Walter Pless on Football

By Walter Pless

University, the holders of the Milan Lakoseljac Memorial Trophy, are at home at Olinda Grove to Premier League rivals South Hobart at 2pm on Saturday as this State-wide competition enters its first-round proper.

Midfielder schemer Colin Shepherd and midfield dynamo Alexis Bull are doubtful for the Students, while Danish sweeper Thomas Andersen is unavailable.

The reasons for Andersen’s unavailability is uncertain, but he did not take kindly to being substituted against Tilford Zebras a couple of weeks ago, taking his shirt off and banging the sides of the dugout. He then sat out the game, minus his shirt.

He is too good a player to omit, so one can only assume he has another engagement.

Tall defender John Merry returns after injury, while striker Aaron Hindmarsh should be fit, despite coming off with a hamstring strain last weekend against Hobart Olympic.

“We are looking forward to the Cup, having won it for the first time last season,” said University coach, Matthew Shaw.

“We know that South Hobart are a quality side with some excellent players, but if we show some self belief and concentrate on doing the simple things well, we should give a good account of ourselves.”

South have been finding goals hard to come by, but with University not at full strength, the visitors must be favoured to win.

Daniel Brown is making the right runs and getting in to scoring positions for South, but he must work on his finishing. If he can do that, South will score a bag full in games.

Southern Premier League leaders Hobart Zebras should have the edge over northern Premier League leaders Devonport City in the first game of a double-header at KGV Park at 2pm on Saturday, while Glenorchy Knights should prove much too powerful for Prospect Knights at 4pm.

Devonport, coached by former star player Tom McGinn, relies greatly on John ‘Snow’ Compagne and Chris McKenna, whereas the Zebras have strength in depth all over the park.

These sides have been involved in some classic confrontations in this State-wide competition in recent years and another great game is in prospect.

Glenorchy Knights have yet to hit form, but they should shrug aside the challenge of Prospect, who are three from bottom on the northern Premier League ladder.

Launceston City are but a shadow of the side they were last year, having lost seven regular first-team players, but coach David Craig is confident of overcoming Northern Rangers at Mitsubishi Park.

“You have to go with the cards you’re dealt with and, although we are not the side we once were, I think we have the psychological advantage over Rangers, who have never beaten us other than in a Summer Cup match,” said Craig.

Craig said City were contemplating bringing in some imports next season to lift the standard.

City, who are celebrating their 50^th anniversary this year, have been a pace-setter in Tasmanian football when it comes to bringing in talent from overseas to lift the local competition.

The goalkeeping position was also a problem with Lino Sciuli not getting any younger. He had a couple of bad lapses in recent games which did not help the team.

Rangers coach, Mitchell Billing, said he was confident of winning after beating the high flying Somerset in the league last weekend.

Centre-back Sam Luck is doubtful through injury, as is Derek Schipper, while Thataetsile Kakadumane is suspended.

In other games on Saturday, New Town Eagles look like being eliminated by the visiting Somerset at Clare Street, while Burnie United, with former southerner Ben Crosswell in outstanding form, should be too strong for the visiting Kingborough Lions United at Montello.

Eagles could, however, cause an upset as this is, after all, a cup competition and one where league position does not necessarily matter.

Somerset are the State premiers and have done well in the northern competition, bit it remains to be see how well they travel.

Taroona are at home at Kelvedon Park to Hobart Olympic and will be without Cian Carey, Julien Timmins and Martyn Wells, who are all injured, and Kurt De Jong, who is unavailable.

Two 17-year-olds, Freddie Hess and Llewellyn Tubb will come in to the Taroona side, who were beaten 5-0 in the league by Olympic at this venue earlier in the season.

On Sunday, Clarence United visit North Warrane to take on First Division outfit Nelson Eastern Suburbs.

Clarence will miss Sam Cannamela, Adam Mahoney and Scott Hadley, who will be replaced by Luke Cripps, Leigh Mayne and John Wise.

“This is the first local derby between these Eastern Shore sides in quite a while and league position counts little in such contests,” said Clarence coach, Andrew Brown.

“Our players are desperate to atone for a lacklustre draw in the league last weekend and I’ll be expecting a much better performance from them.”