Thursday, March 28, 2024

Are the NPL standings already roughly determined after only round 2?

 

Photo:  Kingborough's Kobe Kemp dances a jig after scoring one of his four goals against Riverside. [PlessPix]

What is there to say about last Saturday’s NPL Tasmania results?

It is all so predictable.

It seems to me that the top-four is already decided, but not necessarily in the final order.

It seems certain that Glenorchy Knights, Devonport City, South Hobart and Kingborough Lions United will occupy the top four positions, but possibly not in that order.

As for the bottom four placings, you only need to look at the standings now and you will see that Launceston United. Riverside Olympic, Clarence Zebras and Launceston City will prop up the table.  In which order remains to be seen, of course.

Knights deserve top spot at present and they demonstrated that by beating Launceston City 4-0 away on City’s turf.

Knights have now won their opening two games, away in Launceston, and have scored 13 goals without reply.

Launceston United defied the odds initially by leading Devonport City 4-0 at home at Birch Avenue, only to succumb 6-4 to the reigning champions in the end.

There are various theories floating about regarding this game.

My own opinion is that Devonport coach Tom Ballantyne may have told his team that this should be an easy game which won’t test us at all, so let’s give them a 4-goal start and then begin playing and make a game of it.

I have no evidence for this at all, of course, but it makes a good story.

Photo:  Riverside's Gediminas Krusa takes on the Lions' Matthew Hess.  Krusa is the only player in Tasmania to have actually played in a Europa League, the competition beneath the Champions League,  game in Europe. [PlessPix]

Kingborough Lions United easily accounted for Riverside Olympic 8-1, with Kobe Kemp the star.  Her netted four goals.

The Lions led 2-0 when Riverside’s Adrian Anthony conceded a penalty and was sent off.

That helped the home side immeasurably and they ran away with the game from then on.

Photo:  South Hobart's Matthew Oh calmly heads the ball back to his own keeper. [PlessPix]

South Hobart downed Clarence Zebras 3-1, but it could have been closer as the visitors had some very good chances.  Brilliant goalkeeping by South’s Nick O’Connell certainly helped in getting them the 3 points.

Well, that’s about it from me.  I often wonder if writing reports and summaries may be a bit of a waste of time as everyone has probably seen the footage of all the goals, and some people these days won’t read more than a paragraph.

That’s probably cynical on my part, but who can tell me I’m wrong?

NPL Tasmania

South Hobart 3 ((S Berezansky 52, A Walter 56 pen, N Morton 90+3) beat Clarence Zebras 1 (J Maundrill 71)

Kingborough Lions United 8 (A Brown 18, E Luttmer 32, K Kemp 39 pen, 52, 65, 85, A Hess 57, N Mies 59) beat Riverside Olympic 1 (E Farias 64)

Launceston United 4 (A Kenneh 13, 22, S Lowe 28, J Digney 30) lost to  Devonport City 6 (B Denehey 45+2, M Burnley 45+ 6, K Mulraney 52, R Ichimura 65, 67, C Bidwell 80)

Launceston City 0 lost to Glenorchy Knights 4 (R Dillon 45+1, 68, S Cordwell 59, T Harrison 72)

Two obituaries

Photo:  Malcolm Farmer (extreme left of front row) in the Caledonians side (circa 1975). 

Vale Malcolm Douglas Farmer (20/05/1955  -  18/03/2024)

Malcolm Farmer, the former Olympia and Caledonians footballer, has passed away in Hobart at the age of 68.

Born in Glasgow, he arrived in Australia as a youngster in 1965.

After a brief spell playing with Olympia as a right-side midfielder, he transferred in 1975 to the Scottish-backed Caledonians, who were coached at the time by the former Glenorchy Croatia star, Frank Letec.

Farmer was a slim, lean player but had loads of skill, stamina and pace.

Some who saw him play will always remember the magnificent goal he scored at Grove Road for Caledonians against his former club, Olympia.  He hit the ball like a rocket from all of 40 metres and it hit the back of the net, giving the keeper absolutely no chance.

Farmer wore glasses and he was one of the first players in Tasmania to wear the new nylon reinforced spectacles specially made for footballers.

He played for Calies until 1979 before retiring.  He was a most humble man and a very good footballer.

He worked in the Tasmanian Public Service all his working ,life and was Clerk of Lists for the Tasmanian Supreme Court when he retired after more than 40 years of service in October last year.

He was married to Kristine and they had five children.

*****

Photo:  Martin Jones (second from left, back row) in the Midway Marvels indoor team.  Terry Banagan is second from the left in the front row. 

Vale Martin Stewart ‘Moose’ Jones (24/5/1956  -  22/3/2024)

The former George Town United goalkeeper of the late 1970s and early 1980s, Martin ‘Moose’ Jones has passed away in Northern Tasmania aged 67.

