https://youtu.be/QtpUSHn6XCs
The Devonport Strikers are now well and truly in the box seat to take out the 2019 NPL TAS title after downing Olympia 4-1 at Valley Road on Saturday. A hat-trick to Miles Barnard along with an Eddie Bidwell volley helped the home side overpower the Warriors, and it would take a dramatic change in form to see a change at the top of table now.
The game kicked off with chances to both teams, with Joffery Nkoso coming close on two occasions before Joel Stone forced a save from McDonald. In the 5th minute an Eddie Bidwell cross deflected off Ryan Cook to win the home side a corner, and this is where they found a breakthrough.
Joel Stone was the man chosen to take the set piece and he did not disappoint, crossing the ball into the box well. His cross found its way onto the head of the ‘Fox in the Box’ Miles Barnard who headed it into the back of the net, putting his side 1-0 up with just six minutes played.
Just two minutes after Barnard’s opening goal and Olympia almost found a reply, with Jordan Scott hitting a powerful strike goalwards. However, Nathan Pitchford denied the Warriors’ number eight with a fantastic diving save. Soon after Pitchford was forced to make another big save, this time denying Nkoso an equaliser when he skipped through one on one.
In the 26th minute a clash between Jack Ryan and Kieran Mulraney resulted in two slices of cheese being dealt, before an attempt by Jordan Scott to catch Pitchford off his line went begging. Joel Stone then produced a fantastic attempt on goal, forcing a theatrical save from McDonald. Minutes later Nkoso skipped past Raphael Reynolds but this chance was missed, seeing the Strikers go into halftime with a slender one goal lead.
After the second half kicked off it wasn’t long before the home side almost found their second, with Miles Barnard missing a great opportunity. This chance came after a wayward pass across goal from the Olympia defence, Barnard then pounced on the ball, only being denied by a great reflex kick save from Kyle McDonald. However, it wasn’t long before Barnard found his second.
Ten minutes into the half Joel Stone controlled the ball well near the halfway line. Stone then played a long ball into the path of Miles Barnard, with the ‘Fox in the Box’ guiding the ball off his head and into the back of the net. This goal put the Strikers two goals up and Olympia was quick to reply.
In the 59th minute Jordan Scott found Jack Ryan in the Warriors’ attacking half. Ryan then took a touch before playing through Jonathan Mulungula. Mulungula set himself to shoot, striking past Pitchford and into the back of the net, moving the score to 2-1 and putting his side back in the contest.
This goal gave the game a new energy and the Warriors had a belief that they could get back into the contest. This energy saw the visitors attacking well, with Jordan Scott hitting a shot over the bar, but the rally was short lived.
In the 70th minute Dom Smith won the ball off Jordan Scott and shaped for a ball into the box. Smith then whipped a wonderful cross towards the back post and into the path of Eddie Bidwell. Bidwell produced a great volley into the opposite corner of the net, striking it with a superb technique and sending the home side 3-1 up.
Bidwell’s goal helped to halt the Warriors burst of energy and the game became more scrappy from then on. Both sides struggled to hold possession of the ball for long periods of time and both Barnard and Ladic missed chances for their teams. In the 89th minute Joel Stone drew a foul, and the set piece that followed sealed the game for the home side.
Dom Smith stood over the dead ball for the Strikers, located near to the halfway line in their attacking end of the pitch. Smith’s ball bounced off the wall of bodies in the box before Eddie Bidwell managed to put it in the direction of Miles Barnard. Barnard then struck the ball through the slow to react McDonald and into the back of the net, sealing his hat trick, a 4-1 win, and starting jubilant celebrations at Valley Road.
The win sees Devonport move three points clear with a game in hand at the top of the table, plus a handy goal difference advantage. Next week Devonport host Kingborough, 2:15pm on Saturday at Valley Road. Meanwhile Olympia host the Hobart Zebras, 4:15pm on Sunday at Warrior Park.