Welcome to the Weekend Wash-up from Round 12 of the McDonald’s NPL Tasmania season. It was a weekend where the Strikers long-running unbeaten streak was finally brought to an end by an impressive South Hobart side, allowing the Glenorchy Knights to close back within 4 points of them as they accounted for the Lions. Elsewhere, it was a better weekend for Launceston-based sides, as Launceston City downed the Clarence Zebras and Riverside Olympic got their second win of the season.
South End Strikers Streak
I’ll start at Valley Road where the biggest story of the weekend developed, as the Devonport Strikers long-standing unbeaten streak finally came to an end after 40 matches at the hands of South Hobart. Getting a modicum of revenge for their Lakoseljac Cup Final defeat, South produced probably their best performance of the season to inflict a 3-1 defeat on the Strikers, which was their first since Round 2 of 2022 when they lost to the Glenorchy Knights. Since their last defeat the Strikers have hoisted 2 x Lakoseljac Cup’s, the 2022 NPL trophy and a 2023 Summer Cup. This does put a dent in their bid to add a 2023 NPL crown to go with those trophies, but they do still have a 4-point buffer after South’s victory over Knights last week had seen them previously go 7 points clear.
South took the lead inside of 10 minutes, as they launched a counterattack down the right flank that saw Isky Van Doorne storm in behind his full-back, charge into the box and drill home the opening goal.
The Strikers responded in short order, as Brody Denehey scored a brilliant solo goal, beating both Herweynen and Riley Morton all ends up with some fast feet in the box before flicking home to level things up in style.
South jumped out of the sheds the sharper in the second half and restored their lead via Sam Berezansky, who followed up to finish from close range after Semmler’s cross created some chaos in the box.
Nick Morton then had his say on 71 minutes, taking advantage of the Strikers defence sitting off him as he carried the ball into the area and stroked home South’s third which would prove the knockout blow.
It secured a huge win and capped off an impressive fortnight from South, who are now clearly the form side of the competition, knocking off the top 2 in consecutive weeks. They have probably left themselves too far behind to really reckon in the title race themselves, however, despite the uptick in form. They still sit 8 points adrift with 9 rounds remaining and would likely need to win all of their remaining matches to be any chance. It’s possible, but not probable given the lack of wiggle room they’ve left for themselves. At the very least they’ve done a favour for the Glenorchy Knights and kept this season’s title race from being wrapped up prematurely.
Another KGV Clean Sheet For Knights
The Glenorchy Knights bounced back from last week’s defeat and closed back within 4 points of the Devonport Strikers by comfortably accounting for the Kingborough Lions on Friday night at KGV.
The Knights were rarely troubled in this one, producing a commanding display as the Lions struggled to create chances against a Knights defence that resembled the one we have seen in games at venues not named Darcy Street this season.
The opening half-hour was a rather dour affair, with little in the way of scoring chances created before the Knights began to knock on the door and look more threatening side as the game ticked towards halftime.
The pressure told eventually and Daniel Sagno opened the scoring when Hugh Undy picked him out with a delightful cross that the Canadian did well to nod home at the back post.
Knights then doubled their lead early in the second half when Adam Gorrie split the defence with a perfectly weighted through ball for Sagno to run onto. Sagno showed impressive composure to shift past the goalkeeper and multiple defenders trying to block the shot, to delay his release on the shot, before finally firing home his second.
There seemed little doubt in the end result from that moment with the Knights in total control and the Lions not looking a side capable of finding the multiple goals they required.
Matthew Brkic scored a thumping goal as he cut in from the left and drove from range, the Lions keeper getting a hand to it but unable to keep it out, before Kytle Vincent capped off the scoring in stoppage time with a shot that should’ve been kept out, but squirmed through the keeper and into the net to secure the 4-0 win.
For the Knights it was a result that gets their title bid back on track and was yet another clean sheet at KGV, where they are proving impossible to break down. They’ve now won their last five matches at the venue without conceding a goal and have only conceded once in 7 total games there this season.
Gardner has conceded just once in 7 games at KGV- Solstice Digital
City Snap Skid To Account For Zebras
Launceston City got themselves back on the winner’s list, snapping a three game losing skid, to down the Clarence Zebras 3-1 at Buckby Motors Park.
It was a match that could’ve been so very different, as the Zebras dominated the opening 25 minutes, and created some excellent scoring chances but just couldn’t take one. Lachlan Clark was razor sharp in net and he had to be, as City rode out an early onslaught. William Humphrey produced a particularly heroic goal-line block to deny Wishart just 3 minutes in, and Clark shut down the follow-up shot at the back post as City endured the early examination.
Having absorbed the early pressure, City then hit them back the other way as Toby Simeoni produced a fine goal, taking one touch to bring a dinked ball down and past a defender before hammering home the opening goal.
Just two minutes later and Humphrey put City 2 goals ahead as he was given the chance from the penalty spot, where he made no mistake.
Five minutes earlier it had seemed unthinkable City would be two goals ahead, but this is so often a game of taking your chances, which City did and the Zebras did not. City were buoyed by the double strike, now surging with confidence whilst the Zebras were left stunned and they would never really recover and have another period like they did early on.
City added a third to secure the win on the hour mark, as Simeoni finished off Smith’s nice work out on the right to bag his second of the night.
Riley Wishart continued his strong start to his NPL career when he curled home a long-range stunner soon after, but it was little more than a consolation goal for the Zebras, as City claimed a win that moves them back within a point of the Zebras in fourth place.
Riverside Sink Cross Town Rivals
A devastating first-half burst saw Riverside Olympic down Launceston United 4-1 at Floorworld Park and claim the inaugural Jackson Motor Company Cup.
After a tight opening fifteen minutes that were played at a furious tempo and saw United probably just shading things, Riverside exploded into life just after the quarter-hour mark and blew their Launceston rivals away.
Gedi Krusa has immediately improved the side since coming into the starting XI last week and he had the first goal in this game after being presented with a wide-open net at the back post as the ball was played back across the goal face to him.
That goal seemed to lift Riverside, who were playing with a real intensity and showing an eagerness to take the game to United, by running at them and taking on defenders wherever they could. That led to a second goal when Liam Poulson was left with a simple tap in following Chamusca’s shot that drew a rebound from Piper.
Poulson then turned provider and set up Henry Cook at the top of the box who picked out the bottom corner to make it 2 goals in 2 minutes and had Windsor Park buzzing.
Austin Marshall then smashed home a truly thumping strike, as he was played in on the right-hand side of the box in the 38th minute, as the Roos made it 4 goals in a 20-minute period that essentially sealed the contest. United, who had started sharply, were left utterly stunned as Riverside revelled in their work.
United did manage to pull one back in the second half and they did stem the bleeding, not conceding again, but the damage was done and Riverside walked away thumping victors, securing a second win of the season. The new signings that arrived in the opening of the transfer window last week, have clearly strengthened this group and they will be hopeful there are more victories to come.
Round 12
Riverside Olympic 4 (G.Krusa 18” L.Poulson 28” H.Cook 30” A.Marshall 39”)
Launceston United 1 (A.Amato 66”)
Highlights
Glenorchy Knights 4 (D.Sagno 39” 56” M.Brkic 79” K.Vincent 90”)
Kingborough Lions 0
Highlights
Devonport Strikers 1 (B.Denehey 23”)
South Hobart 3 (I.Van Doorne 9” S.Berezansky 47” N.Morton 72”)
Highlights
Launceston City 3 (T.Simeoni 30”60” W.Humphrey 33”
Clarence Zebras 1 (R.Wishart 69”)
Highlights