Have Glenorchy Knights lost their bottle?
That is the question on the lips of many followers of the NPL Tasmania competition after the Knights lost 4-0 away to reigning champions Devonport Strikers at Valley Road last Saturday.
Knights are now 4 points adrift of the Strikers and their title hopes are looking somewhat flimsy.
Kieran Mulraney gave Devonport the lead in the 18th minute and that was the only goal in the first half.
Daniel Syson made it 2-0 shortly after the resumption and when Toby Barton headed home the third midway through the second half, it was game over.
Brody Denehey added Devonport’s fourth 5 minutes from the end to complete an emphatic victory for the league-leaders.
Can the Knights recover and maintain their title challenge?
They face four difficult games next up. They are away to Kingborough Lions next Saturday, and then they play South Hobart at home, Launceston City away and Devonport away.
The results of those games will determine their fate.
At present, they seem to be lacking an out-and-out striker to score goals. They have plenty of midfielders, but they need a spearhead up front to do the damage.
They also need to tighten up at the back. The Devonport loss was their first in the league this season and shipping four goals in that defeat does not look good.
Third-placed South Hobart kept their title hopes alive with a convincing 4-0 away win over bottom-side Riverside Olympic at Windsor Park.
Nick Morton netted a brace - in the 18th and 76th minutes - while Hugh Undy struck in the 25th minute to give the southerners a 2-0 advantage at the interval.
Sixteen-year-old Josh Divin, who had scored the equaliser in the 6th minute of stoppage time last week against Glenorchy Knights, popped up in the last minute of this match to score and make it 4-0.
Kingborough Lions United spluttered to life again with a 2-1 away win over Olympia Warriors at Warrior Park on Saturday.
They remain fourth and trail leaders Devonport by 11 points and third-placed South Hobart by 5 points.
Olympia, who were without the suspended Kyle Vincent and Koby Moscholgianis, scored first through Ben Tilley in the 11th minute.
Kobe Kemp made it 1-1 at the break when he netted for the visitors in the 2nd minute of stoppage time at the end of the first half.
Keenan Douce hit the winner for the Lions in the 70th minute.
Launceston City moved up two places to fifth with a 2-0 win over the visiting Clarence Zebras at Buckby Motors Park.
Stefan Tantari and Will Fleming were City’s marksmen.
NPL Tasmania (As at 10 July 2021)
|
TEAM |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
|
Devonport City |
13 |
10 |
1 |
2 |
29 |
10 |
31 |
|
Glenorchy Knights |
12 |
8 |
3 |
1 |
39 |
15 |
27 |
|
South Hobart |
12 |
7 |
4 |
1 |
30 |
13 |
25 |
|
Kingborough Lions |
13 |
6 |
2 |
5 |
24 |
24 |
20 |
|
Launceston City |
12 |
4 |
1 |
7 |
15 |
27 |
13 |
|
Olympia Warriors |
12 |
3 |
2 |
7 |
19 |
30 |
11 |
|
Clarence Zebras |
12 |
3 |
1 |
8 |
20 |
32 |
10 |
|
Riverside Olympic |
12 |
0 |
2 |
10 |
17 |
43 |
2 |
In the second tier Southern Championship, leaders New Town White Eagles were held to a 2-2 draw at home at Clare Street by Glenorchy Knights.
Both sides missed penalties as the woodwork came to their rescue.
10 comments:
Have they lost any players ?
Knights look as if there mightn't have been an obvious game plan prior to the Devonport game.
The season hasn't gone for them but they have to settle on a newer game plan because, with injuries, the original plan has to be shelved. They have good outlets to goal. Just have to identify what they are and be more disciplined in being prepared to use them.
The knights are a messy and unhappy camp at the moment. It seems the secret about their coach moving on to greener pastures in Victoria has been exposed. What a major disappointment they have turned out to be.
Anon 10.47.
Knights game plan is simple but not effective against good sides.
Keeper gives to either CB who hits long diagonal ball forward hoping someone gets on the end of it. If that isn't their game plan then they either don't have one or they don't adhere to one. I have watched them half a dozen times this year and every time they seem to give to CB who hits diagonal ball every time.
Not hard to defend against and easy to keep Naden quiet when he seems to be only avenue to goal for Knights. They don't keep possession and build up to involve Mearns and Castaneda.
They are often by-passed so not as effective as they could be.
My thoughts .
Not good for the coach's resume if he can't get this side a title.
Did you watch their Devonport game?
They drew with South Hobart 2 weeks ago because they 'missed' their chances they create enough
I think Sherman had the cattle last year, but refused to rotate the full squad through games, leaving them rotting on the bench all year and not playing Champ, then he bemoans the situation when they leave. Surely a smart coach rotates his full squad through the season to keep all up and going, now they have injuries and zero depth to cover as they all left last year, and 4-0 results will then occur, pretty basic stuff!
The entire Knights set up is nepotistic and there is no-one to blame for this but the club itself. Any club will not be successful if it consists of family members and buddies who wont question or oppose any idea or proposal of each other.
Many saw what appears to be another poor year for Knights other than the club itself.
It appears they are another club that needs a cleanout.
Sherman was never the right person to control the ego's in this team. He also doesnt habe the support around him to be able to learn as he is a new coach. You cannot be mates with your players
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