Jones hailed from London in the UK and was a life-time fan of West Ham United.

He played his football in Victoria to begin with and was a team-mate of former Caledonians star midfielder, Terry Banagan, at Sunshine City.

Both came to Tasmania, with Jones joining George Town and Banagan signing for Caledonians.

He represented Victoria in the Australian indoor championships in Adelaide.

Jones was an accomplished indoor player and was a member of the Midway Marvels, the Sunshine team that finished second in the Victorian Indoor Soccer Championships one season.

He played cricket for Deer Park and became their treasurer.

Jones also played football for Heidelberg and Keilor Old Boys in the late 80s and early 90s.

Jones eventually became a teacher and taught in many outback and Indigenous communities in northern Australia.

He was the principal of a school in the Broome area before retiring and returning to Tasmania.

Monday, March 25, 2024

Sunday results - 24 March 2024

 

Photo:  Josephine Mamic scores against Taroona today.  Mamic came on as a substitute with 15 minutes remaining and scored twice in as many minutes in the last 10 minutes of the game. [PlessPix] 

Women’s Super League

South Hobart 10 (Graciella Baez 2, Aaliyah Browning 9, 43, Samantha Watkins 12, 29, Pishon Choi 31, Alexandra Habbe 50, Eve Ashby 81 og, Josphine Mamic 83, 84) beat Taroona 0

Photo:  University's Ramiro Vilar is sent off just after the interval after serious foul play, while University coach Hugh Graham holds his head in his hands in shock at the decision.  On the left is University substitute Rhys Goold, who came on in the 63rd minute but suffered a broken wrist.  At first, he was unable to be moved and an ambulance was summoned.  Goold, a doctor at the Royal Hobart Hospital's emergency department, eventually instructed the personnel attending him on what to do and he was able to walk from the pitch with their assistance.  The game was held up for 10 minutes and was then abandoned by the referee without being restarted and with 2 minutes on the clock remaining. [PlessPix] 

Photo:  Vilar displays his impressive torso as he comes off at half-time.  The second half had barely started when he was sent off for a foul tackle. [PlessPix]

Men’s Southern Championship

South Hobart 4 (Harrison Oates 3, 30, 56, Hyeonseo Oh 17) beat University 2 (Gus Rumney 43, Declan Graham 50)

Photo:  University's Gus Rumney stops South Hobart's Josiah Otto in his tracks. [PlessPix] 

 Women’s Southern Championship

University 9 (Anna Wade 1, 55, Sophie Young 19 52, Olivia Young 31, Mikalha George 44, 57, Mariam Refaei 70, Ellisa Bowditch 76) beat Olympia Warriors 0

Photo:  Action from today's Women's Super League game between South Hobart and Taroona at South Hobart Oval. [PlessPix] 

 Men’s Southern Social League 4

Metro 3-0 Nelson Eastern Suburbs

Huon Valley 2 (Caleb Duggan, Josh Wilson) drew with Barnstoneworth United 2 (Scott Logie, Robert Shafe)

Photo:  South Hobart's Niki Moutsatsos crosses the ball. [PlessPix] 

Men’s Southern Social League 1

Barnstoneworth United 7 (Liam Toselli, Josh Hutchins, Yianni Anagnostis 3, Sam Hills, Jacob Leaman0 beat Nelson Eastern Suburbs 2 (Sam Randall, Tawana Madzikanda)

University 0 lost to Metro 1 (Bradleigh Ayres 52)

Photo:  Action from the South Hobart versus Taroona Super League game today. [PlessPix] 

 Men’s Southern Social League 3

South East United 1 (Will Parker 47) drew with New Town White Eagles 1 (Adam Bates 45)

Photo:  The deadly Josephine Mamic scores again. [PlessPix] 

Women’s Southern Social League 1

Taroona v New Town White Eagles [Postponed]

University 0 lost to Glenorchy Knights 3 (Chantelle Nowicki 7, 51, Amy Shreeve 36)

Photo:  South Hobart players celebrate an early goal against Taroona. [PlessPix] 

 Women’s Southern Social League 3

Metro 4-0 Hobart United

Photo:  Indigo watching her owner playing.  I emphasize the fact that Indigo is never walked on the pitch and was merely there to watch her owner playing and she was strictly supervised by a co-owner.  And, she had eyes only for the ball most of the time.  [PlessPix] 

 Men’s Southern Social League Over-35s

Phoenix Rovers 2 (Blair McGuinness 5, 81) lost to Metro 6 (David Morrison 24, 26, 35, 41, Perry Forster 63, Darrin Chaffey 70)

Photo:  South Hobart's Brayton Allan in pain after copping a free-kick in the midriff while standing in the defensive wall.  University scored from the rebound and their players rejoice, oblivious to Allan's plight. [PlessPix]