Kingborough Lions United won the 2021 NPL Summer Cup on Saturday with a comfortable 3-0 win over South Hobart at KGV Park
It had been a long time between drinks for the Lions, who last won the Summer Cup in 2012.
Former South Hobart players Ben Hamlett, Jack Turner and Kobe Kemp lined up for the Lions, who were without Danny Cowen, who said he would be travelling soon and will play in the lower leagues.
South Hobart had to change goalkeepers at relatively short notice before the game. With Nathan Reid preferred in the club’s Championship side and with Nick O’Connell not risked after he felt a twinge after training on Thursday and again in the warm-up, veteran Mark Moncur was given the gloves.
Kingborough also had a goalkeeping change. James Ross had a back injury and Sheku Kamara went between the posts.
South Hobart’s first and virtually only chance of the opening half came as early as the 8th minute, but Nick Morton blazed high over the bar.
With Kingborough having a good share of the possession and creating chances, they went ahead in the 36th minute when Moncur brought down Jack Turner and conceded a penalty, which was easily converted by Kemp.
Four minutes before the interval, Hamlett broke free down the left and his cross found the unmarked Adam McKeown at the far post. McKeown had an easy shot into the roof of the net to give the Lions a 2-0 lead at the break.
A tame Bradley Lakoseljac shot in the 63rd minute showed South Hobart still had some life left, but on the whole, they were not in the hunt.
With 20 minutes remaining, McKeown gained possession just outside the box on the right and played the ball back and into the path of marauding fullback Keenan Douce, who let fly with a first-time shot from 40 metres that screamed over the head of Moncur and into the far top left-hand corner of the net. It was a magnificent strike and the sort of goal that is starting to become Douce’s trademark.
It was the Lions, therefore, who lifted the silverware. They should not let the win go to their heads, however, as many a time in the past the winners of the Summer Cup have gone on to have dismal league campaigns. The signs for the Lions are definitely promising, but they have often flattered only to deceive in the past.
New Town Eagles last won the Summer Cup in 2000, but they deserved the 2021 trophy with a 3-2 win after extra-time against South Hobart at KGV Park on Saturday.
Eagles began well and Sam Leszczynski was unlucky to see his shot come back off the base of the left-hand post after just 4 minutes after being put away down the left by Toby Butler.
The physically aggressive South Hobart side almost took the lead in the 14th minute, but Eagles keeper Mitch Stalker saved Thomas Walpole’s shot.
Butler misdirected a difficult header and later blazed wide when he should really have scored from close-range and the first half ended goalless.
Ronan Longden finally broke the deadlock when he gave Eagles the lead in the 63rd minute, converting an accurate left-wing cross from Butler at the far post.
South Hobart drew level with 15 minutes to go when Joshua Divin took advantage of slack defending by Eagles to make the most of a cross from the right by Sam Tooze.
In the 83rd minute, Eagles regained the lead when Butler’s free-kick from wide on the left was headed home at the far post by Rowan Heggie.
With Eagles appearing as the likely winner, Tooze popped up for South Hobart 2 minutes from the end to make it 2-2 and take the game into extra-time.
In the 9th minute of the first period of extra-time, Leszcznski found new signing Luke Huigsloot and he hit what proved to be the winner from close range.
Referee Alfonso Giusti was kept busy dishing out yellow cards throughout the game in what was a heated and physical contest at times.
Olympia Warriors scored a comfortable 4-1 win over a disappointing Kingborough Lions United side in the Women’s Summer Final at KGV Park on Saturday.
Three of Olympia’s goals were from set-pieces, while Kingborough’s consolation goal came in the 3rd minute of stoppage time at the end of the game.
Innocent Michael headed Olympia in front in the 6th minute from Leah Gubb’s free-kick just outside the penalty area on the left.
A Gubb free-kick from the right on the quarter-hour enabled Mia Cane to make it 2-0.
Madison Chambers went close for the Warriors in the 37th minute, but her shot flew wide.
Kingborough hit back and Laura Davis was desperately unlucky to score in the 39th minute when her shot hit the far right-hand post.
Four minutes after the resumption, Gubb needed no help and scored direct from a free-kick to give Olympia an unassailable 3-0 lead.
Madison Chambers made it 4-0 in the 77th minute when she ran onto a through ball and rounded goalkeeper Olivia Gardner before slotting home into an empty net.
In stoppage time, Davis finally got the better of the Warriors defence to grab a consolation goal for the Lions.
Olympia’s new Canadian signing, Kate Ollerhead, had a satisfactory debut. Normally a striker or midfielder, Olympia’s new coach, Matt Kilsby, played her at centre-back and the move certainly worked.
Photo: Olympia's Kate Ollerhead and Madison Chambers with the Women's Summer Cup Trophy [PlessPix]
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