Devonport Strikers 0-1 South Hobart
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-8zG6as_Bc&t=7733s
The Devonport Strikers tasted defeat at their home ground for the
first time in more than 1,000 days, going down 1-0 to South Hobart at Valley Road. In a game where both sides struggled to find goalscoring chances, a second half Nick Morton penalty was enough to give the visitors an upset victory over the three-time defending champions.
It was hardly the perfect day for a free-flowing game of football, and both sides were heavily reliant on long aerial passes to move the ball forward early. There was just one clear-cut shot in the entire first half, with Joel Stone collecting a deflection at the edge of the area but dragging his effort wide. That told the story of the first half, as the Strikers found themselves in a goalscoring position on a handful of occasions but failed to capitalise. South Hobart struggled to maintain possession and failed to register a single shot before the break, but it hardly mattered as they still went into the interval on level terms.
That changed in the second half as the visitors began to move the ball through the midfield with a little more patience. They were rewarded just before the hour mark when they methodically shifted the ball inboard from the right, ending with Sam Tooze sliding a ball through to Hallam behind the defence. Strikers goalkeeper Nathan Pitchford came off his line and slid in to affect the shot, but he clattered into the forward's legs as the ball rolled past him. That left the referee with no choice but to point to the spot, and Morton calmly converted to give South a decisive lead.
In an unfamiliar position after 567 undefeated days, the Strikers chased an equaliser but continued to struggle. A trio of headers were the only clear-cut opportunities they could muster, with one going just wide and the other two well saved. South remained organised in defence across the park, and when the final whistle blew the Strikers were handed their first defeat since the 2019 season.
Olympia Warriors 3-2 Riverside Olympic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pEqh-BfFPw
Olympia have celebrated their return to Warrior Park for 2021 with a 3-2 win over Riverside Olympic. The Warriors looked set to cruise to a comfortable win after taking a 2-0 lead into half time, but in the end it took a late Kyle Vincent goal to stave off a strong fightback from Riverside.
Both sides started brightly, moving the ball forward methodically with some good passing combinations. The visitors came closest to scoring early, with Olympia goalkeeper Jake Hayers forced into a pair of sharp saves inside the opening quarter of an hour, but it was the Warriors that took the lead in the 18th minute through Austin Yost. A deflected pass fell right into the young midfielder's path as he stormed forward, and his first-time shot from just outside the area was perfectly placed into the bottom corner.
Riverside continued to stay patient when in possession, but they struggled to break down Olympia's backline for a clean look at the goal. That defensive work from the hosts was rewarded in the 42nd minute as Joseph Mwarabu played a perfect ball that cleared the Riverside defence and fell in the path of Kyle Vincent, who took a touch past the goalkeeper before finishing into the open net. That gave Olympia a two-goal buffer and plenty of confidence heading into half time, but they were quickly brought back to earth when Fletcher Fulton was tripped up just inside the area by Mwarabu, forcing the referee to point to the spot. William Humphrey stepped up and drilled the penalty into the bottom corner to bring his side right back into the contest.
The Olympia backline was able to recover and stayed strong right up until the 71st minute, when Riverside finally found their equaliser from a pinpoint set piece. Aaron Campbell lined up a free kick from wide on the left, and his delivery curled to the penalty spot where Mackenzie Hancox was waiting. Despite having a defender right on his back, he was able to head it home and level the scores.
With all the momentum against them the young Warriors could have easily crumbled late, but they fought back to take a decisive lead just seven minutes later. Starting the play with a throw-in deep in their defensive half, they worked the ball through the middle before a raking through-ball from Mwarabu played in Vincent once again. With the 'keeper advancing at him, he calmly slid a shot past and into the back of the net. That would prove to be a match-winning goal, as Riverside pushed hard for a late equaliser but failed to find a breakthrough.
Launceston City 0-2 Kingborough Lions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tso7AXy9BBI&t=6193s
The Kingborough Lions have continued their winning start to 2020, downing Launceston City 2-0 at Buckby Motors Park. The visitors struggled to break down a resolute City defence led by a strong showing from goalkeeper Lachlan Clark, but second-half goals to Andy Taylor and Kobe Kemp saw them pull away late.
Coming in as strong favourites, the Lions were held at bay early as City dug in on their home turf. Ben Hamlett and Keenan Douce both went close to opening the scoring, but they were denied by some sharp work from Clark between the posts. A week after holding the defending champion Strikers to just one goal, Launceston continued to show off their defensive prowess but struggled to create many chances at the other end.
It wasn't until the 75th minute that the game finally saw its first goal, and the Lions needed some tidy work from a set piece to finally take the lead. Captain Keenan Douce lined up a free kick on the left, and his delivery curled towards the near post where Taylor was waiting. With what looked to be nothing more than a glancing blow, he did just enough to wrong-foot the goalkeeper and send the ball into the back of the net. The opening score had been a long time coming, and the visitors celebrated accordingly.
The Lions were far from content with the lead, pushing hard and looking to double their advantage. At the other end, City worked equally hard and forced Kingborough 'keeper Sheku Kamara into a huge double save to keep his clean sheet intact. A second goal seemed inevitable with such frenetic end-to-end action, and it was the Lions that struck to seal the win with less than ten minutes left. A first-time shot from Shane Cartwright forced a diving save from Clark, but he couldn't quite clamp down on the ball as it bobbled away from him. Waiting and ready to pounce was Kobe Kemp, and he made no mistake with a thumping finish from point-blank range. That rounded out the scoring and saw the Lions remain undefeated this year.
Glenorchy Knights 3-1 Clarence Zebras
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydtG-EkOMXk
The Glenorchy Knights have claimed their second win in as many games this season with a 3-1 victory over the Clarence Zebras at KGV. A first-half brace from Nic Naden proved to be the difference, with Matt Pace's reply for the Zebras cancelled out by a stoppage-time penalty.
The Knights looked lively from the outset, doing the bulk of the attacking and testing Zebras goalkeeper Joshua Jones on several occasions. The gloveman was outstanding in the early exchanges, but there was little he could do to stop the hosts from taking the lead in the 24th minute. A Knights corner was delivered deep into the heart of the penalty area, where Naden rose above his marker and blasted the header home from close range. He added a second goal just nine minutes later in near-identical fashion, as a corner from the opposite side was this time delivered to the near post. Making a run from the top of the area, Naden timed his jump perfectly and sent his header across the face and into the top corner to give his side a 2-0 lead.
That could have easily opened the floodgates, but the Zebras fought back and grabbed a goal of their own two minutes later to keep the contest alive. Some tidy footwork from Ganga Mangar on the right pulled the Glenorchy defence out of shape, and he was able to play the ball to Pace with space inside the area. From a tight angle to the right of the goal, he thumped a low shot that went across the face and in off the woodwork, giving Knights goalkeeper Lachlan Hart no chance as he protected his near post. That seemed to spur them on as they attacked with more confidence, but bar a penalty shout that was turned down by the referee, they couldn't threaten the goal again before the half-time whistle.
Far from content with a one-goal lead, the Knights continued to press forward after the break in search of a greater buffer. That left the Zebras stuck on the back foot for much of the second half and unable to mount a real comeback. A third goal for the hosts felt inevitable, but it wasn't until the 92nd minute that they found that breakthrough via the penalty spot. A well-timed run from Alex Walter saw him played into a one-on-one with Jones, and as he took a touch wide the 'keeper could only slide in and trip him up in a clear foul. Eli Luttmer slotted the penalty into the bottom corner to round out the scoring and give the Knights a two-goal win.
