The Glenorchy Knights ran out comfortable 4-1 winners over the Kingborough Lions on Friday night at KGV. The Knights fell behind to an early Danny Cowen penalty, but were level within two minutes through Declan Brown before Nowicki put them 2-1 up heading into the break. Two early Second-half goals in the space of two minutes from Brown and Nowicki then put the game to bed.
It was a match full of debutantes in round 8 of the NPL TAS, with Joel Sammut and American Cameron Steele donning the blue and black for the first time. For the Knights it was a first appearance for ex-Zebras defender Mattias Toghill after his time overseas.
It was the Lions who had control early in the match as they looked to keep the ball, even if that meant playing it safely around the back. They were rewarded for their early possession though when Jake Brennan was adjudged to have been fouled by a high-foot from Heggie inside the box.
Kingborough Lions skipper Danny Cowen stepped up to the spot in the 16th minute and laced his strike straight down the middle, the helpless Nester diving to his left.
The Knights drew level two minutes later with their first chance of the game when Nowicki held the ball up in midfield and on the turn played Declan Brown through one on one. Brown who has been in great scoring form made no mistake, rounding the keeper before sliding the ball into the empty net.
The Knights started to get on top after their goal and in the 26th minute Nowicki had a golden chance to put them ahead when he stole the ball from Lions defender Smithies-Sharples to run through 1v1. But his low-shot across the goalkeeper missed narrowly to the left.
The Lions were struggling to put passes together as they did in the early stages and the frustration showed when Gutierrez Jnr. went in late on Brown and copped a slice of cheese in the 29th minute.
The Knights continued to create chances to no avail until Nowicki made amends for his earlier miss, making no mistake in the 1v1 with the keeper after Alex Bellini played him through over the top in the 40th minute to make it 2-1.
It wasn’t Nowicki’s last involvement before half-time, he picked up a slice of cheese to go with his goal and assist after a late challenge on Sammut.
The magic-man Bellini continued the second-half in the same manner as the first, splitting the Lions defence with some brilliantly waited through-balls to Nowicki and Brown, both of whom couldn’t get them under control, their heavy touches going astray.
In the 54th minute Nowicki’s ball from the left found Naden through the middle with space. The front-man delayed his shot and just when it looked like the chance was gone Gutierrez Jr. fouled. The spot-kick was given and Brown made no mistake with the penalty to grab his brace.
Hardly a minute later and the Knights found themselves 4-1 up after Naden robbed Gutierrez Jnr. of the ball and ran in on goal. His effort was saved but fell only as far as Nowicki who dispatched it into the back of the net.
The Knights looked happy to sit on their lead and the Lions didn’t cause too much trouble for them other than Gutierrez’s one chance to redeem himself when he received a ball near the top of the box and although he struck his effort well Nester made a comfortable save.
On the counter the Knights young substitute Jake Stuart was causing headaches for the Lions defenders. His first touch put him through on goal, but his effort was well saved by Stalker.
But Stuart’s best effort came in the 87th minute when the ball popped up perfectly for him just inside the box. He showed great technique with the bicycle and the contact was solid but unfortunately for the forward it was straight at Stalker.
There were no more real chances for either side, the only notable instance was Toghill’s yellow card for a trailing arm against Kantzos.
It would finish 4-1, a huge result for the Knights who can now work on getting their season back on track. The three points sees them go fourth, leapfrogging Zebras who are away to Riverside on Saturday afternoon. For Kingborough two losses on the trot after a promising start to the season keeps them in the bottom-half of the table.
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Solstice Photography
Solstice Photography