Clarence Zebras look to be in trouble

Photo:  Clarence Zebras' Adam McKeown in pursuit of the ball as Knights' Connor Schmidt assesses the situation [PlessPix]

(NPL Tasmania pre-season friendly, Wentworth Park, Saturday, 4 July 2020)

Clarence Zebras 1 (L Burt 64)

Glenorchy Knights 3 (C Smith 43, A Walter 68, A Bellini 92)

HT:  0-1   Att:  120   Ref:  B Kopra

Clarence Zebras:  O’Connell;  Burt, Ahn Byungtae, Dillon, Hatcher, Hey, Hills, McKeown, Pace, Smithies-Sharples, Thompson  (Subs:  Snell, Mundy, Josh Jones, Stankovich, A Smith)

Glenorchy Knights:  Hart;  C Smith, Bowman, Muller, Backhouse, Anderson, Young, Naden, Thomas, Schmidt, Walter  (Subs:  J Sherman, H Huigsloot, Lagu, Midson-Laredo, A Bellini)

Photo:  Knights keeper Lachie Hart claws away a Clarence Zebras free-kick [PlessPix]

Clarence Zebras have not had a good pre-season.  They appear to be in trouble after losing 3-1 at home to Glenorchy Knights at Wentworth Park today.

This loss follows last week’s 4-2 loss to South Hobart, also at Wentworth Park.

Coach David Smith is going to have to pull several rabbits out of hats because this squad just isn’t good enough.

Knights could easily have scored more goals, while Clarence Zebras were given few chances.

Clarence Zebras trailed 1-0 at half-time to an excellent goal 2 minutes before the break.  Cade Smith was put away on the right and he drew keeper Nick O’Connell before skilfully lifing the ball over the keeper and into the net.  It was a class finish by the former Clarence player.

Photo:  Clarence Zebras' Kane Hatcher goes down under a challenge from Knights' Connor Schmidt [PlessPix]

The task should have become easier for the home side in the 52^nd minute when Knights had centre-back Oscar Thomas sent off for a professional foul.

There was some light at the end of the tunnel when Lachie Burt scored an excellent equaliser from the right after being put away by Adam McKeown, but that turned out to be a freight train as Knights regained the lead in the 68^th minute through Alex Walter.  Harry Anderson broke clear on the right and his low cross was parried by substitute keeper Josh Jones and into the path of Walter, who knocked the ball home.

Photo:  Knights' Connor Schmidt cuts out a corner [PlessPix]

In injury time, Alex Bellini was given all the time in the world to control the ball just inside the box and his shot flew in off the base of the right-hand post to make it 3-1.

The Knights have had a good pre-season but they shouldn’t be over confident.  Their two wins  -  the other was against Olympia Warriors  -  have, after all, only been practice matches.

Photo:  Knights' Tom Young gets his head to the ball and clears a corner [PlessPix]

Pre-season friendlies on Saturday, 4 July 2020

Photo:  New Town White Eagles' goalkeeper Jamie Cook saves from Kingborough Lions United's Danny Cowen as Eagles' Jacob Klamp takes a tumble [PlessPix]

Here are the results of today’s friendlies:

NPL Tasmania

Clarence Zebras 1 (L Burt 64) lost to Glenorchy Knights 3 (C Smith 43, A Walter 68, A Bellini 92)

Devonport Strikers 1-0 Riverside Olympic

South Hobart 7-2 Beachside

New Town White Eagles 0-6 Kingborough Lions United (S Cartwright 15, 58, 50, K Trac 37, 47, 74)

Launceston City 1-2 Olympia Warriors

Photo:  Glenorchy Knights' Cade Smith chips a delightful opener against Clarence Zebras today [PlessPix]

Championship North

Devonport Strikers 1-1 Riverside Olympic

Championship South

New Town White Eagles 0-2 Kingborough Lions United 

Photo:  Kingborough's Shane Cartwright takes on Eagles defender Liam Brown [PlessPix]

Championship 1 North

Launceston City 1-2 Olympia Warriors

Championship 1 South

Clarence Zebras 11-1 Glenorchy Knights

Women’s League

Devonport Strikers 19-0 Riverside Olympic

Photo:  Clarence Zebras' Ahn Byungtae tackles Glenorchy Knights' Nick Naden [PlessPix] 

Photo:  Knights keeper Lachie Hart punches the ball clear and off the head of team-mate Jack Bowman [PlessPix]

South Hobart maintain course, while Olympia's Amazons down Students

South Hobart beat Kingborough Lions United 3-0 in an NPL Tasmania pre-season friendly at Lightwood Park tonight.

Bradley Lakoseljac netted a brace and Kasper Hallam scored once for South, who led 2-0 at half-time.

Kobe Kemp had a penalty saved by the Kingborough goalkeeper, Jake Hayers.

South Hobart’s new signing from Clarence Zebras, goalkeeper Nathan Reid, played in the second half, taking the place of veteran keeper Mark Moncur at half-time.

South Hobart’s former American goalkeeper, Chase Webert, who returned home after the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, wants to return but this seems highly unlikely to occur.

South Hobart also introduced Marcus Eugster at centre-back.  He is a Tasmanian who has been living and playing in Switzerland in recent years.

Kingborough, without Shane Cartwright, offered little in attack and the visitors won comfortably.

“The game got a bit scrappy in the second half, but we dominated possession,” said South Hobart coach, Ken Morton.

“We had three or four chances to put it beyond doubt, but we controlled it all right.  It wasn’t a great game, but it was a good hit-out for us.

“They looked patchy, but their centre-back is a good player.  He ran the ball out of defence well, but they had little penetration up front.

“Our new keeper, Nathan Reid, didn’t have much to do, but what he did do, he did well.

“Mark Moncur, our veteran keeper, has done very well for us.

“Chase Webert wants to come back but it’s not going to happen and we just wanted a bit of cover in the goalkeeping position.”

In tonight’s Women’s Super League pre-season friendly at Warrior Park, Olympia Warriors downed University 4-0 through two goals by Bonnie Davies and one each by Hanna Johnson and Olivia Bomford.

Olympia led 1-0 at half-time.

“I was really happy,” said Olympia Warriors coach, Alastair Russell.  “We had really nice control of the game.

“We passed the ball around really nicely in the two 40-minute halves.

“There was interchange so we had lots and lots of changes and it was the perfect hit-out, which is what you always want at this time near the start of the season.”

Maddie Black is back from college in America and Olivia Bomford has returned from interstate and both played tonight for Olympia.

Olympia were missing Zoe Haralampopoulos, who had been working in Tasmania as a dentist but who had to return home to South Australia.

“We just wanted to get a game in before we start playing properly and I’m very happy,” Russell added.

“We had an intra-club game on the weekend, but it’s nice to get a proper opponent.

“Uni did well and fought pretty hard and it’s nice to have them back in the Super League.”

University were coached by Brad Judge, who has been coaching junior teams at University for the past nine seasons.

Judge said it wasn’t a bad result for a team that was back in the Super League and which had lost players.

“Losing 4-0 at Olympia’s home isn’t the worst result,” Judge said.

“In the Championship last season, this Uni team didn’t lose a game, but we’ve actually lost quite a few really good players since we were last in the Super League.

“We’ve brought a few younger players up and we know it’s going to be a very difficult season, but we’ve got a three-year window where Football Tasmania have said we won’t face the threat of relegation until the third year.

“So, my mindset is to see how players go.

“There was a lot of gelling tonight and the performance has to improve.

“I’m happy tonight, but if I see the same thing in three months, it’s a completely different conversation and things will need to change.”