.

Devonport equalised just 4 minutes later because of atrocious Olympia defending and a stroke of luck for Devonport.  Lucas Hill and goalkeeper Darby Randall both left the ball for the other and Brody Denehey poked the ball towards goal.  By the time Randall recovered his ground, he could only snatch the ball away after it had already crossed the line.  Untidy, but a goal nevertheless.

Photo:  Olympia's new president, George Verrios, at Saturday's game [PlessPix]

Callum Brown was mighty unlucky when he crashed a shot against the Devonport crossbar.

Devonport introduced Harry Crocker just past the hour mark and he grabbed their winner in the 66th minute, heading home powerfully at the far right-hand post when Joel Stone picked him out with a perfectly floated free-kick.

Devonport brought on Miles Barnard near the end and he almost scored with his first touch, but as has so often been the case this season, 2-1 was enough for the champions to triumph.

Photo:  Devonport's Joel Stone with Olympia's Loic Feral hot on his heels.  It was Stone's excellent free-kick which provided Harry Crocker with the winner. [PlessPix]

Knights and South Hobart slugged it out in a goalless and boring first-half at KGV Park and it wasn’t until the 77th minute that South took a shock lead.

Substitute Sam Berezansky’s corner from the right was cleared back to him, and when he pumped the ball back in, Kobe Kemp headed past Lachlan Hart to give the visitors the lead.

Two minutes later, a long pass from defence by Tyler Harrison put Jack Bowman away down the right and his perfect centre was met by Alex Walter, who headed powerfully past Mark Moncur to make it 1-1.

Photo:  A dinosaur supporting the Knights races around the pitch like a WWII Sherman tank, but the assistant referee seems oblivious to the danger as he concentrates on the game [PlessPix]

Photo:  Knights' Connor Schmidt produces one of his trademark bread-and-butter tackles to eliminate the threat posed by South Hobart's Kasper Hallam [PlessPix] 


Photo:  No, it's not a game of Rugby.  Alex Walter, with the ball under his arm, races back for the kick-off after he had equalised. [PlessPix]

That’s how it stayed and the Knights knew they’d blown it.  They’d dropped 2 points rather than gained one.

Launceston City gained their first league win when they downed Riverside Olympic 3-1 in a bottom-of-the-table clash at Windsor Park.

The result kept Launceston City in last placed, but they are now just a point adrift of second-last Riverside.

Sam Ridgard and Noah Mies gave City a 2-0 lead at the interval, but Nils Sanz pulled a goal back with a penalty midway through the second half.

Ridgard completed his brace when he hit City’s winner 8 minutes from the end.

City had goalkeeper Lachlan Clark sent off in stoppage time.

Photo:  Clarence Zebras' Luke Huigsloot (left) slices the ball away from Kingborough's Phil Kantzos [PlessPix]

Kingborough Lions United moved into third place when they handed out a 5-2 hiding to Clarence Zebras at Lightwood Park.

Jack Martin netted twice and Danny Cowen once to give Kingborough a 3-0 lead by the 19th minute,

Ryan Cook’s free-kick that went in off the base of the far left-hand post in the 29th minute made it 3-1 at the break.

It could have been closer, but Jayden Hey had a penalty saved by Kingborough keeper Jake Hayers.

Photo:  Luke Huigsloot and Adam McKeown were once team-mates.  Here they are on opposing sides vying for a header. [PlessPix]

A brilliant and clever free-kick by Keenan Douce a minute after the resumption gave the home side a 4-1 lead.

When Luke Huigsloot lobbed the keeper in the 67th minute, it seemed as if it could be game on, but Clarence Zebras were unable to score again.

Joel Sammut struck Kingborough’s fifth in stoppage time to give the Lions a comfortable 5-2 win.

Photo:  Kingborough's Kenneth Trac is in possession but he is a very isolated figure and surrounded by Clarence Zebras opponents [PlessPix]

NPL Tasmania Round 11 results:

Olympia Warriors 1 (C Brown 9) lost to Devonport City 2 (B Denehey 13. H Crocker 66)

Riverside Olympic 1 (N Sanz 68 pen) lost to Launceston City 3 (S Ridgard 18, 82, N Mies 24)

Glenorchy Knights 1 (A Walter 79) drew with South Hobart 1 (K Kemp 77)

Kingborough Lions United 5 (J Martin 11. 15, D Cowen 19, K Douce 46, J Sammut 91) beat Clarence Zebras 2 (R Cook 29, L Huigsloot 67)

Photo:  Olympia's Callum Brown heads at goal against Devonport [PlessPix]

NPL Tasmania Standings (As at 3 October 2020)

TEAM
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
Devonport City
11
10
1
0
21
7
31
Glenorchy Knights
11
8
1
2
30
9
25
Kingborough Lions
11
5
3
3
21
26
18
Olympia Warriors
11
5
1
5
26
21
16
South Hobart
11
5
1
5
21
21
16
Clarence Zebras
11
3
2
6
17
25
11
Riverside Olympic
11
1
2
8
13
28
5
Launceston City
11
1
1
9
13
25
4

Photo:  Clarence Zebras' Matthew Pace accelerates away from Kingborough's Simon Vivarelli [PlessPix]

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think young Berezansky has been stiff starting on the bench instead of Andy. He has been more of a threat and Andy came off Wednesday night in the laka cup and looked injured and only last 20 minutes against Knights.

Anonymous said...

It's not going to happen, Walter.... but if Devonport lost their next two and Knights won their next two, wouldn't a draw be enough for the Knights on goal difference in the last round against Port?

Walter said...

It would, indeed, but it isn't going to happen.

Anonymous said...

Look the league has being poorly promoted apart from yourself Walter and is going thru the motion's very much like FFT .

Anonymous said...

Surely at these times we find ourselves in Ft would be promoting the Southern Champ as the closeness of the competition just to give something. Even if it's to pat themselves on the back. There needs to be publicity about the next 5-6 weeks.
The way clubs were in limbo before late Monday was an embarrassment as nobody really knew what was happening how would it effect clubs points etc.
I really do wonder how these people at Grove Rd can keep their job.

Anonymous said...

Oh for the days of Boulos/kalis, were dreamteam in terms of admin. management. Aint goin to happen of course. be nice if clubs at least lobbied for a new broom as comp. manager.