Launceston City will need to overcome bogey side Devonport if they are to keep up their galloping NPL Tasmania title pursuit this weekend.
A week after throwing the championship race wide open with victory at previously-unbeaten double-chasing South Hobart, City need to repeat the feat against their most frustrating opponents.
Daniel Syson’s side have lost just three times this season but twice to Tom Ballantyne’s Strikers, which will add extra spice to an already captivating second-versus-fourth match-up.
“Since Tom’s been there I don’t think I’ve taken three points off them, but we’ve never been as strong as we are currently,” Syson said.
“Now we’ve got more of an attacking threat, are able to finish teams off and we’re averaging four to five goals per game at the moment, so scoring’s really not a problem and defensively we’re pretty tight, so I think it’s just a case of continuing what we’re doing well at the moment.”
Syson admitted he did not think his side would still be in the title hunt after back-to-back losses to South and Devonport in the second round of fixtures. However, they have since recorded five straight wins, bagging 25 goals with Angus Taylor averaging more than two per game.
“We spoke after the Devonport and South games to forget about the title and just felt that opportunity was gone,” he added. “So for the boys to give themselves a second chance of competing for it and being there ’til the last day is exciting for the group and the club.”
In contrast to City’s rampant run of form, perennial title contenders Devonport find themselves in the unaccustomed position of being without a win in a month following two draws, a loss and a postponement.
Ballantyne praised City’s performance at South Hobart and admitted his team may have been a bit fortunate in their two previous clashes.
“I think the first game we were lucky,” he said. “They missed two penalties - if you miss two penalties in a game then the luck is probably against you, so we rode it in that game massively. It was one-way traffic in the last 15 minutes.
“The second game was a much more even contest, they had more of the possession but we had the balance of the better chances.
“Where we’ve been able to hurt them over the last few times we’ve played is being able to get at their defenders a bit more than South have. Physically we match up quite well against their backline pace and power.
“But they haven’t lost since we beat them and they’ve tightened up that defence massively.”
A delay in a visa application to study in the US means Toby Simeoni remains available to complement City’s 43-goal partnership of Taylor and Thierry Swaby.
All three scored in last week’s D’Arcy Street victory and Ballantyne said they represent a formidable front line.
“Toby’s a one-man wrecking machine and has freed up Thierry and Angus. We’re going to be really tested this weekend by comfortably the best attack in the league. They are well ahead of where South are attacking-wise.”
The title race is looking somewhat clearer in the Women’s Super League where Devonport sit six points clear, still on course for an unbeaten double and facing winless bottom side Taroona this weekend.
However, the next two sides meet at Birch Avenue with plenty at stake.
Separated by one place but 13 points and 31 goals, second-placed South Hobart and third-placed Launceston United find themselves in contrasting form.
While United have had a postponement, loss and bye since their last victory, their guests have built impressive momentum since becoming the first team to take points off Strikers, winning three straight and scoring 13 goals in the process with Sam Watkins on target in each.
“It’s been a good few weeks for us, we’ve been on a good run, and we’re hoping to keep that going,” said South Hobart full-back Ruby Batchelor.
“Launnie United always put up an amazing fight and we really love playing against them. The way they play is very similar to us I think, so it’s always a great battle whenever we go up there.”
Batchelor said Ken Morton’s team have not given up on the title yet.
“It’s always in the back of our minds. That was our intention going into the season and it still is, but to be realistic, I think we’re hoping for second at this stage," she said.
With seven wins, six losses and no draws, United coach Al Ollington said his side’s inconsistency has not been helped by postponements and byes.
“We’ve struggled a little with the stop-start nature of the season. We’ve only played two games in the last five weeks so that’s been difficult for us,” he said.
“But the reality is South and Devonport seem to be able to deal with that and still come out and play consistently week after week and we haven’t managed that. We’ve dropped two or three games we feel we should have won and that’s put us in third. We know we’re competitive with the top two but we just need to be competitive every week.
“We think we’re a really good shot to keep the pressure on South and make sure they don’t slip and we need to be careful with the teams coming up behind us.”
A tight three-horse race for third place sees just three points separating United from Kingborough and Glenorchy.
McDonald's NPL Tasmania
Friday, August 15
8.15pm Glenorchy v Kingborough, KGV
Saturday, August 16
2.30pm Launceston United v South Hobart, Birch Avenue
4.30pm Riverside Olympic v Clarence, Windsor Park
4.45pm Launceston City v Devonport, Prospect Park
McDonald's Women’s Super League
Saturday, August 16
12.15pm Launceston United v South Hobart, Birch Avenue
2.30pm Glenorchy v Kingborough, KGV
2.30pm Taroona v Devonport, Kelvedon Park
BYE: Riverside Olympic