South Hobart took a giant leap forward in the McDonald's NPL Tasmania title race by beating Devonport in the battle of the unbeaten top two.
A 16th goal of the season from three-time league best and fairest winner Nick Morton proved the difference in a seesawing encounter which finished 3-2.
Rex Maddock and Devine Samuel were also on target for South with Brady Last and Brody Denehey replying for a Strikers side which had begun the season with eight straight wins.
Kingborough took advantage by winning the third-versus-fourth clash with Launceston City 2-1.
Joel Badger and Eli Wright set up the Lions’ fifth-straight win before Yoshi Okawa’s eighth goal of the season reduced the arrears.
Clarence drew level with Riverside by beating them 4-0. A double from Sam Tooze was added to by Jayden Hey and Moses Khasif as the Zebras’ revival under Brian Murphy gathered pace.
The most entertaining match of the day saw two winless sides produce a goalfest in which bottom-placed South East United beat Launceston United 6-4.
The northerners’ player-coach Gedi Krusa scored from 50 and then 12 yards, with his halfway-line goal of the season contender and penalty added to by Aidan Sands and Ethern Mwambeyu.
However, with just four goals from six previous games, Sorell’s league newcomers banged in six more.
On the ground where he scored a last-minute cup winner on Easter Monday, Sam Sartori began the rout with Matthias Collins, Nic Zammit, Jacob Sartori, Pat Quinlan and a Will Spicer own goal completing the fightback.
Goals from Khan Huseyin and Alfred Hess saw Glenorchy to a 2-1 win over Ulverstone who hit back late on through Toby Anderson.
McDonald's Women's Super League leaders Devonport maintained their perfect start but had to come from behind to beat Launceston United 3-2.
Goal machine Jaz White’s 18th of the season gave Strikers an early lead. However, Liz Fogarty scored the first of Birch Avenue’s centre-circle stunners for the weekend before setting up fellow import Olivia De Moraes for United’s second.
Lucy Foote and Abbie White completed the recovery mission either side of half-time.
South Hobart cemented second place with a 6-0 victory over Launceston City in which Dani Kannegiesser, Francesca Johnstone, Madison Chambers, Nina Daniels, Katherine Ollerhead and Laura Davis scored.
Two stoppage-time goals saw Elianna Diafokeris complete a hat-trick and secure a remarkable 5-3 win which enabled Glenorchy to move above Kingborough into third place.
Jemima Brown and Eve Swan were also on target for Knights with Lions equalising three times through superb efforts from Emily Grzinic (two) and Hannah Walsh.
Taroona kickstarted their campaign into life by ending a run of six straight losses with a 5-1 win which saw them leapfrog opponents Riverside off the bottom of the ladder.
Lara Scholz scored two and set up Madison James and Olivia Bekeleski before Alice Riley added a penalty and Meg Connolly hit Olympic’s consolation.