Glenorchy Knights confirm their credentials in NPL title race while Devonport slip up

Photo:  Glenorchy Knights' Riley Dillon makes it 2-0 against Riverside Olympic with a perfectly placed free-kick from the edge of the box. [PlessPix] 

Glenorchy Knights and South Hobart have opened up a 2-point lead at the top of the NPL Tasmania standings after victories on Saturday.

Reigning champions Devonport City fell off the pace when they were held to a goalless draw at home at Valley Road by fifth-placed Launceston City.

Kingborough Lions United stayed in touch in fourth place by beating sixth-ranked Clarence Zebras 6-2 away at Wentworth Park.

Glenorchy Knights made light work of the visiting Riverside Olympic at KGV Park and the defeat saw Olympic drop to the foot of the table on goal-difference.

Joshua Redfearn, Stefan Cordwell and Thomas Walpole all scored braces, while Riley Dillon and Nick Naden grabbed a goal apiece in the rout of the visitors.

Austin Marshall netted a consolation goal for Riverside 3 minutes from the end, by which time Knights may have switched off.

Knights’ shooting was clinical.  Dillon’s free-kick was perfectly placed to the right of keeper Daniel Nash from the edge of the box, while most of the other goals were also aimed to Nash’s right and nestled in the bottom corner of the net.  It was all a bit like pocketing billiard shots.

Photo:  Riverside Olympic's Gediminas Krusa. [PlessPix]

Photo:  Riverside goalkeeper Daniel Nash is an excellent shot stopper, but Knights' accurate shooting left him helpless. [PlessPix]

I don’t know what Riverside are going to do.  They have very good players. such as Gediminas Krusa, Nasim Mohammadi, Emanuel Farias and goalkeeper Nash, who would easily fit into most sides, but something is not clicking in this team.

Coach Helder Dos Santos Silva will have to get to the bottom of this soon and tighten his defence and get his team to score goals and start collecting points before it is too late.

Clarence Zebras got off to a good start against the visiting Lions and Sam Tooze put them ahead in the opening minute.

Photo:  Kingborough's Kobe Kemp (right) hit a hat-trick. [PlessPix]

Noah Mies levelled in the 3^rd minute, but Ryan Cook restored the home side’s lead in the 20^th minute with a penalty, following Simon Vivarelli’s foul, and they were looking good at the break with a 2-1 advantage.

The world came tumbling down for Clarence Zebras 7 minutes after the resumption, however, when Jack Maundrill, who had made the first goal for Tooze, was sent off for allegedly hitting Lions goalkeeper Eisa Azizi in the head with his hand as he hurdled the keeper after racing for a through ball that Azizi had gone down and collected.

Mr Alfonso Giusti, the referee, brandished a red card and a shocked Maundrill made the lonely walk back to the dressing room.  He was consoled by team mate Tooze as he departed the scene.

Photo:  Red card for Jack Maundrill. [PlessPix]

Photo:  Jack Maundrill is consoled by team-mate Sam Tooze.  Maundrill made the opening goal for Tooze. [PlessPix]

That proved the turning point in the match.  Kobe Kemp equalised for the Lions 12 minutes later and the excellent Alexander Brown put them ahead in the 65^th minute.  Brown deserved his goal as the youngster had twice hit the post earlier with outstanding shooting.

Mies made it 4-2 in the 70^th minute before Kemp completed his hat-trick with goals in the 75^th and 90^th minutes to bury Clarence Zebras, whose promising start to the game was but a distant memory.

Devonport City were guilty of some terrible finishing in their goalless draw at home with Launceston City, while Launceston’s goalkeeper, Lachlan Clark was also in top form and denied the home side several times with good saves.

Devonport started with centre-forward Declan Zasadny on the bench.  He came on after an hour but has yet to prove himself an adequate replacement for Roberto Garrido.

Launceston United proved no match for the visiting South Hobart at Birch Avenue.

Harrison Oates and Adam Gorrie gave the visitors a 2-0 lead by the 40^th minute before Ayouba Kenneh pulled a goal back for the hosts 2 minutes before the break.

Austin Yost ensured South Hobart of the three points when he netted in the 72^nd minute to make the score 3-1.

Photo (L-R):  Riley Dillon, Joshua Redfearn, Stefan Cordwell and Thomas Walpole celebrate Redfearn's opening goal against Riverside. [PlessPix] 

 NPL Tasmania

Glenorchy Knights 8-1 Riverside Olympic

Clarence Zebras 2-6 Kingborough Lions United

Devonport City 0-0 Launceston City

Launceston United 1-3 South Hobart

Photo:  A Tyler Harrison (Knights' captain) header. [PlessPix] 

 NPL Tasmania Standings (As at 6 April 2024)

TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Glenorchy Knights	3	3	0	0	21	1	9
South Hobart	3	3	0	0	9	3	9
Devonport City	3	2	1	0	9	4	7
Kingborough Lions	3	2	0	1	15	6	6
Launceston City	3	1	1	1	3	4	4
Clarence Zebras	3	0	0	3	3	12	0
Launceston United	3	0	0	3	5	18	0
Riverside Olympic	3	0	0	3	2	19	0

Photo:  Kingborough's Eli Luttmer clears upfield. [PlessPix]