Forestry Tasmania Southern Premier League (KGV Park, Friday, 2 April 2010)
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Tilford Zebras 4 (Walsh 16, Welch 25, Hall 38, Telega 59)
Clarence United 1 (Hamlett 2)
HT: 3-1 Att: 100 Ref: S Collins
Tilford Zebras: Kaden - Fagg, Telega, Smith, K Engels - Young, Self, Hall, Welch (Cox 77) - D Lapolla (L Engels 32), Walsh [Substitutes not used: Fisher, Voss] [Coach: Romeo Frediani]
Clarence United: Sweeney - Toghill, Parker, Cannamela (Rees 85), McMahon - Hunt (Woolley 81), L Huigsloot, Stevens (Lewis 67), S McIntyre - Hamlett, Cripps [Substitute not used: Sweetten] [Coach: Andrew Brown]
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Clarence United were in this game for all of two minutes. That’s how long it took them to score and take the lead.
After that, it was mostly Tilford Zebras, who could have scored twice as many goals as they eventually did.
Clarence leaked goals at the back and squandered some good opportunities up front, which all added up to their second biggest defeat of the season.
Zebras almost scored in less than a minute after Adam Young’s right-wing cross found Jayden Welch, but his shot was tipped over the bar by Cameron Sweeney.
But then, in the 2nd minute, Clarence took the lead as Troy Kaden first saved Ben Hamlett’s shot, only to see his defence switch off and allow Hamlett a second shot from which he scored.
Zebras fought back immediately and Daniel Lapolla chipped just wide in the 11th minute, while Welch should have scored a minute later but swept his effort wide of a post.
In the 14th minute, Dwayne Walsh should have punished his former club but poked his effort wide after Welch’s left-wing cross.
Walsh took matters into his own hands in the 16th minute when he raced down the right and beat Julian McMahon before cutting inside and planting his shot home at the near post to make it 1-1.
In the 25th minute, the Clarence defence was caught flat-footed when Andrew Telega played a long ball out of defence to Welch, who controlled in acres of space and had the simple task of lobbing over Sweeney to make it 2-1 for the home side.
Sam McIntyre headed wide from a Clarence corner in the 31st minute after spoiling the chance for Hamlett, who seemed poised for a strike at goal.
Seconds later, Lapolla had a chance at the other end, but Sweeney parried his shot and claimed the loose ball before a bunch of Zebras attackers could gain possession.
Lapolla went off injured within a minute and was replaced by Luke Engels.
Matt Hall made it 3-1 in the 38th minute after a fine build-up by the Zebras, started by Telega in his own half.
Telega played the ball to Welch and he released Luke Engels down the left. His low cross into the box was completely missed by Walsh, but the ball carried through to Hall, who had time to pick his spot.
Clarence had a good chance in stoppage time at the end of the first half after they earned a corner. Ben Parker headed the corner towards goal and it was only a header off the line by Hall that saved the day for the Zebras.
Telega added the Zebras’ fourth seconds short of the hour mark following a corner by Luke Engels. Hall’s shot was blocked and, as the ball rolled loose in the box, the Zebras captain struck it home for his second goal in as many games.
Hall volleyed over in the 70th minute as Zebras maintained the pressure and, despite three substitutions in the final quarter of the match, Clarence could not find a way back, their final chance coming in the 88th minute when Kaden produced a fine save from McIntyre.
The win put Zebras on top of the ladder, a point ahead of South Hobart, while Clarence remain in third-last place.
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· Tilford Zebras coach, Romeo Frediani, said:
“Yeah, it wasn’t bad. We worked on a few things last week at training, or during the week, and we came out and did exactly what we worked on.
“We used our strengths, which is a lot speed on the flanks, and we got in behind them and capitalised and put chances away for a change, which is nice.
“We could have scored another three or four at least, but we’ve got to be happy with 4-1.”
· Clarence United striker, Luke Cripps, said:
“Well, we just didn’t play to feet in the first half.
“They took their chances and played well.
“We were unlucky a couple of times and probably could have had three or four as well, but we didn’t deserve to win.
“It’s always nice to put one in early, but I don’t know why we leaked goals at the back because that was our strength last year.”
