Pre-season scrimmages and pennants

There were a couple of pre-season practice matches in the past two days.

Yesterday, Kingborough Lions United’s NPL side beat Southern Championship outfit New Town White Eagles 3-2 at Lightwood Park.

On Friday night at KGV Park, Glenorchy Knights took on Southern Championship side South East United in three 30-minute thirds.

It was a bit of experiment for both clubs and as well as senior sides it included Under-21s as well.

South East United were under-strength and missing several key players.

Overall, the hit-out ended in a 7-6 win for Knights.

Knights won one of the thirds 6-0 while South East United won another of the thirds 7-0.

I guess such things are designed to give coaches a look at what players they have available rather than any coherent game plan or serious match strategies.

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Photo:  South Hobart Under-17 pennant from 1973, courtesy of Ray Carroll. 

Former player and coach Ray Carroll, who came to Hobart from the UK and Sydney and played for South Hobart, Caledonian and Dnipro, recently sent me an old South Hobart Under-17 pennant from 1973 that he’d found around the house after many years.

There are some notable names on that pennant.

That led me to dig up an old Metro Claremont pennant from 1980. 

Photo:  Metro Claremont pennant from 1980 senior side. 

There are some interesting names on that as well.

Do clubs still produce such pennants these days, I wonder? 

Photo:   Metro-Claremont Under-14 Colts pennant from 1993.

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By the way, Launceston City beat Ulverstone 2-0 in Ulverstone last weekend.

City are playing in Queensland this weekend.

Pre-season friendlies on weekend of 1 and 2 February 2025

Photo:  Action from Knights v Clarence Zebras Under-21s. [PlessPix] 

Visiting Victorian NPL 1 side Bulleen Lions beat Glenorchy Knights 4-0 at KGV Park on Saturday in a pre-season friendly.

In an Under-21 game, Glenorchy Knights beat Clarence Zebras 3-0.

South Hobart travelled to Victoria on Saturday to take on Western United.

Western United won 5-1 against South Hobart’s NPL side.

No-one can tell me how South Hobart’s Under-21s fared against Western United’s Under-23s, but I understand it was a convincing win for Western United.

South Hobarts‘s Under-21s went down 6-2 against Green Gully on the Sunday.

Photo:  A Knights defender clears as South Hobart's Laura Davis tackles. [PlessPix] 

In a Women’s Super League series of friendlies at Kelvedon Park on Sunday, South Hobart drew 1-1 with Taroona, South Hobart beat Glenorchy Knights 2-0, and Taroona drew 0-0 with Glenorchy Knights.

Photo:  Action from the Taroona v Glenorchy Knights game. [PlessPix]

Photo:  Glenorchy Knights hit the Taroona crossbar. [PlessPix]

Photo:  South Hobart coaches Ken Morton and Craig Westwood and Taroona coach Riley Pitchford. [PlessPix]

Photo:  Knights in possession in midfield against Taroona. [PlessPix]

Brief analyses of Saturday's friendlies

Photo:  South Hobart's Sam Berezansky (right) tries to cut out a Green Gully cross. [PlessPix] 

South Hobart came back from being an early goal down to beating Green Gully from Victoria 3-2 at South Hobart Oval on Saturday.

This followed last weekend’s 3-0 win over another Victorian outfit, Pascoe Vale.

But, whereas Pascoe Vale are in the Victorian NPL 2 competition, Green Gully are in the Victorian NPL top flight.

South Hobart’s new senior NPL coach, Max Clarke, can be said to have made an auspicious start at the helm.

Deklan Wynne gave the Victorians the perfect start after just 6 minutes, but Kobe Kemp, who has returned to South Hobart from Kingborough Lions United, equalised in the 19^th minute.

Excellent goals by Nick Morton in the 24^th and 32^nd minutes gave South Hobart a 3-1 lead at the interval.

Brayden Portelli’s speed and expert flick at the near post four minutes after the resumption pulled a goal back for the visitors, but South Hobart were able to hang on for the win.

They could, in fact, have increased their lead before the end but had several shots blocked on the line and cleared in the nick of time by a desperate Green Gully defence.

Former South Hobart player Kasper Hallam played for Green Gully, while former South Hobart goalkeeper Kieran Brown was back after four years in the USA and was in goal for South in the second half.

Brown leaves for the Republic of Ireland this week, where he has several trials scheduled.

Regular custodian Nick O’Connell was between the posts in the first half.

Alfred Hess and Eli Wright also got runs after returning to the club from Kingborough Lions United.

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Photo:  Emanuel Francisco Ponce Farias scored for Kingborough Lions United against Clarence Zebras. [Photo by Ellie Gordon] 

Kingborough Lions United drew 1-1 with Clarence Zebras at Lightwood Park.

New signing from Riverside Olympic, Emanuel Francisco Ponce Farias, netted for the Lions in the 62^nd minute, although Clarence Zebras’ Kane Hatcher may have got the last touch but succeeded only in firing the ball into the roof of the net.

James Ackerley stunned the home side with an equaliser from 20 minutes three minutes from the end.

The Lions had the better of the match in terms of possession but succumbed to that late sucker punch, which must have been disappointing for their new coach, Jon Fenech.

The Lions had their two  Korean imports on view, midfielder Kim Hyeon (who used to be with South Hobart), and winger Park Egan.

Photo:  Kim Hyeon of Kingborough Lions United. [Photo by Ellie Gordon]
 

Photo:  Kingborough Lions United's Park Egan. [Photo by Ellie Gordon]

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Southern Championship sides, Hobart City and South East United had little success against NPL opponents.

Hobart City went down 5-1 to Riverside Olympic at Edgeworth Street in Warrane, while South East United succumbed 5-3 to Launceston City at Sorell.

Both southern clubs have ambitions for bigger things, but they may have to reassess and go back to the drawing board if they are going to trade punches one day with the big boys.

Riverside Olympic led Hobart City 3-0 at half-time and ran out comfortable winners in the end.

City almost got a second goal in the second half when their player-coach, Michael Monticchio, rattled the Riverside crossbar with an excellent free-kick from 30 metres.

Photo:  Hobart City player-coach Michael Monticchio in possession against Riverside Olympic. [PlessPix]

 

Photo:  Action from the Hobart City versus Riverside Olympic game. [PlessPix]

Photo:  Clarence Zebras' James Ackerley and Kingborough's Emanuel Francisco Ponce Farias, the two scored in the match, engaged in an aerial duel. [PlessPix]

 

Photo:  Clarence Zebras goakeeper, Aiden Featherstone, who has returned to the club from University, punches clear against one of Kingborough's two Schwarz brothers. [PlessPix]

Photo:  Action from Hobart City versus Riverside Olympic. [PlessPix]

Photo:  A battle for possession in the Hobart City versus Riverside Olympic game. [PlessPix]

Photo:  Riverside Olympic score a penalty against Hobart City to make it 4-1. [PlessPix]