Devonport should claim the NPL Tasmania title today and achieve the league and cup double

Photo:  Devonport keeper Keegan Smith may celebrate his first season with the club with two trophies. [PlessPix]  

Devonport Strikers can sew up the NPL Tasmania title today [Saturday] by beating the visiting fifth-placed Launceston City at Valley Road at 2.15pm.

A win for the Strikers will put them on 49 points and, even if second-placed South Hobart win away to third-ranked Kingborough Lions United at 4.30pm at Clennett’s lightwood park on Sunday, Devonport would be beyond reach with just 3 games remaining.

The Strikers have beaten Launceston City in both their previous meetings this season  -  4-0 at Valley Road, and 2-1 away at Buckby Motors Park.

The odds are in Devonport’s favour for this third meeting and it seems very likely that reigning champions Glenorchy Knights will relinquish their crown this afternoon.

Second place is at stake when the Lions entertain South Hobart on Sunday.

The Lions can leapfrog South Hobart by winning on Sunday.

Kingborough have had the edge over South Hobart this season, winning 1-0 at home and drawing 4-4 away.

This indicates a close contest is in store and the result could go either way.

South Hobart were leading Glenorchy Knights 4-0 at half-time last weekend before winning 5-3, which puts somewhat of a question mark over their defence.

Kingborough have been inconsistent at times, but with second place in view, they may just be spurred on to a winning performance.

Glenorchy Knights take on Clarence Zebras away at Wentworth Park at 4.30pm today and they will be desperate to win and retain their self-respect, especially if a Devonport win means they have relinquished the title.

Knights have won 2-1 and 4-0 in the two games between the sides this season so they will start as hot favourites.

Clarence Zebras have only pride to play for, but they will up against it against a determined Knights outfit.

The remaining game is the bottom-of-the-table clash at Windsor Park between last-placed Riverside Olympic and second-last Olympia Warriors.

Riverside can still avoid the wooden spoon and a win over Olympia would put them level on points with the visitors but still last on goal-difference.

It would be a significant step, however, and one which Olympia will be desperate to deny them.

NPL Tasmania Standings (As at 13 August 2022)

TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Devonport Strikers	17	15	1	1	57	10	46
South Hobart	17	11	3	3	57	16	36
Kingborough Lions	17	11	2	4	46	28	35
Glenorchy Knights	17	10	1	6	38	20	31
Launceston City	17	8	2	7	32	39	26
Clarence Zebras	17	4	2	11	30	41	14
Olympia Warriors	17	2	0	15	17	62	6
Riverside Olympic	17	0	3	14	9	71	3

South Hobart's win over Taroona puts them 2 points behind Women's Super League leaders Launceston United

Photo:  Taroona goalkeeper Isolina Ottavi turns Mia Cane's penalty against the bar. [PlessPix] 

Women’s Super League (KGV Park, Wednesday, 17 August 2022)

South Hobart 4 (N Moutsatsos 3, M Cane)

Taroona 1 (M Lane)

HT:  3-0

South Hobart:  Butler;  Bachelor, M Cane, Choi, Cooling, DeclerckN Moutsatsos, Roberts, Swain, Westwood, Wright (Subs:  I Cane, Coy, Kidd, McConnon, White)

Taroona:  Ottavi;  Bain, Blackwood-Coyle, Cropp, Fujiura, King, Lane, Lucas, McGinn, Price, Riley (Subs:  Gale, Krelling, Thomson)

Photo:  Taroona goalkeeper Isolina Ottavi takes a cross and thwarts a South Hobart attack. [PlessPix]  

This was a game South Hobart had to win to stay in touch with Women’s Super League leaders, Launceston United.

And win they did.  The victory puts them within 2 points of Launceston United, but the northerners have a game in hand.

The first half was largely one-way traffic, with South Hobart dominating possession and keeping play in Taroona’s half for long periods.

South Hobart were able to push defenders forward in attack as they were never really under any pressure at the back.

Photo:  South Hobart's Mia Cane (left) fights for possession. [PlessPix]  

Bridie Cooling rarely had to defend and was able to initiate attacks from the back or from midfield.

South Hobart scored three goals without reply and should have had at least another, but Taroona keeper Isolina Ottavi, who had conceded the penalty, turned Mia Cane’s spot-kick against the crossbar.

The second half saw Taroona come out fighting and they did much better than in the first half.

Photo:  A Taroona attacker races down the wing with South Hobart's Niki Moutsatsos in hot pursuit. [PlessPix]  

They conceded a fourth goal early in the half but South Hobart were unable to add to their score after that.

Taroona’s perseverance and tenacity was rewarded 5 minutes from the end when Madeleine Lane hammered an unstoppable shot past keeper Samantha Butler from the edge of the penalty area.

Niki Moutsatsos hit a hat-trick for South Hobart, while Mia Came grabbed the remaining goal.

Photo:  Niki Moutsatsos is congratulated after scoring a goal in the first half. [PlessPix]  

WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE (As at 17 August 2022)

TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Launceston United	14	12	1	1	49	19	37
South Hobart	15	11	2	2	78	23	35
Devonport Strikers	15	10	2	3	74	20	32
Clarence Zebras	15	9	1	5	75	26	28
Kingborough Lions	14	4	0	10	40	60	12
Taroona	14	2	0	12	11	82	6
Olympia Warriors	15	0	0	15	7	101	0

Photo:  A duel on the wing at KGV Park tonight between South Hobart's Talia White and Taroona's Isabella McGinn. [PlessPix]

Photo:  An unorthodox but effective thigh trap by a South Hobart player and watched by team-mate Sophie Westwood (right). [PlessPix]
 

Photo:  South Hobart skipper Lucy Roberts (left) in a shoulder-to-shoulder confrontation with Taroona's Nathalia Krelling. [PlessPix]