Sunday, February 28, 2021

Long trip to Hobart worthwhile for Launceston City

Photo:  Launceston City's Lithuanian import, Gediminas Krusa (right), who has 19 caps for the Lithuanian national Under-19 team, tries to keep pave with Clarence Zebras' Alex Smith. [PlessPix]
 

Launceston City pulled off a major surprise on Saturday when they beat Clarence Zebras 3-2 away at KGV Park in the NPL Summer Cup series.

City had lost 9-0 the previous weekend to Olympia Warriors and, although Clarence Zebras arent the best team in town, they were expected to have the measure of the northerners.

It didnt turn out that way and the warning signs were there for the home side when the visitors from Launceston took the lead in the 4th minute through a penalty.  Daniel Smith got into the box and was brought down and Gediminas Krusa slotted home the spot-kick to the right of keeper Joshua Jones.

Riley Dillon showed his talents as a striker when he equalised in the 10th minute.  He ran onto a pass down the inside-left channel and beat keeper Lachlan Clark to the ball and prodded it home inside the far right-hand post, despite a desperate attempt by Jacob Horton to keep it out.

Dillon struck again 3 minutes later when he beat Matthew Oh and fired home from the edge of the box to give Clarence Zebras the lead.

City continued to press and Smith shot wide as the half drew to a close.

Photo:  Clarence Zebras keeper Joshua Jones rushes out to clear [PlessPix]
 

City equalised in bizarre fashion in the 57th minute when Clarence Zebras goalkeeper Joshua Jones allowed a harmless looking cross-cum-shot from Yasin Mohammadi to slither through his legs and over the line.

City made it 3-2 in the 76th minute when Mohammadis free-kick from an acute angle and wide on the right somehow found its way through a crowded penalty area and into the net.

The result was a bitter blow for Clarence Zebras, but it offered a ray of hope for the season for Launceston City.

Clarence Zebras are reported to be awaiting the arrival of a talented midfielder from Sydney.

Glenorchy Knights were untroubled in downing Riverside Olympic 3-1 away at Windsor Park through goals by Alex Walter, Nick Naden and Eli Luttmer.  William Humphrey netted Riversides consolation goal.

Kingborough Lions United thrashed Olympia Warriors 6-0 at Lightwood Park, but it would be hasty to read too much into this result as the Lions often flatter only to deceive.

Photo:  Eagles' Andy Clark and Jacob Clamp conspire to thwart South East United's Ethan Griggs. [PlessPix]
 

In the Southern Championship Summer Cup, New Town White Eagles scraped home 2-1 against a South East United side that did not make the most of their chances.

Patrick Quinlan might have scored for South East United as early as the 10th minute, but he fired across the face of goal when well-positioned on the left.

Five minutes later, skipper Nick Zammit also let Eagles off the hook when did the same as his team-mate, but this time from the right.

Eagles hit the front in the 19th minute when Toby Butler was fouled wide on the left and just outside the corner of the box.  Butler took the free-kick and found the net to make it 1-0 for Eagles.

South East United squandered another chance in the 21st minute when Rommy Moynihan skewed his shot wide from the right.

Photo:  Eagles' Paul Palmer can only watch as the ball goes wide. [PlessPix]
 

Sam Leszczynski made it 2-0 for Eagles in the 57th minute, while Nicholas Rolands goal for South East United 20 minutes from the end was too little and too late.

The match ended with South East United having two more good chances, but they unable to beat keeper Mitch Stalker, who produced one excellent save in these closing exchanges.

In other Championship games, University gave Metro a 7-1 hiding away at North Chigwell, South Hobart beat Taroona 1-0, and Olympia Warriors downed Clarence Zebras by the same margin.

In the Womens Summer Cup, there was another mammoth scored as Clarence Zebras annihilated New Town White Eagles 15-0 at KGV Park.  The Eagles girls never stopped trying, but its going to a long season for Shane Revells side.

Olympia Warriors accounted for Glenorchy Knights 4-0, while Kingborough Lions United beat South Hobart 4-1.

