Welcome to the Friday Forecast ahead of Round 7 of the McDonald’s NPL Tasmania. This will be the final round of fresh match-ups before we enter the repeat fixtures from Round 8 onwards. It’s a weekend that features 1st v 2nd and 3rd v 4th matches, so it’s sure to have a significant impact on the title race.
South and City Look To Make Up Ground
Saturday kicks off with an intriguing fixture at Darcy Street as South Hobart take on Launceston City in a battle of third and fourth on the table.
South Hobart stumbled out of the blocks a little this year but they've been in scintillating touch in the past fortnight, scoring 13 goals and playing some of their very best football. Their attacking weapons such as Morton, Van Doorne and Berezansky have been in some serious form and they will take some major slowing down if Launceston City are to take anything from the game.
Launceston City were aiming for a top-four finish this season and they appear well on the way to achieving that based on their first 6 weeks. They shrugged off a disappointing couple of weeks, where they twice fell to the Clarence Zebras by downing Launceston United last weekend. They’ve already claimed one impressive scalp on the road south when they downed the Glenorchy Knights and they could open up a sizable five-point cushion inside the top 4 if they can do similarly to South Hobart.
This looms as a pivotal game in shaping where the sides stand as we reach the end of the first full round of fixtures. For instance, a South Hobart loss and Devonport win would see South fall 9 points adrift of top spot, a near-terminal blow to their title hopes, but if they were to win and if Knights and Devonport were to draw, then they would suddenly be within 4 points. The ramifications from this weekend’s games do seem to be significant.
Top of the Table Showdown at Valley Road
At Valley Road the other half of the top four equation will be sorted out as the Devonport Strikers take on the Glenorchy Knights with top spot on the line.
The Strikers haven’t missed a beat in their title defence, shrugging off an opening day draw against the Clarence Zebras to win their next 5 straight to occupy top spot. Devonport are 2/2 against Top 4 opponents so far this season and they just know how to get it done in these big games. They’ve made winning these crunch fixtures an art form across recent years and time after time just come out and take care of business with a minimum fuss. Having this game at home gives them a tremendous chance to open up a 4-point gap on top at the end of the round.
Captain and defensive stalwart Kieran Mulraney has been missing through injury of late and whilst the defence has done well in his absence, there is no doubt the Strikers chances improve if he is out there. If he misses, then that might open the door a little for the Knights to turn the tables.
The Knights 2021 title triumph is the only time in the last 5 years that Devonport haven’t won the league crown and they have emerged again as perhaps the biggest threat to them in 2023 with a strong defensive record propelling them up the table. They've still only conceded one solitary goal in the league this year, chalking up five clean sheets and three consecutive 1-0 victories in the process. They shrugged off their off day in the cup against South Hobart, by getting right back to their gritty best against the Lions last Friday.
The Strikers certainly have some weapons to throw at them, in particular the in-form Ali Dulleh and the competition’s leading goalscorer Roberto Fernandez Garrido. Can the Knights defence and star keeper deny that kind of firepower? Or will the Strikers solve the Knights rearguard and storm clear on top?
Zebras and Roos Look To Rebound
Elsewhere on the Saturday, Riverside Olympic will entertain the Clarence Zebras at Windsor Park with both sides entering this one off the back of defeats last week.
Riverside are currently struggling and could do with a positive result at home here. Whilst the win against Launceston United saw them claiming their first points of the season, 4 of their last 5 league outings have seen them heavily beaten by 4 goals or more. They will need to be much better here if they are to take anything from a Zebras outfit who have probably been the most improved side in the competition this season. The defence is going to need to remain tight to contain the threat of the brilliant Xuan Cappellino.
Last week the Zebras fell to a fate multiple sides have before them this season, playing well but finding themselves unable to dispatch a chance past Jackson Gardner and ultimately brought undone by it. The performance was a good one though and it continued their impressive season. They should head up to Windsor Park filled with confidence they can come away with the three points. Their form suggests they should be too strong here and pending the result in the South Hobart v Launceston City game, they could even force their way into the top four with a win.
United Seek First Points Against Slumping Lions
On Sunday Launceston United will host the Kingborough Lions at Floorworld Park.
United have only had the two home fixtures so far and were competitive in both outings. The 2-1 defeat to Riverside will have stung them given it was a chance for those precious first points, but the 3-2 defeat to South Hobart was arguably their best performance in the NPL to date. So they should feel comfortable playing at home and if they can produce an effort akin to the South Hobart game, then they will give themselves a chance of causing the upset here. They showed some positive signs against City last week and are starting to find their feet at this level. You certainly can't understate the step up they have taken in moving from the Championship to NPL, so a slow start in terms of points acquired was always likely.
The Lions could be vulnerable here as they enter this game off the back of three consecutive defeats in the league which has seen them slide down to sixth place on the table. After starting the season in promising fashion, they are going to need to pick things up if they are to crack the top four once again. They've been rather patchy of late, and whilst the star power in attack can't be denied, they still need to do a better job in limiting the opposition's good scoring chances.
Round 7
Saturday 13 May
South Hobart v Launceston City, 2:00pm, Darcy Street
Devonport Strikers v Glenorchy Knights, 2:30pm, Valley Road
Riverside Olympic v Clarence Zebras, 2:30pm, Windsor Park
Sunday 14 May
Launceston United v Kingborough, 2:00pm, Birch Avenue