With just six rounds remaining in the Men’s Southern Championship competition, leaders New Town White Eagles and second-placed University seem to be in the box seats.
New Town White Eagles downed third-placed Hobart United 5-3 away at Weiley Park on Saturday in a tense contest.
Tempers became frayed at times in a game that started at a hectic pace, with Andrew Clark coming close to scoring early on, but his effort struck the woodwork.
Clark made amends later with a goal, while Rowan Heggie netted a brace and Sam Leszczynski and Ben Whitehall also scored.
Luke Huigsloot was a powerful performer in midfield for Eagles.
University showed their title intentions with a 6-2 win over second-last Clarence Zebras at home at Olinda Grove.
The Students and Eagles are separated by just 3 points and have almost identical goal-differences so their battle for the title promises to be a nail-biting affair.
Fourth-placed South Hobart came unstuck against Beachside.
Two quick goals just before the break gave the visitors to the Tropicana a 2-0 advantage, but Beachside scored three times in the second half to run out 3-2 winners.
Taroona marked their return to form with a 3-1 win over Kingborough Lions United at Kelvedon Park, Jake Stuart hitting a brace and Sam James also scoring.
Olympia Warriors made light work of overcoming visitors South East United 5-0 at Warrior Park, but a mid-table finish appears their to be their fate.
Metro succumbed 3-1 at home at North Chigwell to the visiting Glenorchy Knights.
Men’s Southern Championship results:
Taroona 3-1 Kingborough Lions United
University 6-2 Clarence Zebras
Beachside 3-2 South Hobart
Olympia Warriors 5-0 South East United
Hobart United 3-5 New Town White Eagles
Metro 1-3 Glenorchy Knights
Men’s Southern Championship (As at 8 August 2021)
|
TEAM |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
|
New Town Eagles |
16 |
13 |
1 |
2 |
55 |
22 |
40 |
|
University |
16 |
11 |
4 |
1 |
46 |
14 |
37 |
|
Hobart United |
16 |
10 |
3 |
3 |
42 |
18 |
33 |
|
South Hobart |
16 |
10 |
1 |
5 |
47 |
27 |
31 |
|
Taroona |
16 |
8 |
2 |
6 |
31 |
24 |
26 |
|
Olympia Warriors |
16 |
8 |
2 |
6 |
45 |
47 |
26 |
|
Beachside |
16 |
7 |
2 |
7 |
31 |
24 |
23 |
|
Glenorchy Knights |
16 |
6 |
4 |
6 |
34 |
35 |
22 |
|
Kingborough Lions |
16 |
4 |
1 |
11 |
22 |
44 |
13 |
|
Metro |
16 |
3 |
2 |
11 |
22 |
46 |
11 |
|
Clarence Zebras |
16 |
3 |
1 |
12 |
11 |
41 |
10 |
|
South East United |
16 |
1 |
1 |
14 |
10 |
54 |
4 |
6 comments:
Pity no promotion next year . Eagles worked hard this year to no avail it seems .
They may need to do it all over again next year and maybe the year after .
Apparently a youth program is a pre requisite .
To anon: I don't really know if FFT have promotion in mind. Uni and Hobart United have been on top basically since Knights left and never sniffed 'promotion', both are working hard to get youth programs up and running but it takes years or money- For any Champ team it would only happen if another team with the NPL license dropped out or they really ticked all the boxes, like Knights. Eagles could always get youth because of all the schools nearby, but it hasn't really translated into results and keeping them -they've gone and recruited Huigsloot and co. on top of some others from previous seasons which has meant stronger results
The appeal of the NPL isn't strong. Eagle would certainly hold their own in the top flight but that says more about the depth of the comp.
We'll be back to regional leagues in a couple of years.
2:30PM
Eagles do have someone who can produce Youth players but has taken a different path within the club. I heard this person is going to push to have Female youth and junior teams for next year.
Easy enough to get a program up and running but a lot harder to maintain it.
Eagles had a huge youth program when the V League started and had trouble keeping their promising youth because of the lure to NPL. I can remember when half a youth team went to Zebras back then. There's only one of those players still playing.
Anon 3.36.
There are quite a few clubs who could hold their own against many of the NPL teams.
Wont go back to regional comps . Thats the easy way out for the clubs and the sport as a whole.
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