Something’s got to give when two of the McDonald's Women’s Super League’s 100 per cent records go up against each other this weekend.
While Devonport leads the way on goal difference, South Hobart and Launceston United have also made perfect starts, conceding just one goal between them.
South’s former golden boot winner Jaz White and United’s rejuvenated Canadian import Montana Leonard have both scored in every game so far to set up Saturday’s mouth-watering D’Arcy Street shootout.
United’s Lucy Smith is also averaging a goal per game and said there should be plenty of goalmouth action in store.
“It’s good that we’re consistent with our goal-scoring, especially with Montana coming back along with our other import Angelique (Ikeda),” she said. “It’s very nice playing with both of them and hopefully we can score more for the rest of the season.
“South are always a very competitive team to play against and is always a good match-up for us.”
With a Statewide Cup quarter-final between the sides lined up at Birch Avenue a week later, both are keen to get the upper hand in the league.
United coach Al Ollington said his team was up for the challenge as it comes off a bye.
“South Hobart have always been very direct, they have a couple of quick forwards in their team and they’re utilising them well to score a lot of goals,” he said.
“We’re looking forward to hopefully getting over the top of South this weekend and knocking them out of that second spot.”
South coach Ken Morton said he had been impressed by Ollington’s team.
“I’ve seen Launceston United play twice this season and I saw a very good side. They play with a lot of adventure up front, and we’re the same,” he said.
“Both teams like to attack and I can see that happening.”
In the McDonald's NPL Tasmania, Saturday’s meeting of Riverside Olympic and Clarence Zebras should also see a coming together of attacking options with both teams fielding tricky US import strikers.
Hailing from Colorado, Aidan Cann played NCAA Division 1 and in Spain’s fifth division and has scored both of Zebras’ league goals so far.
After three losses, he said the team needed to improve its game management.
“We have demonstrated that we can play and be competitive,” he said. “It’s about managing our game for all 90 minutes and maintaining our focus.
“We’re hungry for those three points and the first win but we need to be patient in all three phases of the park.”
Olympic’s strikeforce will be led by Malolan Veeravalli, who comes from Baltimore via North Carolina but has Indian heritage and has been finding his feet in the Northern Championship since arriving at Windsor Park.
The league’s bottom two sides may have just one point between them but are both still in the Lakoseljac Cup and facing Southern Championship opposition in next weekend’s quarter-finals.
Riverside coach Helder Dos Santos Silva, whose side came from 3-0 down to draw at Launceston United in round two, warned against looking too far ahead.
“It’s very important to focus on the opponent we have now,” he said.
“I never think about the next game, our focus is on the game we have in hand and after the game against Clarence I will start to focus on New Town Eagles.
"I don’t focus on them until the following week, it would be a mistake doing that because if you start to think about the next opponent, you’re going to fail.”
McDonald's NPL Tasmania, Round 4
Saturday, April 12
2pm South Hobart v Launceston United, D’Arcy Street
2.30pm Riverside Olympic v Clarence, Windsor Park
4.30pm Kingborough v Glenorchy, Lightwood Park
4.45pm Launceston City v Devonport, Prospect Park
McDonald's WSL, Round 4
Saturday, April 12
11.45am South Hobart v Launceston United, D’Arcy Street
2pm Taroona v Devonport, Kelvedon Park
Sunday, April 13
12.30pm Kingborough v Glenorchy, Lightwood Park
Bye: Riverside Olympic