NPL Tasmania title race remains delicately poised

Photo:  Olympia's Ashton Pacey-Mayne (right) challenges Kingborough's Phil Kantzos as Olympia defender Jake Vandermey and goalkeeper Jake Hayers look on. [PlessPix] 

The top-of-the-table clash in the NPL Tasmania competition on Saturday fizzled out into a 1-1 draw between league-leaders Devonport Strikers and second-placed Glenorchy Knights at Devonport’s Valley Road headquarters.

The battle for the title remains delicately balanced and all eyes will be on the penultimate weekend of the league season when Knights host Devonport at KGV Park on 4 September in what may well be the title-decider.

Photo:  Kingborough's Greg Downes (right) challenges Olympia's Kyle Vincent to a header. [PlessPix]  

Charles Bidwell fired Devonport in front in the 50^th minute on Saturday and it wasn’t until 8 minutes from the end that the visitors equalised.  A pin-point cross from the right by captain Tyler Harrison was headed home by Connor Schmidt to make it all square.

Third-placed South Hobart has both their centre-backs, Patrick Kibler and Luke Bighin, on the bench for their visit to Windsor Park in Launceston to take on bottom-placed Riverside Olympic, but it did not matter as they ran out easy 4-0 winners.

Nick Morton rediscovered his goalscoring touch and gave South Hobart a 2-0 lead at the interval with goals in the 4^th and 37^th minutes.

Second-half strikes by Hugh Undy and Sam Berezansky completed the victory.

Photo:  Simon Vivarelli sends Kingborough into attack against Olympia. [PlessPix]  

Fourth-placed Kingborough Lions United strengthened their claims on fourth spot with a 2-1 away win over second-last Olympia Warriors at Warrior Park.

Olympia were but a shadow of the team that downed South Hobart 3-1 away the previous weekend.

Kyle Vincent continued his personal good form by hitting a terrific opener from 20 metres for Olympia in the 43^rd minute to give them a 1-0 lead at the interval.

The Lions drew level in the 55^th minute when a low cross from the left by Ben Hamlett found Adam McKeown unmarked at the far right-hand post and he slotted home from close range.

Photo:  Kingborough's Jorden Mundy gets a touch as Olympia's Samuel Cummins moves in. [PlessPix]  

The winner came in the 84^th minute.  Kingborough had the ball in the net but referee James Hamilton had blown his whistle for a foul a split second earlier.  Greg Downes took the free-kick and hit the back of the net expertly to calm down the Lions fans, who must have felt as if they had been robbed of a winning goal.

What used to be known as Tasmania’s Italian derby ended in a 2-0 win for fifth-placed Launceston City over the visiting sixth-ranked Clarence Zebras at the former’s Buckby Motors Park in Launceston.

Daniel Smith put City ahead midway through the first half and it wasn’t until the 4^th minute of stoppage time at the end of the end of the match that Gediminas Krusa netted the second to make the game safe.

Clarence Zebras’ leading scorer, Riley Dillon was shown a yellow card and this took his tally of bookings to five and he will miss the next game, which is away to Devonport Strikers at Valley Road next Saturday.

Photo:  Olympia defender Brayton Allan foils Kingborough's Adam McKeown. [PlessPix]  

NPL Tasmania results:

Devonport Strikers 1 (C Bidwell 50) drew with Glenorchy Knights 1 (C Schmidt 82)

Riverside Olympic 0 lost to South Hobart 4 (N Morton 4,37, H Undy 64, S Berazansky 66)

Launceston City 2 (D Smith 26, G Krusa 90+4) beat Clarence Zebras 0

Olympia Warriors 1 (K Vincent 43) lost to Kingborough Lions United 2 (A McKeown 55, G Downes 84)

Photo:  Olympia's Kyle Vincent sets up the chance from which he scored a stunning goal. [PlessPix]  

NPL Tasmania standings (As at 7 August 2021)

TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Devonport City	16	12	2	2	41	11	38
Glenorchy Knights	16	11	4	1	47	17	37
South Hobart	16	9	4	3	39	19	31
Kingborough Lions	16	7	3	6	29	31	24
Launceston City	16	6	1	9	21	34	19
Clarence Zebras	16	4	3	9	27	39	15
Olympia Warriors	16	4	2	10	24	39	14
Riverside Olympic	16	0	3	13	21	60	3

Photo:  Olympia's Ashton Pacey-Mayne (No.10) and Kingborough's Adam McKeown are sprawled on the ground as referee James Hamilton (obscured on the right) signals a free-kick. [PlessPix]