Devonport Strikers vs Glenorchy Knights
Date: Saturday July 10
Venue: Valley Road
Kick-off: 2:15 PM
2021 record Devonport Strikers: 9-1-2 (first in NPL TAS) Glenorchy Knights: 8-3-0 (second in NPL TAS)
Top scorers Devonport Strikers: Brody Denehey (12) Glenorchy Knights: Nick Mearns (8)
Preview:
Could this be the game that decides the 2021 title? It might not be quite that simple, but it is set to be an absolute blockbuster to open round 13 as the Glenorchy Knights travel to face the ladder-leading Devonport Strikers. They played out an epic Lakoseljac Cup final last month, with the Strikers prevailing after a penalty shootout, and all signs point to this game being just as close. The Strikers have re-discovered the form that has made them back-to-back-to-back champions, winning their last seven games in a row and looking comfortable in many of them. That has seen them edge past the Knights at the top of the table, albeit with one extra game played. The big difference from last season's title has been at the attacking end of the field, where they have scored 21 goals in their past eight games. Brody Denehey leads the golden boot race with 12 of those goals, and he leads their scoring by a ridiculous margin. Does that mean that they lean too heavily on him when they go forward, and does that matter when he is in this kind of form? Either way, the Strikers are always able to fall back on their defence, tied for best in the league with just ten goals allowed. That will be the most important factor in this matchup-- up against a supremely talented Knights attack, they will need to battle hard at the back for the full 90 minutes. Of course, the same could be said for the Glenorchy backline, as they are the team tied with Devonport as the stingiest in the state. A few timely slip-ups have cost them in recent weeks, though, with draws against South Hobart and the Clarence Zebras letting Devonport back into the title race. They are still yet to lose an NPL game this season, though, and all of the numbers show them to be a dominant team. As well as allowing a league-low ten goals, they have scored a league-high 38 themselves, 12 more than the next best team. The departures of Alex Walter and Joffrey Nkoso make that somewhat surprising, but they have found reliable contributors in newcomers Nick Mearns (eight goals), Austin Yost (six) and Eli Luttmer (five), as well as 2020 holdover Nic Naden (five). It's a much more balanced attack than Devonport's, at least when it comes to putting the ball into the net, and that will be crucial against a defence that has met every challenge over the past two-plus seasons.Key player: Nathan Pitchford, Devonport Strikers
Always a man for the big occasion, Pitchford thrived under pressure once again when these sides last met in the Lakoseljac Cup final. He is the ultimate safety net for a defence that often doesn't need one, but he may be called into action more than usual against the always dangerous Knights. A clean sheet here would be a huge win for he and his side, and it's hard to put it past him given his track record.Riverside Olympic vs South Hobart
Date: Saturday July 10
Venue: Windsor Park
Kick-off: 2:30 PM
2021 record Riverside Olympic: 0-2-9 (eighth in NPL TAS) South Hobart: 6-4-1 (third in NPL TAS)
Top scorers Riverside Olympic: Fletcher Fulton (5) South Hobart: Nick Morton (9)
Preview:
A 95th minute equaliser earned South Hobart a crucial point last round, and they will now look to gain further ground on the league leaders when they travel north to face Riverside Olympic. A promising first hour of play against Kingborough in round ten suggested plenty of improvement for a Riverside team that was still yet to win a game. Alas, that promise has amounted to very little; they collapsed late again the Lions, and they have lost their two games since with a combined 10-1 scoreline. Last week's effort was particularly disappointing, a 5-1 loss to local rivals Launceston City. Given all of that, it's hard to see them suddenly challenging a top-three team in South Hobart. Still, they have enough quality in their lineup to potentially keep things interesting-- Fletcher Fulton brings creativity to their forays forwatd, as does Luca Vigilante if healthy, while their youthful side can bring plenty of energy on their day. Those days have been few and far between this season, but coach Alex Gaetani would at least be hoping for a consistent 90 minutes of effort from his side here. South's last month or so has been disappointing by their usually lofty standards, and it has been very hard to get a read on their form. Their three draws have all been of varying quality, coming against then-leaders Glenorchy, mid-table Kingborough and near-last Launceston City, while their one win in that span was a 2-1 squeaker against the Clarence Zebras. All of that is a far cry from the team that were undefeated with five wins through their first six games of the season. With that being said, they should still be far too strong here on talent alone. Nick Morton and Kasper Hallam form one of the best attacking one-two punches in the league, while the return of Patrick Kibler bolsters their defensive unit. Any trip into the north of the state can be dangerous, but if South want to be taken seriously as a title contender they need to win with ease.Key player: Bradley Lakoseljac, South Hobart
