Defending Champions South Hobart have advanced to Lakoseljac Cup Semi Finals with a thrilling 3-2 win over the Kingborogh Lions in their Sunday quarter final at Darcy Street. South came from behind and won what would prove a cup classic over a plucky Lions side who fought hard but were ultimately brought undone by a late Joel Sammut own goal.
It was the Lions who took a shock early lead when Joel Sammut unleashed a thunderbolt of a strike from 30 yards out that rattled into the crossbar before bouncing back onto the head of a diving Nathan Reid and ricocheting back into the net for a desperately unlucky own goal.
After an even period of the game where both sides traded half chances, Toby Herweynen drew South level when he got on the end of a superb ball from Kobe Kemp over the top of the defence and finished confidently into the bottom corner.
The Lions came close to retaking the lead before half time when Reid spilled a long range Cowen free kick, but the young keeper recovered to just claw it away from a lurking Davis Bryan. Cowen then had a headed chance of his own with some poor marking leaving him all alone at the back post but he couldn't direct his header on target and that game went into half time locked at 1-1.
Andy Brennan should have made it 2-1 early in the second half when his close range shot was well blocked by Danny Cowen, but he made up for it by supplying Bradley Lakoseljac with the go ahead goal. His cross from the left found Bradley Lakoseljac who guided it into the far corner.
A conference between referee Monty Piesse and AR Tony Peart ensued, with a debate over whether Patrick Kibler had touched Brennan's cross which would've rendered Lakoseljac offside, but after a long exchange the goal was allowed to stand and South had their lead.
It lasted just eight minutes though as the Lions hit back from a Chris Downes set piece. Downes curled ball to the back post and after Kantzos had a shot well blocked by Kemp, the ball bounced up to Davis Bryan who volleyed it home to restore parity.
Sam Tooze squandered a chance to reclaim the lead when he headed Berezansky's cross wide at the back post before South hit the front with 15 minutes left to play.
Ewan Larby stood a ball up to the back post which was met by the head of Morton, nodding it back centrally where it deflected off of Sammut and into the back of the net.
Sammut was again at the centre of a big moment in the game when he was given his marching orders in the final minute of regulation time. The fullback pulled back Sam Tooze as he stormed in on goal to deny him the scoring chance. It was the last meaningful action as the Lions failed to conjure the late miracle they required and South punched their ticket to the final four.
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