South Hobart can go a long way to deciding the NPL Tasmania title today when they travel to Valley Road to face league-leaders Devonport Strikers.
A win for the visitors will help second-placed Glenorchy Knights’ title chances and also leave the door slightly ajar for South Hobart’s own title hopes.
A win for South Hobart is not out of the question as they won at Valley Road at the start of the season before losing at home to Devonport, which evened the score between two sides.
Devonport are in a strange place. Their coach, Chris Gallo, is leaving at the end of the season to coach an Under-18 side at Wollongong Wolves, while the FFA Cup has been abandoned.
The psychological effect of all this on the Devonport team would be interesting to assess.
Would it make them even more determined to win the title as that’s probably all they left to aim for, or would the loss of their coach and the loss of playing on the national stage dampen their mood?
We shall see today when they take on third-placed South Hobart.
Glenorchy Knights host second-last Clarence Zebras at KGV Park at 3.30pm and Knights must try and improve their goal-difference with a huge score as the title could be decided by this factor.
Knights have form. They thrashed Clarence Zebras 9-2 the last time they met, so a similar scoreline is not out of the question.
The visitors are coached by former Knights supremo Franco Previdi, who will be keen to atone for that previous heavy defeat and will have plans to prevent this from happening again.
Knights must still be bristling after last week’s surprise draw with Olympia Warriors and they’ll have to be firing on all cylinders today to ensure they stay in the title race.
Olympia Warriors host bottom-side Riverside Olympic at Warrior Park at 2.15pm and only pride is at stake here.
The Warriors will be keen to build on last week’s performance, while Riverside will want to get a first league win of the season.
Fourth-ranked Kingborough Lions United travel to Launceston to take on fifth-placed Launceston City.
A win is essential for the Lions as City are breathing down their necks and could replace them in fourth spot befores the season’s end.
NPL Tasmania schedule for Saturday, 28 August 2021:
Devonport Strikers v South Hobart (Valley Road, 2.15pm)
Olympia Warriors v Riverside Olympic (Warrior Park, 2.15pm)
Glenorchy Knights v Clarence Zebras (KGV Park, 3.30pm)
Launceston City v Kingborough Lions United (Buckby Motors Park, 4.30pm)
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 |
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