Devonport Strikers vs Kingborough Lions
Date: Saturday May 15
Venue: Valley Road
Kick-off: 2:15 PM
2021 record: Devonport Strikers: 3-1-2 (fourth in NPL TAS) Kingborough Lions: 4-0-2 (third in NPL TAS)
Top scorers: Devonport Strikers: Brody Denehey (3) Kingborough Lions: Adam McKeown (8)
Preview:
Both of these sides entered the season with title aspirations, and while one of Kingborough and Devonport will edge further up the table with a win here, the other will find themselves in a fairly sizeable hole. The Strikers bounced back with a much-needed win over the Zebras last round, but even that was far from simple. It took an 87th-minute winner from Toby Barton to earn them their first league win since round three, and yet that was exactly the kind of win that won them the league in 2020. They would surely love to be winning more comprehensively and playing with more confidence, particularly as they come up against a Kingborough side that is as capable as any on their day. Where the Strikers are struggling to generate goals, scoring just eight in six games, the Lions have the league's leading scorer in Adam McKeown. No other Lion has more than one goal this season, meaning that choking McKeown's supply in the final third could be the key to success for Devonport here.Key player: Ben Hamlett, Kingborough Lions
If McKeown does find himself dealing with extra defensive attention, the onus will fall on Hamlett to provide goals for the Lions. Now with five games under his belt and looking more dangerous every week, he's set for a big game sooner rather than later.Olympia Warriors vs South Hobart
Date: Saturday May 15
Venue: Warrior Park
Kick-off: 2:15 PM
2021 record: Olympia Warriors: 2-1-2 (fifth in NPL TAS) South Hobart: 4-1-0 (first in NPL TAS)
Top scorers: Olympia Warriors: Kyle Vincent (5) South Hobart: Nick Morton (8)
Preview:
South Hobart are flying high on top of the NPL table, but this clash with the Olympia Warriors will be far from a walk in the park. The Warriors claimed a point away at Valley Road before enjoying big win at home last round, and they are always tough to beat at Warrior Park. Kyle Vincent is developing into a goalscoring threat capable of winning games himself, with two braces making up the bulk of his five goals for the season. There was no doubting the talent in the Warriors coming into the season but their young stars are flourishing quicker than might have been expected. That will make this an intriguing matchup against a South side that has plenty of youngsters themselves, but that is a little further along the development pathway. Captain Nick Morton is one of the form players of the competition, and he has been well supported by the likes of Kasper Hallam and Sam Berezansky as they continue to improve. That leaves Olympia with plenty to handle defensively, and the sheer bulk of options that South has may prove to be overwhelming.Key player: Jake Hayers, Olympia Warriors
South are a side that likes to play long passes and fire shots from distance, meaning Hayers will play a key role in shutting down their attacking play. The young goalkeeper will need to be alert at all times, and a strong showing from him would go a long way towards his side getting a result here.Glenorchy Knights vs Launceston City
Date: Saturday May 15
Venue: KGV Football Park
Kick-off: 4:30 PM
2021 record: Glenorchy Knights: 4-1-0 (second in NPL TAS) Launceston City: 1-0-4 (seventh in NPL TAS)
Top scorers: Glenorchy Knights: Alex Walter (5) Launceston City: Yasin Mohammadi/Daniel Smith/Jarrod Linger/Mason Gardner (1)
Preview:
Glenorchy have set themselves up for a title push this season, and they will look to remain undefeated when they host Launceston City. Already without Alex Walter, the Knights now lose Joffrey Nkoso to the NPL Victoria after he played his last game in round six. He scored an important farewell goal as they held off Riverside Olympic on the road, and that highlights the quality that his now-former side has lost. They certainly still have goals in their lineup with Nicholas Naden and Nick Mearns set to lead a new-look attack for the remainder of the season. On the other end of the spectrum is a Launceston side that has scored just four goals in five games. Yasin Mohammadi is a constant source of creativity, but too often he is left to play a lone hand in attack. They desperately need someone to emerge and provide a spark, but is such a player actually on their roster?Key player: Nicholas Naden, Glenorchy Knights
Naden has already scored twice this season, and that tally should rise quickly as he becomes the focal point of their attack. That's a role that he is more than equipped to fill, but it will be interested to see how long it takes he and his teammates to adjust.Riverside Olympic vs Clarence Zebras
Date: Saturday May 15
Venue: Windsor Park
Kick-off: 4:30 PM
2021 record: Riverside Olympic: 0-0-5 (eighth in NPL TAS) Clarence Zebras: 1-0-4 (sixth in NPL TAS)
Top scorers: Riverside Olympic: Tom Prince/William Humphrey (2) Clarence Zebras: Riley Dillon (5)
Preview:
Both of these sides have found themselves stranded in the bottom half of the table, but both have also had some promising moments early in the season. Riverside should have won the northern derby but gave up a two-goal lead to Launceston, and they have pushed some of the top teams hard without any luck. The fact that they have scored as many goals as the fourth-placed Strikers indicates that they are well and truly due for a win, and it could come here as they play at home and against a side that is also struggling for results. The Zebras have lost by just one goal to both Devonport and Kingborough in their last two games, and they would fancy their chances here despite playing on the road. Riley Dillon has been reborn as a forward with five goals already, and that has unlocked a plethora of attacking options that simply weren't available to them last season. Now, they just need to tighten up a defence that has conceded almost three goals per game.Key player: Matthew Pace, Clarence Zebras
Dillon has shouldered most of the load in attack, but Pace is another proven scoring threat. With his strike partner drawing plenty of attention there should be more space for him to operate, and he will need to take advantage.