Photo:  Eagles' Jamie Vernon clears despite the efforts of South East United skipper Nicholas Zammit. [PlessPix]
 

Saturday, February 27, 2021

Summer Cup results - Saturday, 27 February 2021

Photo:  Clarence Zebras' Riley Dillon gets a shot past Launceston City's Matthew Oh to equalise at 1-1. [PlessPix]
 

NPL Summer Cup

Clarence Zebras 2 (R Dillon 10, 13) lost to Launceston City 3 (G Krusa 4 pen, Y Mohammadi 57, 76)

Riverside Olympic 1 (W Humphrey) lost to Glenorchy Knights 3 (N Naden, E Luttmer, A Walter)

Kingborough Lions United 6-0 Olympia Warriors

Photo:  Eagles' Sam Leszczynski gets a shot past South East United keeper Simon McGuire [PlessPix]
 

Southern Championship Summer Cup

New Town White Eagles 2 (T Butler 18, S Leszczynski 57) beat South East United 1 (N Roland 70)

Metro 1-7 University

South Hobart 1-0 Taroona

Olympia Warriors 1-0 Clarence Zebras

Photo:  Clarence Zebras' Matthew Pace zooms past Launceston City's Mason Gardner [PlessPix]
 

Women’s Summer Cup

Clarence Zebras 15-0 New Town White Eagles

Olympia Warriors 4-0 Glenorchy Knights

Kingborough Lions United 4-1 South Hobart

Photo:  Eagles' David Cox (right) tries to make up ground as South East United's Nicholas Roland  attacks [PlessPix] 

Photo:  Clarence Zebras' Dwayne Walsh sends Launceston City's Nicholas Thorne tumbling [PlessPix]

Photo:  South East United goalkeeper Simon McGuire saves at the feet of Eagles' Sam Leszczynski [PlessPix]

Friday, February 26, 2021

Beachside and Hobart United win under a full moon at KGV Park

Photo:  Kingborough's Vincent Turner flies through the air to stop a Beachside attack [PlessPix]

Kingborough Lions United and Beachside played out a goalless draw in their Championship Summer Cup match at KGV Park tonight.

The Lions threatened early and only a brilliant save by Beachside keeper Robert Wilson in the 4th minute saved Beachside from falling behind.  Regan Andrews controlled the ball on the edge of the 6-yard box and flicked it over his shoulder and goalwards, but Wilson dived to his right and turned the ball wide for a fruitless corner.

In the 9th minute, A Kingborough attack down the left saw Vincent Kamano in with a chance but he placed his shot across the face of goal when he probably should have found the net.

Photo:  Beachside's Ash Fisher blocks a shot by the Lions' Alon Coutinho [PlessPix]

Wilson did well in the 9th minute to hold a powerful shot by Oliver James.

In the 33rd minute, Liam Toselli forced a good save from Kingborough keeper Tate Kingston, who dived to his left to turn the ball wide.

Five minutes before the interval, George Richards had a chance for Beachside, but he blazed wide of the right-hand post.

Photo:  Kingborough's Callum Ellis gets past a Beachside defender [PlessPix]

The second half was just 4 minutes old when Thomas Deane squandered a glorious chance for Beachside.  The substitute found himself through on goal and on-side, but placed the ball wide of the right-hand post with only the goalkeeper to beat.  He may have been put off when there was a suspicion of off-side, but the flag did not go up and had he scored the goal would have stood.

Kingborough replaced goalkeeper Kingston with Sheku Kamara half-way through the second period and Kamara was almost immediately called into action and saved brilliantly from Deane, who had been out through by Joel Schuth.

With the game goalless after 90 minutes, a penalty shoot-out was needed to separate the sides and Beachside won this 5-4.

Deane, Angus Bird, Toselli, Dylan Maxwell and Jonathan Fewkes all netted their spot-kicks for Beachside, while James, Joseph Davis, Wesley King and Vincent Turner scored for the Lions before Wilson saved Alon Coutinho’s effort to Give Beachside the bonus point.

Photo:  Oliver James scores Kingborough's first penalty [PlessPix]

Hobart United overcame Glenorchy Knights 3-2 in the evening’s other fixture.

United appeared to be cruising with half an hour gone as they led 2-0 through a free-kick by John Buga after just 3 minutes and a strike by Shartiel Tuyishime in the 29th minute.

Photo:  Hobart United put pressure on the Knights under a full moon [PlessPix]
 

Knights got back into the game just before the break when Aaron Marney set up Daniel Goodluck for a goal to make it 2-1.

Buga completed his brace and, although Nicholas Devereux pulled another goal back for the Knights, it was Hobart United who squeezed home 3-2.

Photo:  Action from the Knights versus Hobart United game [PlessPix]