The latest chapter in an increasingly-thrilling McDonald's NPL Tasmania title race will be written when Kingborough host Devonport in Sunday’s Lakoseljac Cup final rematch.
The second-versus-third showdown unites teams level on 28 points with Kingborough marginally ahead on goal difference having played a game more.
Jon Fenech’s in-form Lions were on a run of 11 straight wins including back-to-back penalty shootout successes before last week’s 1-1 draw with ladder-leaders and defending champions South Hobart, who sit four points ahead of both teams.
Since that result, Kingborough have learned they will host A-League giants Melbourne Victory in the Australia Cup on July 26 and Fenech said his hardest job is maintaining his side’s focus on trying to complete a league and cup double.
“Everyone's excited about this game, but we have to really stay focused on what we're doing and the league is our priority at the moment,” he said.
“The Victory game, that's four weeks away and ultimately, we look game-to-game, week-to-week so the only game I'm thinking about at the moment is the Devonport match. They're a huge team, great team, and we can't take our eye off the ball for this one.”
Fenech admitted there was likely to be plenty of spice left over from the Lakoseljac Cup final in which his team thwarted Devonport with a last-second leveller before winning on penalties.
“They are going to come with everything to try and to try and put that right, I'm sure of that, and we'll be prepared for it, but I'm excited for the game and the challenge," he said.
“There's a lot on the line for both teams in this game, so it's almost another cup final for the two of us.”
Tom Ballantyne’s Strikers dropped points for just the second time this season when Clarence found a stoppage-time equaliser last Saturday, and the coach said history suggested they could not afford many more.
“If you look statistically over the last four years, we still wouldn't be top,” he said of his team’s 28 points from 11 games.
“I think we've won it the last four years with only one loss and last year, I don't think South lost until (round 17).
"I think the exciting thing is if you look over the last four years, it's only been two teams in it at this point, and generally one team has been a lot further away than all the others.
"So it's much more interesting for the neutral spectator point of view, that's for sure, to have three teams right in it.
“It's definitely made the title a lot more interesting.”
Kingborough also find themselves in the McDonald's Women's Super League match of the round when the fourth-placed side head up Hobart’s Southern Outlet to face perennial title-contenders South Hobart.
The third-placed D’Arcy Street outfit find themselves in the unaccustomed position of five games without a win, having suffered three losses, a draw and a cup semi-final exit in the last month.
Last Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Glenorchy kept the Knights in second place, 13 points adrift of the all-conquering Devonport Strikers, with South one point further back.
The Lions are on a run of just one win in seven and were denied a second by Taroona’s last-minute equaliser last weekend, but coach Simon Edwards said Sunday’s clash was a chance to keep pushing up the table.
“It's a massive game for us,” he said. “It's a true six-pointer. There's only a couple of points between second and fourth at the moment, every game matters and we've seen some teams improving.
“As a group, we're chasing that second (place). I think Devonport have run away with it. It'll take nothing short of a miracle for them to drop a lot of points and let the others in.
“We're starting to peak, I think, at the right time of the season to have an impact on the rest of this round and round three.”
South Hobart coach James Symmons said his team had been heavily hit by injuries this season with Madi Chambers undergoing surgery while Ruby Batchelor, Pishon Choi and Lucy Roberts have been among those managing issues.
“I think for us it's putting together consistent form for the rest of the rest of the year,” he said.
“It’s a real struggle where we're changing two or three in the line-up each week to get that consistent form.”
McDonald's NPL Tasmania, Round 13
Saturday, June 27
2pm South Hobart v Glenorchy, D’Arcy Street
2.30pm Riverside Olympic v Ulverstone, Windsor Park
2.30pm Clarence v Launceston United, Wentworth Park
Sunday, June 28
2.30pm Launceston City v South East United, Prospect Vale Community Bank Deloraine & Districts Park
2.30pm Kingborough v Devonport, Lightwood Park
McDonald's Women's Super League, Round 12
Saturday, June 27
12.15pm Devonport v Launceston City, Tassie Care Valley Road
4.45pm Taroona v Glenorchy, Kelvedon Park
4.45pm Riverside Olympic v Launceston United, Windsor Park
Sunday, June 28
2pm South Hobart v Kingborough, D’Arcy Street