Despite sitting next to each other on the McDonald's NPL Tasmania ladder, Glenorchy and Clarence find themselves looking in different directions as they square up this weekend.
With six wins already to their name, the sixth-paced Zebras are stampeding towards their best ever NPL finish, level on points with Riverside and eyeing up the top four.
In contrast, the seventh-paced Knights have half as many points and are nervously looking over their shoulder as the bottom three scrap to avoid this season’s two relegation spots.
With just three wins all season and a solitary point from their last four games, Knights need to find form to avoid being dragged into the danger zone.
Recently-appointed interim coach Robi Bolonja said this season’s relegation factor had altered the landscape.
“I think there's definitely a difference in the league,” he said. “There's pressure on all clubs. Clubs have to perform. Clubs want to obviously stay in the league. It's certainly not easy knowing that you could go down.
“We're all trying to stay in the league. We all want to be there, we don't want to go out.
“We're under no illusions of what it means for us. We need points.”
Adding extra spice to the showdown will be Knights’ former coach Brian Murphy sitting in KGV’s away dugout and Zeek Prebble returning to the Eastern Shore, although the clubs reached a gentlemen’s agreement that he would not feature on Saturday.
Clarence's inconsistency is shown by their last 10 matches producing four wins and four losses before two draws in which they have scored and then conceded late equalisers.
“One felt like a win, and one felt like a loss,” said Murphy, who was satisfied with Zebras’ overall campaign so far.
“We're happy with where it's going. This year was always going to be a foundation year to build for a better 2027, especially with the axe hanging over two clubs to go down. We didn't want to put ourselves in around there.
“I think we had a very good start to the season. And it was nice to get a point against Devonport, one of the top four sides, so the mood has changed, the culture's changed.
“We'd love to finish in the finals (top five), if I'm honest. That's the new goal. The original goal was to stay up, and I think we're in a good place to achieve that.”
In the McDonald's Women's Super League, Glenorchy against Kingborough is a second-versus-fourth encounter between teams who produced a thrilling 5-3 result in round six, ultimately decided by Elianna Diafokeris’ hat-trick for Knights.
While there may be little doubt who appears destined to win the title with Devonport still on course for a perfect defence, the race for the runners-up spot is fierce with Glenorchy just a point ahead of third-placed South Hobart.
Captain Sarah Bolonja said Knights are up for the fight.
“That race for second place is definitely going to be challenging,” she said. “I think we have a lot of confidence that we can stay in second. It comes down to winning those games against South, Kingborough, teams like that, with Lonnie United very competitive this year as well.
“We haven't brought in any imports. I think we're one of the only clubs that hasn't, and I think that really shows (that) in getting to second place has been quite an incredible achievement for us all. Giving the young girls a chance to just play, and as a team, we've come really strong together, and it's just looking great. There’s a really good vibe around the club.”
Lions’ roller-caster campaign has produced a symmetrical record of W4, D3, L4 which goalkeeper Casey Bumford is keen to build on against her former team.
“Our challenge has been finding that consistency week in, week out,” she said.
“This round is obviously a special one for me, as I played there last season, so that gives an extra hunger for the three points, for sure.”
Kingborough took South Hobart to stoppage time last week but were denied by substitute Nina Daniels after Dani Kannegiesser and Hannah Walsh had exchanged free-kick goals.
“Highly frustrating,” Bumford said. “We did have chances throughout the match, but to concede in the 90th minute is not something any team wants, especially in a very tight match like that one.”
Forecast heavy rain is expected to impact fixtures across the North with Launceston City’s matches against Launceston United in the NPL and South Hobart in the WSL already postponed.
McDonald's NPL Tasmania, Round 14
Saturday, July 4
2.30pm Ulverstone v Kingborough, Westside Park
2.30pm Devonport v Riverside Olympic, Tassie Care Valley Road
4.45pm Glenorchy v Clarence, KGV
POSTPONED - 4.45pm Launceston City v Launceston United, Prospect Vale Park Community Bank Deloraine & Districts Park
Sunday, July 5
2.30pm South East United v South Hobart, South East Complex
McDonald's Women's Super League, Round 13
Saturday, July 4
12.15pm Glenorchy v Kingborough, KGV
12.15pm Devonport v Launceston United, Tassie Care Valley Road
2.30pm Taroona v Riverside Olympic, Kelvedon Park
POSTPONED - 2.30pm Launceston City v South Hobart, Prospect Vale Park Community Bank Deloraine & Districts Park