The young midfielder has become a workhorse in the South Hobart midfield, not always getting the plaudits but constantly moving in support of his teammates. Against a young Riverside midfield he should have plenty of room to operate.Launceston City vs Clarence Zebras
Date: Saturday July 10
Venue: Buckby Motors Park
Kick-off: 4:30 PM
2021 record Launceston City: 3-1-7 (seventh in NPL TAS) Clarence Zebras: 3-1-7 (sixth in NPL TAS)
Top scorers Launceston City: Yasin Mohammadi (5) Clarence Zebras: Riley Dillon (10)
Preview:
These teams may be in the bottom half of the ladder, but both Launceston City and the Clarence Zebras could climb as high as fifth with a win here. City would surely be brimming with confidence after a thumping 5-1 win over Riverside, and they will look to carry that momentum into round 13. It helps that they will welcome a southern side to Buckby Motors Park-- in their last three home games, they have enjoyed two wins and one draw. They have finally started to hit their straps in attack too, scoring more than half of their 13 goals for the season in their last two games. Plenty of that progress has come thanks to talismanic winger Yasin Mohammadi, and his late brace against Riverside was a deserved reward. If he is at his best in this game it's hard to see the Zebras stopping him entirely, and if he can drag his teammates up a gear with him they will be well on their way towards a positive result. The Zebras enter this game in reasonable form, with a win over Kingborough last round and a pair of close 2-1 losses to Devonport and South Hobart before that. That has show an improvement in their defensive efforts, one of their biggest weaknesses early in the season. With Riley Dillon continuing to add to his haul of goals on a regular basis, they are suddenly looking like a much more well-balanced side. Their newfound defensive resolve will be tested against a City side that is playing their best attacking football of the season, but it should be a good barometer for where they are really at. They have struggled somewhat on the road this season, playing two games in the north of the state for a loss and a draw with last-placed Riverside, and in what shapes as a fairly even contest that could be a big factor.Key player: Matthew Pace, Clarence Zebras
Pace is a proven scoring threat in the NPL, and with just three goals this season he is due for a big game. With Dillon drawing plenty of defensive attention his efforts will be crucial.Olympia Warriors vs Kingborough Lions
Date: Saturday July 10
Venue: Warrior Park
Kick-off: 4:30 PM
2021 record Olympia Warriors: 3-2-6 (fifth in NPL TAS) Kingborough Lions: 5-2-5 (fourth in NPL TAS)
Top scorers Olympia Warriors: Kyle Vincent (8) Kingborough Lions: Adam McKeown (9)
Preview:
Two teams in desperate need of a win will meet at Warrior Park, with Olympia hosting the Kingborough Lions in round 13. The Warriors are winless in their last four games, with a draw against Glenorchy providing their only point in that span. That was an impressive result, but it has been completely offset by the disappointing losses on either side. Even in those losses Kyle Vincent has continued to hit the scoreboard, but he has more than twice as many goals as any teammate and desperately needs some more support in the final third. This the perfect game for the Warriors to claim a statement win, with the Lions clearly a tier above them on the table but sitting comfortably below the top three. The Warriors have a very young lineup and some inconsistency can be expected, but this is the type of game that you would hope their players will be fired up for. There are no such excuses for the Lions-- they have added considerable experience over the past two years, and yet they are still plagued by the same inconsistent form. Just one week after a hard-fought draw against a strong South Hobart side, they were held scoreless and suffered a loss against the Zebras. Those are the games that they need to be winning if they want to be seen in the same light as the top three sides, as is this game in round 13. They have been similarly reliant on one player to score their goals, with Adam McKeown scoring three times as many goals as his nearest teammate. When he falls into a mini-rut the Lions are left searching for answers, and with one goal in his last five games they need to find a backup plan. The names are there to fill in the gap, but those names need to start producing results, and fast.Key player: Jake Hayers, Olympia Warriors
There are few things better than a revenge game, and even more so when a player is as important to their side as Hayers is to the Warriors. This will be his first game against his former side, and the young gloveman has established himself as one of the best up-and-comers in the league.