Strikers and Knights must be wary of stepping on banana skins this weekend

Photo:  South Hobart's Luke Bighin (left) may be restored to the starting line-up tomorrow, but team-mate Jayden Hey (right) is out for the rest of the season because of a leg injury. [PlessPix]

NPL Tasmania leaders Devonport Strikers face a tricky away game tomorrow when they meet fifth-placed Launceston City at Bucky Motors Park at 4.30pm.

The Strikers have almost double the points City have, but that won’t count on the day.  It is performance that will count.

The Strikers have won both their meetings with City this season, but the scorelines have been narrow.

City lost 1-0 at home and 2-0 away, so Devonport cannot take it easy tomorrow as the home side will pose a threat.

Devonport are just a point ahead of second-placed Glenorchy Knights and anything but a win will be a serious set-back for Devonport.

Gediminas Krusa, rejected by Devonport a few seasons ago, is a key player for City.  He scored a terrific goal against Olymoua last week, when City won 3-2, and he is the architect of many of their attacks.

The Strikers will ignore him at their peril.

Devonport have the weapons destroy the home side, but will they be firing?

Brody Denehey is the leading marksman in the NPL with 19 goals and City’s defence will need to be on high alert to contain the threat the speedy diminutive winger poses.

The vocal home supporters and the twilight kick-off will favour City, but that won’t be enough if they are not on their game.

This has the potential to be a classic confrontation, and football supporters can only hope that it measures up to expectations.

Glenorchy Knights also risk stepping on a banana skin when they host second-last Olympia Warriors at 3.30pm at KGV Park tomorrow.

The Warriors run hot and cold and the Knights cannot take any chances.  The Knights must win this one to keep their title hopes alive.

Their first task will be to neutralise Olympia’s livewire striker Kyle Vincent.  He covers an enormous amount of ground in a game.  One minute he is leading the attack, while the next he is helping out at the back.

If he is shut out of the game, half the job will be done.

Much will be expected of Nick Mearns, a former Olympia player and the Knights’ top scorer with 12 goals.

At least four of the Knights players are former Olympia players and they will be keen to show their former club that they have made the right move.

On the other hand, Olympia will be seeking to embarrass them and show them they made the wrong move, so the stage is set for great individual performances as well as team performances.

Photo:  South Hobart coach Ken Morton is hoping his side can finish their chances better than they did last week against Kingborough Lions. [PlessPix]  

South Hobart, currently third and for all intents and purposes out of the title race, can still influence the destination of the title.

They should be good enough to topple sixth-placed Clarence Zebras at the latter’s Wentworth Park headquarters at 2.15pm tomorrow if they live up to their potential.

Kasper Hallam is in good form for South Hobart and has scored 11 goals, while team-mate Nick Morton has netted 14.

South Hobart seem to play without a recognised centre-forward and they use three rather than four at the back.

This could expose weaknesses, if Clarence Zebras can identify them and exploit them.

They have the potential because they play with wide wingers and they could stretch the South Hobart defence to breaking point and use ace marksman Riley Dillon to inflict the damage in the centre.

South Hobart will be without Jayden Hey for the rest of the season because of a leg injury, and they may reinstate centre-back Luke Bighin, who has been on the bench for the past three games.

Bighin and Dillon are business partners and relish playing against each other so the reinstatement of Bighin could be the perfect strategy to foil the Clarence Zebras leading scorer.

This promises to be a fascinating game and one which could go either way.

The remaining match of the round is at Lightwood Park tomorrow at 2.15pm when fourth-ranked Kingborough Lions United host bottom-side Riverside Olympic.

The Lions should win and stay just ahead of fifth-placed Launceston City.

NPL Tasmania standings (As at 14 August 2021)

TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Devonport City	17	13	2	2	48	11	41
Glenorchy Knights	17	12	4	1	50	17	40
South Hobart	17	10	4	3	41	20	34
Kingborough Lions	17	7	4	6	30	33	24
Launceston City	17	7	1	9	24	36	22
Clarence Zebras	17	4	3	10	27	46	15
Olympia Warriors	17	4	2	11	26	42	14
Riverside Olympic	17	0	3	14	21	63	3