Welcome to the Weekend Washup as we take a look back on Round 15 of the McDonalds NPL Tasmania competition. It was a weekend of closely fought games with none closer than the thrilling draw at the Portress, where the Lions held the Strikers in a pulsating match. Elsewhere South Hobart got out of jail with a late Nick Morton winner against the Warriors whilst Launceston City and Glenorchy Knights both claimed 3-0 victories over Clarence Zebras and Riverside respectively.
Strikers Held as Streak Ends
The game of the round on paper very much lived up to its billing as the Kingborough Lions earned a 2-2 draw with the Devonport Strikers at a pink Valley Road. In a thrilling match that had no shortage of drama, the sides had to settle for a share of the spoils. The draw breaks a run of 12 straight NPL victories for the Strikers and is just the second time all year they have dropped points, perhaps surprisingly both times have been at home.
The Strikers took an early lead as returning Spaniard Roberto Fernandez Garrido, making his first start since his red card against Launceston City last month, led the Lions defence a merry dance before cutting back to Fahim Moradi to tap home from close range.
Kobe Kemp almost got the Lions back on terms shortly after but was denied by a big fingertip save from a diving Keegan Smith who saved brilliantly.
Smith would be called into action again in a meaningful way to preserve his side’s lead at halftime, doing superbly once again to deny a storming Noah Mies in a 1 v 1 situation having broken in behind the defence.
The Lions would draw level in the second half as Keenan Douce fed an overlapping Tom Prince who stormed in behind and crossed for Noah Mies who fired home his 15th of the season to draw level with Fernandez Garrido in the Golden Boot race.
Fernandez Garrido missed a big chance to reclaim that lead and his sides lead in the game on 65 minutes when he fired a prime chance wide, but he would soon get another chance from the penalty spot after a spot kick was awarded to Raph Reynolds for a Hess foul in the box, despite the Canadian keeping his feet and the ball. The Spaniard stepped up and dispatched it to put his side ahead 2-1, but the lead wouldn’t last long.
Keegan Smith misjudged a long ball over the top from Kobe Kemp, that didn’t quite reach the box as he’d expected to allow him to handle the ball. Nipping in was Declan Taylor, who was clipped by the keeper after taking it past him, and once again Kopra pointed to the spot.
Kemp was unerring from the spot, blasting his penalty into the bottom corner and drawing the Lions level at 2-2.
Devonport pushed hard for a late winner, but some solid shot stopping from the Lions defence saw them absorb the pressure and walk away with a well-deserved point. This was a quality performance from the Lions against a side they have struggled with this year. It could well prove a big point in their push to finish second on the table.
For Devonport, it’s the first time in months that their lead has been eaten into in anyway but the gap still sits at 9 points and +21 in goal difference from Knights with 6 left games to play. So it’s hardly a hammer blow, but they will need to be better if they are going to push the Wellington Phoenix in their upcoming Australia Cup clash.
Morton Strikes Late to Save South
A late Nick Morton goal handed South Hobart a 2-1 win over a spirited Olympia Warriors outfit at Empire Couriers Park on Saturday night.
Having been blown out both times by South, 5-0 and 7-0 in their first two NPL meetings this year, it was a result that showed the strides the Warriors had made in recent weeks and they were just minutes away from picking up a point here before Morton played spoiler in the 87th minute.
South took the early lead as Jayden Hey picked out the bottom corner with a well-placed finish after some lovely play out wide from Josh Divin to create the opening.
But Adam Pickup got Olympia back on terms as he produced a deft volleyed finish to convert an inch-perfect cross from wide on the left from Brayton Allan to leave the game in the balance at 1-1 at the halftime break.
South were shading the chances and on top in general play but Olympia were hanging with them and creating some work for Jake Hayers at the other end, including a vital save to deny Tyson Barrett with 15 minutes left to play.
In the end it just had to be Nick Morton who settled it. The man utterly thrives playing the villain and the vocal home support had been winding him up all night long.
With just 3 minutes left in regulation, Alex Brown fired a shot at Mitch Stalker, who couldn’t keep a handle on it, and waiting to poach it was Morton who lifted it over the sprawling keeper before turning to the crowd with hands to ears in celebration, ever the pantomime villain and this time the match winner.
Spare a thought for Mitch Stalker in the Warriors’ goals. This is why goalkeeper is such a cruel position to play and why it generally requires a very particular mentality to succeed. Stalker had till this point played an excellent game, he made numerous saves to keep his side level. Just two minutes earlier he had denied Morton from point blank range with a great reaction save and he was probably man of the match up to this point. The goal was one he should’ve handled better and he will rue it no doubt as any keeper would. When it comes so late in the game it naturally comes into focus, but the fact remains if not for his fine play in net throughout the match then this game wouldn’t have been level at this stage of the game anyway.
It can certainly be a cruel game, but his despair was Morton’s joy as South got avoided dropping points for a 4th time in 5th games that would’ve put their top 4 hopes in some serious jeopardy.
City Down Zebras For Third Consecutive Win
Nearby at Wentworth Park, Launceston City continued their promising season as they claimed a 3-0 win over the Clarence Zebras that did their increasing hopes of a top-four finish no harm. It makes it 3 wins in a row for City as they kept the pressure on South Hobart by accruing their 25th point of the campaign.
Gedi Krusa provided the breakthrough goal to hand City the lead just before the halftime break in a game that had previously seemed set to head into the sheds goalless. A missed clearance allowed Krusa to get on the end of Fleming’s cross into the box and after taking one touch to set the ball, with his second he volleyed it home for a stylish opening goal.
Fleming would get a second assist of the game midway through the second half as City seized control of the game by doubling their lead. He sent a ball to the back post where a sliding Albert Amankwa just managed to direct it past the keeper from the tight angle.
The highlight of the game came right near the end as Stefan Tantari unleashed a rocket that flew top corner in stoppage time. It was a howitzer of a shot and the latest in what’s a pretty impressive season highlights reel that Tantari would be building. It sealed the 3-0 result and leaves City firmly in the mix for a top-four finish if they can keep up this form.
The Zebras conversely won’t be thrilled with the score against a side they drew with earlier in the year at this venue. They will have a fourth home game in a row next week as they entertain Olympia.
Knights Too Good For Improving Roos
In the final game of the weekend, the Glenorchy Knights bounced back from last week’s defeat with a comfortable 3-0 win over Riverside Olympic at KGV.
Matt Brkic should have handed the Knights the lead inside the first 10 minutes when he nodded a free header over the top from 5 yards out, though they would eventually take the lead from a far more difficult-headed chance. Captain Eli Luttmer just about defied geometry with his back post header from the tightest of angles somehow finding a way into the back of the net on the half-hour mark.
Connor Schmidt extended the lead shortly after the restart with a thumping first time hit that flew top corner and provided his side with some extra breathing room.
Riverside had their moments on the counter in this game and came close to pulling one back on a couple of occasions. In the first half Will Coert rounded the keeper but from the tight angle could only send his shot across the goal face whilst Thomas Milner struck the upright midway through the second half.
As the second half wore on, the Knights started to wear down the Riverside defence and the chances started to flow a little more readily. Eventually, that led to a third goal as Thomas Walpole turned one in from close range after it was headed back to him from a corner.
It saw the game end 3-0 and meant the Knights made up some ground on the Strikers for the first time in months. They have the chance to do it again next week as they host the Strikers in a crunch clash at KGV. Riverside meanwhile can be pleased with an improved showing here after two heavy losses to Knights in the earlier rounds. They’ve looked more solid at the back in recent games and will be hoping that the tighter rearguard can help them claim some points on the run home.