Next weekend’s Lakoseljac Cup Final will be between Glenorchy Knights and Olympia Warriors.
Knights beat South Hobart 3-2 in Saturday’s semi-final at KGV Park, while Olympia Warriors crushed Launceston City 7-0 in the other semi-final at Warrior Park on Sunday.
The Knights had the more difficult passage into the final as they had to overcome a determined South Hobart outfit.
Knights made a good start when Joffrey N’Koso put them in the front after just 11 minutes. South Hobart defender Reilly Morton played a suicidal pass straight to N’Koso on the edge of the box and the tricky attacker skipped around the advancing goalkeeper Marl Moncur before unleashing a ferocious shot into the roof of the net from a difficult angle.
It was 2-0 in the 19th minute when Alex Bellini’s free-kick from the right found Oscar Thomas beyond the far post. Thomas looped a header back across goal and Tom Young nodded it home from close range.
Knights seemed well on their way to victory, but to South Hobart’s credit, they fought their way back into the game.
In the 23rd minute, a corner from the right by Andy Brennan was headed home by Kobe Kemp to reduce the arrears and give South Hobart a psychological boost.
In the 62nd minute, Nick Morton made it 2-2 with a clinical finish into the top left-hand corner of the net and the Knights were teetering on the edge of a precipice.
They upped the tempo, however, and Moncur did well to parry an N’Koso shot and concede a corner in the 64th minute.
The Knights’ pressure told and the excellent Alex Bellini created the winner in the 71st minute with a perfect curling ball out to the right of the box, where Young took the ball on his chest and rounded Moncur and held off a defender before slotting home just before he ran out of space.
South Hobart continued to search for an equaliser in an attempt to take the game into extra-time, but with Jordan Muller combative and strong in midfield and Nick Naden threatening constantly with his runs, Knights held on to qualify for the final.
N’Koso went off with cramp before the end and Muller was replaced by Harry Anderson with 2 minutes to go, but South Hobart were unable to come up with a life-saver.
On Sunday, Olympia Warriors took the lead against Launceston City just before the interval when Ben Hamlett was sandwiched in the box and earned a penalty. Jake Vandermey netted the spot-kick to ease the home side’s tensions.
The Warriors can thank goalkeeper Elliot Hoysted for their lead. Hoysted, who was playing in the absence of Darby Randall, who had work commitments, saved two excellent City chances in the space of a few seconds early in the game. First, he blocked a Sam Ridgard shot from the right, and second later, he turned a fierce effort by Noah Mies onto the crossbar.
Olympia squandered some good chances at the other end as the pace of Declan and Callum Brown and the speed and aggressive play of Ben Hamlett posed problems for the northerners.
A goal-line clearance after Callum Brown had rounded goalkeeper Lachlan Clark saved City at one stage, while Clark was fortunate to be able to continue when he copped a boot to the jaw from Loic Feral.
Rob Gerrard and Ridgard were Olympia’s main tormenters in what was probably their final games for Launceston City before returning home to the UK. Gerrard often posed a danger down the left, but his crosses were wasted by City’s other attackers.
Two goals by Callum Brown early in the second half gave Olympia a 3-0 lead and City went to pieces.
That was despite Clark saving another penalty by Vandermey.
By midway through the second half, City found themselves trailing 5-0 as Adam Gorrie and Declan Brown found the net in quick succession.
The massacre was complete when the Warriors struck through substitutes Austin Yost and Ben Curtis.
City were further demoralised in the final minute when the excellent Hoysted beat out Gerrard’s penalty.
1 comment:
As painful as it is to say this i enjoyed the South v Knights. Knights were great to watch. South just started to slowly. By the time they settled they were playing catch up.
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