Launceston United Put League on Notice.
Launceston United you had my curiosity, but now you have my attention! Talk about an opening statement from the Northerners in this first fortnight of season 2022. Not content with knocking off the defending Champion Clarence Zebras in Round 1. They have now gone down the highway and completely outplayed the Summer Cup Champions South Hobart on their home patch to secure a second successive 3-1 win. Making it 2 big wins from what were 2 difficult fixtures to start the season.
As was the case last week, this wasn’t a smash and grab take your chances type of result either, this was United comprehensively outplaying their opposition. If anything, it should have been more as they completely controlled the second half and only some quality shot-stopping from Samantha Butler in South Hobart’s goal prevented the final score from looking even more emphatic. It’s a long season and there are plenty of twists and turns sure to come, but as it stands Launceston United are looming as the team to beat.
They had to come from behind in this one after Bonnie Davies broke in behind their lines to open the scoring for South against the run of play on 24 minutes. Having shaded the early exchanges this would have been frustrating for the visitors, but they responded superbly, getting back on the attack and coming close on multiple occasions from Laura Dickinson, who was causing all sorts of problems for the South defence. Eventually, the weight of chances told, and Madison Gilpin was able to fire home following a corner to get United a well and truly deserved leveler. Ellie La Monte looked for all the world to have her side ahead just before the halftime break but another superb piece of keeping from Butler kept her at bay to send the sides into the shed’s level at 1-1.
The second half was nearly all one-way traffic as United controlled the game and midway through the half, they took the lead in spectacular fashion. Neve Farquhar charged forward and found herself in space outside the box on the right-hand side and opted to launch a delightfully hit shot that dipped inside the far post to absolute perfection. It was a stunning strike, and the lead was no less than her side deserved.
United threatened on several occasions to put the game to bed but whilst it remained at 2-1, South were still a threat to take something from the match, especially with Eve Swain starting to look dangerous in attack. But finally the game was iced on 86 minutes as Ellie La Monte, who had come close on multiple occasions broke in behind and at the second time of asking smashed one past the keeper to secure the 3-1 win victory and make it two massive wins to start the season for United.
Strikers Seize Top Spot After Two Weeks
Launceston United might have claimed the bigger scalps but they will be sitting second on the table behind Devonport at the conclusion of Round 2 following the Strikers thumping win over Taroona at Valley Road on Saturday afternoon. No stranger to filling the back of the net with regularity, Jazmin White bagged herself a hat-trick to follow up her brace last week to thrust herself right into the Golden Boot front runners.
White opened the scoring in her typical manner on 18 minutes, sprinting in behind the defence and bolting away from her marker at lightning speed. After that Taroona held out valiantly for much of the first half despite finding themselves under increasing pressure but they were brought undone for a second time just before halftime. Last week’s hero in net for the Strikers, Samantha Hardy made an impact at the other end of the pitch this time around as she blasted home their second of the day.
The second half saw the Strikers running over the top of a lagging Pirates outfit and the dam wall rather burst. White started the scoring by firing in two eye-catching finishes to complete her hat-trick and make it 4-0 just past the hour mark before turning provider for Louise McMullen who made it 5-0 just moments later. A back post tap in from Holli O’Toole extended it to 6-0, before young star Annalee Bidwell put the cherry on top with a stoppage-time goal of her own to see the game ending 7-0 in the Strikers favour.
It was an emphatic result for the Strikers who will be delighted with their start to the season. They are yet to play a side you’d consider a title contender just yet, but you can only beat what’s in front of you and they have done precisely that, getting off to the best possible start to the season.
Zebras Torch Beleaguered Warriors
Over at Empire Couriers Park, the muted celebrations following Caitlin Stalker’s fourth goal told the whole story. As the Zebras striker deposited the ball into the back of the net for a remarkable fourth time in just the opening 18 minutes of the game, not a single teammate ran to celebrate with her. They all trudged back to the other half ready for the next reset, taking little pleasure in what was quickly developing into a complete rout. They knew this game was already over and they knew they were going to run up the score, this was quite plainly a complete and utter mismatch. There was little to be gained from this one for the defending Champions bar bolstering their goal difference, which they duly did, ultimately running out 11-1 victors.
Allie Berry produced the pick of the goals with a superbly placed shot from outside the area in the second half as they reached double figures by the 70th minute. Even the ever-reliable Shelley Cook was powerless to prevent the Zebras onslaught as the chances flowed. Credit to the Warriors players who fought till the end, didn’t drop their heads and managed to pull back a consolation goal via Sarah Fitzgerald. But the brutal reality is that the mass player departures that have occurred in recent seasons have meant that a lot of players have been forced up to a level they simply aren’t ready for yet. In the long term, they will likely be better off for it, but in the shorter term, a very long season looms ahead for the Warriors based on this showing.