A pattern is clearly beginning to emerge in the NPL Tasmania competition after just three rounds of matches.
One could even argue that the top-four and the also-rans are beginning to reveal themselves.
South Hobart remain top of the pile after a somewhat laboured 5-0 win over Launceston City at South Hobart Oval yesterday.
The home side led only 1-0 at the interval and it was only during the last quarter of the game that they added three more goals to complete a victory that looks good on paper.
South’s effort could be described as inconsistent, while City’s performance was incompetent.
South Hobart had 24 shots overall, 15 of which were on target, resulting in just 5 goals.
City had a mere 6 goal attempts, not one of which was on target.
South Hobart goalkeeper Nick O’Connell had little to do, while City custodian Lachlan Clark was excellent and brave and it was largely due to him that the score did not reach double figures.
South virtually played with just two central defenders, Luke Bighin and Tobias Herweynen.
If they did have two fullbacks in Jayden Hey and Ewan Larby, they were only to be seen high up on the flanks, as wing-halves.
Launceston City rarely troubled South’s back-two and, when they did have a couple of chances, these were squandered by erratic finishing.
South Hobart hit the visitors’ woodwork early on, but it took almost until half-time for the home side to take the lead. In the 43rd minute, Nick Morton’s cross from the right was steered inside the far post by Sam Tooze.
Ten minutes after the resumption, Sam Berezansky made it 2-0, while Kasper Hallam added the third after a series of blocked shots in quick succession by Clark had denied South.
Morton made the score more realistic given South’s dominance when he netted twice after good service by Hallam for a final score of 5-0.
Kingborough Lions United’s dream run came to an end when they lost 5-2 at Lightwood Park to Glenorchy Knights, who moved into second spot.
Alex Walter resumed his pursuit of the Golden Boot Award with a hat-trick, while Nick Mearns and substitute Adam Gorrie also got on the scire-sheet.
Knights are obviously where they should be at this early stage of the season, but the Lions are in danger of imploding and spiralling back to earth after an impressive start to the season.
Kingborough striker Adam McKeown is fulfilling all expectations and he is a key member of the team. He netted both the Lions goals.
Clarence Zebras showed improvement on recent weeks with an emphatic and deserved 5-1 away win over a young Olympia Warriors tribe at Warrior Park.
Warriors’ cause was not helped when Joseph Mwarabu was sent off before half-time.
Riley Dillon had given Clarence Zebras an early lead, while goals by Joshua Mathie and Matthew Pace made the game safe at 3-0.
Kyle Vincent pulled a goal back for Olympia with an excellent effort utilising his incredible pace and determination, but goals by Ryan Cook and Dillon completed the visitors’ victory.
Devonport City, the reigning champions, again produced their party trick of winning by just one goal when they overcame Riverside Olympic 3-2 away at Windsor Park in Launceston.
Brody Denehey, playing his 100th NPL game, netted a penalty, while Toby Barton and new recruit Nick Lanau-Atkinson scored the other two goals.
Tom Prince and Fletcher Fulton were Riverside’s marksmen in a somewhat fiery encounter.
NPL Tasmania
South Hobart 5 (S Tooze 43, K Hallam 55, 68, N Morton 73, 89) beat Launceston City 0
Olympia Warriors 1-5 Clarence Zebras
Riverside Olympic 2-3 Devonport City
Kingborough Lions United 2-5 Glenorchy Knights
NPL Tasmania (As at 10 April 2021)
|
TEAM |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
|
South Hobart |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
12 |
2 |
9 |
|
Glenorchy Knights |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
4 |
9 |
|
Kingborough Lions |
3 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
7 |
6 |
6 |
|
Devonport City |
3 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
3 |
6 |
|
Clarence Zebras |
3 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
7 |
10 |
3 |
|
Olympia Warriors |
3 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
9 |
3 |
|
Riverside Olympic |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
5 |
9 |
0 |
|
Launceston City |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
9 comments:
Hi Walter thanks for the write up but pretty sure Sam Berezansky scored the second goal at 55 not Kaspar who scored the next one .... good to see the three young forwards all getting on the scoreboard with Tooze also scoring ..... next round in a couple of weeks should be a good match between both undefeated sides South & Knights at KGV which I’d suggest will really show where Knights are at given South have already beaten Devonport and Lions are off the pace a tad
Boro very disappointing last night. Knights midfield dominated and that's where their win was built. Knights were harder at it also. Jez needed to change formation at half time, a 5 man midfield might've changed the dynamic - very little structure or discernible pattern of play in the final third - Sunday was excellent, but usually completely alone as the Lions dropped deeper & deeper and were leaving truck sized holes everywhere.
Anon 12.18. I think you will find that Kingborough did have 5 in midfield , including the 2 wingbacks who played in the midfield out wide most of the time.
They should have gone 5 at the back because the 2 wingbacks are their problem.Leave too much space either side of the 3 CB's and they would have been exploited even further by a better opposition.
On another matter. can anyone explain why the WSL clubs had to emulate the NPL clubs.
The pool of players available is nowhere big enough to sustain WSL, Southern Champ & Champ 1. South's 20-0 loss in the Championship is evident to this. The senior youth girls competition is nearly destroyed with some clubs having many 15 year old assessed to play at Championship level.
People at the top need to be very careful want they
want to happen as the women's game is fragile enough and could easily fall apart.
The male U/18 competition was not the greatest with a lot of those players at NPL clubs going on to play Championship just to fulfil their requirements
Yes yes early days but South have two clean sheets from three....Peter Savill ?! . Maybe luring him away from his chicken shed could turn out to be the most inspired tactical decision of the season. The old fox.
If they can keep the knights out Mr.Darcy I'll back you in for comment of the season there. Good shout
My son read out a bizarre story on twitter from a Melbourne sports person that Man Untied will for go their interest in the Central Coast and look to start off the team in Tasmania.
A good story has merit as you look at the City group as most of the big clubs of the world own other clubs in lower leagues and different counties
Mr Darcy
With Sav back, I'm waiting for South to start playing the long ball as plan A, B and C.
Mr Darcy. I doubt hoofing the ball long all the time will be acceptable.
If you know what I mean.
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