Glenorchy Knights win NPL Tasmania title on final day

Photo:  The corks pop and the champagne flies as Glenorchy Knights celebrate their 2021 NPL Tasmania title. [PlessPix] 

Glenorchy Knights won the 2021 NPL Tasmania title last Saturday after they beat fifth-placed Launceston City 1-0 at home at KGV Park and league-leaders and reigning champions Devonport Strikers went down 2-1 away to fourth-ranked Kingborough Lions United at Lightwood Park.

Devonport would have retained their title on goal-difference had they beaten the Lions.

Knights looked lethargic and devoid of ideas against Launceston City and the first half was goalless, despite seven goalscoring opportunities for City and eight for the Knights.

Both goalkeepers  -  the two Lachlans  -  were in excellent form.  City’s Lachlan Clark was steady and brave, while Knights’ Lachlan Hart was unbeatable.  His block when facing a one-on-one with City’s Gediminas Krusa was brilliant and must have boosted the confidence of his team-mates.

The only goal of the game came two minutes after the resumption.  Eduardo Castaneda’s free-kick from deep on the left was surprisingly mishandled by Clark to blot his copybook.  The ball fell to Knights defender Lucas Hill, who headed the ball towards goal.  It bounced once and eluded a desperate defender before carrying into the net.

Photo:  Knights' Austin Yost and City's Jarrod Linger in a tussle for the ball. [PlessPix]  

The goal was a worthy individual reward for Hill, who was the most creative player of the first half.  Abandoning his defensive duties, he repeatedly made ground down the left flank and threatened the visitors by sending in dangerous crosses or winning corners.  It was fitting that he should score the goal that gave Knights the title.

Devonport were up against it when they visited Lightwood Park without the suspended Eddie Bidwell and Raphael Reynolds.

Adam McKeown fired the hosts ahead just short of the half-hour mark, but the league’s leading marksman, Brody Denehey equalised within a minute to take his tally for the season to 22.

Devonport keeper Nathan Pitchford then brought down Ben Hamlett to concede a penalty, but Pitchford saved Hamlett’s spot-kick to keep things even.

In stoppage time at the end of the match, Hamlett destroyed Devonport’s title hopes.  He latched onto a left-wing cross and hooked it first time with his left foot into the far right-hand side of the net from the edge of the box to give the Lions a 2-1 win.

Photo:  Knights players salute their supporters after the final whistle. [PlessPix]  

The Knights supporters at KGV Park, where the game was still in progress, erupted in sheer joy at the news of the Lions’ win  -  many were following the Lightwood Park game on live-stream on their phones and their elation was conveyed to the players on the field, who held on for the final few minutes to down Launceston City.  The Knights supporters invaded the pitch after the final whistle to embrace the players and celebrate the title win before the trophy presentation a few minutes later.

Devonport’s defeat was also a sad exit for goalkeeper Pitchford, who had announced his retirement during the week at the age of 32.  This was his last game.  Devonport’s title success last season was largely due to the brilliance of Pitchford in goal.  He has won three league titles with Devonport and a win in this game would have given him a fourth title.

This game was also the last for coach Chris Gallo, who is off to Wollongong Wolves and a coaching role with the under-18s.

Could this be the end of Devonport’s era of success?  They won this season’s Lakoseljac Cup, which gave them a ticket to the FFA Cup, but it was a bitter sweet victory as the FFA Cup has been abandoned.

Photo:  Knights' Nick Mearns has a shot, but City keeper Lachlan Clark was able to block. [PlessPix]  

With coach Gallo leaving, goalkeeper Pitchford retiring, star midfielder Eddie Bidwell reportedly heading for Queensland, midfield dynamo Charles Bidwell probably studying in Hobart next year, and the future of injured striker Miles Barnard up in the air, the team will need a major rebuild.

Devonport had limited resources this season and often had a depleted bench, so they may have difficulty in retaining their status as one of the, if not the, top team in Tasmania for the past four years.

The last time they were such a force was probably in the early 1990s under coach Alec McDonald.

Bottom-side Riverside Olympic won their first league match of the season when they downed second-last Clarence Zebras 3-1 away at Wentworth Park.

Photo:  Knights' Nick Mearns blocks a City shot. [PlessPix]
 

It didn’t save them from the woodenspoon, though, as they finished the campaign 12 points adrift of their hosts, second-last Clarence Zebras.

Riley Dillon almost inevitably opened the scoring for Clarence Zebras in the 12^th minute, but Fletcher Fulton had the visitors level 6 minutes later.

Mitchell Jones put Riverside ahead in the 37^th minute and Luca Vigilante’s goal in stoppage time at the end of the first half made it 3-1, and that’s how the game ended.

South Hobart finished third and completed their campaign with a 2-0 win over Olympia Warriors at South Hobart Oval.

Kasper Hallam put them ahead in the 14^th minute, while Sam Berezansky added the second in the 69^th minute to sink the sixth-placed Warriors.

Photo:  Knights' Eli Luttmer clears while under pressure from City's Gediminas Krusa. [PlessPix]  

NPL Tasmania

Glenorchy Knights 1 (L Hill 47) beat Launceston City 0

Kingborough Lions United 2 (A McKeown 29, B Hamlett 90+2) beat Devonport Strikers 1 (B Denehey 29)

Clarence Zebras R Dillon 12) lost to Riverside Olympic 3 (F Fulton 18, M Jones 37, L Vigilante 45+3)

South Hobart 2 (K Hallam 14, S Berezansky 69) beat Olympia Warriors 0

Photo:  City keeper Lachlan Clark saves in a crowded goalmouth. [PlessPix]  

Final 2021 NPL Tasmania standings (11 September 2021)

TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Glenorchy Knights	21	15	5	1	53	17	50
Devonport City	21	15	2	4	54	15	47
South Hobart	21	13	4	4	58	24	43
Kingborough Lions	21	11	4	6	42	37	36
Launceston City	21	7	1	13	26	48	22
Olympia Warriors	21	5	3	13	30	47	18
Clarence Zebras	21	5	3	13	32	55	18
Riverside Olympic	21	1	3	17	29	82	6

Photo:  Knights' Eduardo Castaneda under pressure from City's Stefan Tantari and Gediminas Krusa. [PlessPix]