Mammoth scores the order of the day in Saturday Summer Cup action

Photo:  Ben Hamlett goes down after a slight brush from Clarence Zebras' Ryan Cook [PlessPix]
 

The NPL Summer Cup competition kicked off on Saturday with some huge scores, which puts a question mark over the standard of the top-flight league competition this season.

Launceston City and Riverside Olympic do not look competitive, I’m afraid, if their score-lines are anything to go by.

Olympia Warriors slaughtered the visiting Launceston City 9-0 at Warrior Park after leading 4-0 at the interval.

Defender Jake Vandermey, playing at centre-forward in this match, netted a hat-trick before the break, including one penalty, while Joel Sammut grabbed the other.

Photo:  Olympia's Jake Vandermey (No.4) completes his hat-trick [PlessPix]
 

Jake Thompson made it 5-0 just after the resumption.

Enter substitute Warren Wadawu.  He scored four goals in 10 minutes to out City to the sword.

It was a remarkable performance characterised by good passes from team-mates to set up the chances and clinical finishing by Wadawu.

City’s substitute keeper, Ari Johnson, who had replaced Lachlan Clark early in the second half, didn’t know what hit him.

City’s best chance came when Daniel Smith was put through on goal but, with only the keeper to beat, he fired wide while under no pressure.

Photo:  Olympia's Jake Thompson (No.9) scores against Launceston City [PlessPix]
 

Riverside Olympic were outclassed by South Hobart and succumbed 8-1 at South Hobart Oval.

Kasper Hallam was in outstanding form and netted four goals.

South’s other goals came from Bradley Lakoseljac, Sam Berezansky, Alex Brown and Jacob Lancaster.

William Humphrey scored Riverside’s consolation goal from a penalty.

Kingborough Lions United beat Clarence Zebras 2-1 after leading 2-0 at half-time, but they almost threw it away.

Clarence Zebras almost scored in the opening minute through Riley Dillon, but it was almost one-way traffic for the Lions after that in the opening half.

Photo:  The Lions' Ben Hamlett  tries to stop Clarence Zebras' Ryan Cook [PlessPix]
 

The Lions took the lead in the 12^th minute through a Kobe Kemp spot-kick after Ben Hamlett went down rather easily from a tame challenge by Ryan Cook.

Clarence Zebras had been under the pump by that stage, however, and Kingborough hit the woodwork when they should have scored in a goalmouth scrimmage.

Hamlett made it 2-0 in the 38^th minute after Clarence Zebras goalkeeper Joshua Jones struggled to get the ball clear and Hamlett fired under him and into the net.

It was a different story in the second half and although Thomas Backhouse pulled a goal back for Clarence Zebras and Dillon hit the woodwork, the equaliser just would not come.

Photo:  Clarence Zebras keeper Joshua Jones punches clear [PlessPix]
 

In the Southern Championship Summer Cup, Sam Leszczynski hit a hat-trick as New Town White Eagles overran home side Kingborought Lions United on a magnificent pitch at Lightwood Park.

Toby Butler, who switched from right-fullback to left-midfield in the second half, also scored.

Ben Whitehall had given Eagles the lead in the 10^th minute when he collected a long diagonal pass from the left by Jamie Vernon and cut inside before shooting.

Photo:  It's easy to see what led to this altercation because Eagles' Sam Leszczynski could not be happy about where the Lions goalkeeper has planted his boot. [PlessPix]
 

Taroona came away from Warrior Park with a 3-2 win over hosts Olympia Warriors, while South Hobart caused a surprise by downing University 2-1 away at Olinda Grove.

Glenorchy Knights beat South East United 5-0 at Sorell’s Pembroke Park.

In the Women’s Summer Cup, Laura Davis bagged 8 goals as Kingborough Lions United gave newcomers New Town White Eagles a horrific  baptism of fire at Lightwood Park with a 16-0 win.

Taroona beat Glenorchy Knights 7-0 and Clarence Zebras overcame South Hobart 4-1.

 

Photo:  It's a three-way tie in this chase for the ball [PlessPix]