Have the Knights blown it?

Photo:  Olympia's Bilal Ait Maamar fouls Knights' Eli Luttmer, causing some frayed tempers before order was restored. [PlessPix] 

Second-last Olympia Warriors did league-leaders Devonport Strikers a huge favour in the NPL Tasmania competition on Saturday by holding second-placed Glenorchy Knights to a 0-0 draw away at KGV Park.

The point moved Olympia up a place to sixth, but more importantly, it enabled Devonport to move 3 points clear of Knights with just 3 games remaining after they downed Launceston City 3-0 away at Buckby Motors Park.

Knights have now dropped 4 points against Olympia, which could ultimately cost them the title.

On Saturday, Knights dominated the game but simply could not score.

Photo:  Knights' Austin Yost sends a header looping against the crossbar near the far post. [PlessPix]  

They even squandered a first-half penalty, awarded when Ashton Pacey-Mayne brought down Nick Mearns.  Eli Luttmer fired his spot-kick against the base of the right-hand post and the ball rebounded across goal and out.

Austin Yost guided a difficult header against the woodwork in the second half but that’s a close as Knights came.

They were guilty of some incredible misses and may live to regret the 2 points dropped on Saturday.

Knights have three home games remaining  -  against Clarence Zebras, Devonport and Launceston City.

Photo:  Olympia's Kyle Vincent appears to be going for a mark. [PlessPix]  

Devonport’s three remaining games are at home against South Hobart, away to the Knights and away to Kingborough Lions United.

Devonport have a 7-goal advantage in goal-difference, so the Knights will need to beat Devonport in the penultimate round and also thrash someone to catch up on goal-difference.

“I thought we played quite well but we need to take opportunities when they come,” said Knights coach, James Sherman.

“I think it’s quite rare to create that many chances and not have something go in.  At the end of the day, it hasn’t.

“We’ve only got ourselves to blame.

“We missed easier opportunities than the penalty today and that’s what I’m talking about when I say it’s been one of those days.

“We’ve had some very, very good opportunities and we haven’t taken them.

Photo:  Olympia's Joseph Mwarabu was booked for this tackle on Knights' Austin Yost.  Mwarabu is wearing the Number 9 shirt, but his shorts ahd Number 5 on them.  On the team sheet he was listed as Number 5 and Anthony Mamic as Number 9. [PlessPix]   

“If we play poorly in the 18-yard box as we did today, we won’t get a win next week either and that’s the reality of this sport.

“The conditions were tricky and we attempted to move the ball and we created a lot of opportunities.

“It wasn’t until the last five minutes that they had one.

“Overall, if we’d taken one or two of those chances it would have been a consistent performance, but at the end of the day we haven’t and that’s where the lack of quality was shown.

“The title was in our hands, hopefully up until the last day, but if they get a win today it won’t be in our hands and we’ll have to hope they drop points.”

Photo:  Knights' Nick Mearns is booked after leaving Olympia's Bilal Ait Maamar in a crumpled heap. [PlessPix]  

Olympia Warriors coach, Rob Clarke, said his side had battled strongly and he was very proud of his players.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a game where a side has had so many corners and not scored a goal, especially given the size of the guys they’ve got,” Clarke said.

“I was so proud of the boys.  They put their bodies on the line.  I know it’s a cliché, but they did.

“They just kept in fronting up and fronting up and fronting up.  We sort of wanted to make it a man-for-man game in the middle of the park so they didn’t have extra men, and I think we did that.

“We only had a handful of chances, which is to be expected, but I couldn’t be more pleased with the guys and the way they fought it out today.”

Clarke said he believed the title race wasn’t over yet.

Photo:  Olympia's Joseph Mwarabu seeks to cross the ball before Knights' Jack Bowman can intervene.  Mwarabu was eventually substituted to protect him from a second yellow card.  Bowman was replaced on the hour and was seemingly not happy, coming off and slamming the gate on the perimeter of the pitch before storming into the dressing room.  He appeared to be still brooding and complaining after the game to anyone who would listen. [PlessPix]  

Devonport, whose coach, Chris Gallo, is leaving at the end of the season to become Wollongong Wolves’ under-18 coach, led Launceston City 2-0 at half-time through goals by Joel Stone and Kieran Mulraney.

Raphael Reynolds completed the scoring with a third goal with 17 minutes to play.

Photo:  Michael Soszynski, Marcello Marchioli and James Sherman seconds before the end of the game against Olympia. [PlessPix]  

Clarence Zebras dropped a place to second-last after succumbing 4-0 at home at Wentworth Park to third-ranked South Hobart.

Hugh Undy and Kasper Hallam scored within a minute of each other early in the game to give South Hobart a 2-0 lead, while skipper Nick Morton added a third just before the interval.

Morton completed his brace and South Hobart’s tally just short of the hour-mark.

Photo:  Clarence Zebras' Riley Dillon wins the ball ahead of South Hobart's Loic Feral. [PlessPix]  

Kingborough Lions United beat bottom-side Riverside Olympic 4-2 at home at Lightwood Park to strengthen their hold on fourth spot.

Adam McKeown gave the Lions the lead after just 4 minutes, but an equaliser by the visitors midway through the opening half made it 1-1 at the break.

Ben Hamlett and McKeown scored within a minute of each other shortly after the resumption to give the Lions a 3-1 lead, before Byungatae Ahn curled the ball home and inside the far post from the left midway through the second half to make it 4-1.

Riverside pulled a goal back 12 minutes from the end but could not close the gap.

The Lions were awarded a penalty 10 minutes from the end, which was converted by McKeown.  But, the goal was not counted as, in an extraordinary decision, the referee awarded a goal-kick because a Lions player had clearly encroached during the penalty kick.  He should, of course, have ordered the penalty to be retaken.  McKeown protested, as did the Kingborough bench, but play resumed with a goal-kick.

Photo:  Bradley Lakoseljac sends South Hobart into attack against Clarence Zebras. [PlessPix]  

NPL Tasmania

Clarence Zebras 0 lost to South Hobart 4 (H Undy 15, K Hallam 16, N Morton 41, 58)

Glenorchy Knights 0-0 Olympia Warriors

Kingborough Lions United 4 (A McKeown 4, 49, B Hamlett 48, B Ahn 67) beat Riverside Olympic 2 (F Fulton 23’, L Vigilante 78’)

Launceston City 0 lost to Devonport Strikers 3 (J Stone 21, K Mulraney 39, R Reynolds 73)

Photo:  Clarence Zebras' Jackson Ebini lies injured after falling awkwardly after a cross and challenge by a defender. [PlessPix]  

NPL Tasmania standings (As at 21 August 2021)

TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Devonport City	18	14	2	2	51	11	44
Glenorchy Knights	18	12	5	1	50	17	41
South Hobart	18	11	4	3	45	20	37
Kingborough Lions	18	8	4	6	34	35	27
Launceston City	18	7	1	10	24	39	22
Olympia Warriors	18	4	3	11	26	42	15
Clarence Zebras	18	4	3	11	27	50	15
Riverside Olympic	18	0	3	15	23	67	3

Photo:  South Hobart's Kasper Hallam flies down the left wing. [PlessPix]