Walter Pless on Football

Kingborough Lions United v South Hobart Match Report

June 24, 2007 @ 1:09 am · Filed under Kingborough Lions, Match Reports, Premier League, South Hobart

By Walter Pless

Premier League, Lightwood Park, Saturday, 23 June 2007

Kingborough Lions United 0

South Hobart 2 (Gordon 11, Ludford 55 pen)

HT: 0-1 Att: 100 Ref: C Phillips

Lo and White shake hands before the toss

Kingborough Lions United (3-5-2): A Coleman - M Iseli, I Cannon, M Wells - R Hinkley, B Andrews, C White, G Kerr, M Marchioli - M Giomataris, C Sanita (M Palmer 89) [Substitutes not used: A Moor, J Voss] [Coach: G Freeman]

South Hobart (1-3-4-2): M Moncur - N Robinson - H Ludford, J Foley-Donoghue, M Hill - C Wain (D Cooper 72), B Beecroft, T Roach, J Lo (D Abbott 80) - A Gordon, D Brown [Substitutes not used: N Wardle, S Kruijver] [Coach: S Adkins]

Bart Beecroft challenged by Brett Andrews

South Hobart moved to within a point of Premier League leaders Tilford Zebras with this 2-0 away win over sixth-placed Kingborough Lions United at Lightwood Park.

It was a scrappy game and a goal in each half won it for the visitors.

In the 11^th minute, Marc Iseli conceded a free-kick inside the centre-circle. Bart Beecroft played it quickly forward and Alex Gordon controlled, turned and slotted the ball inside Adam Coleman’s left-hand post.

Chris Sanita and Jon Foley-Donoghue dancing

“I had a quick look where the goalkeeper was before I got the ball and I saw that I was open and had a fair bit of space and took it early, which, I think, caught him off guard,” said Gordon after the match.

Gordon had a fine game and demonstrated some of his exquisite skills. One flick with the heel near the touch-line on the right to put a team-mate through was first-class.

Kingborough captain, Charles White

He is not a fast player, but his change of pace can be deceptive. Late in the match, he showed Ian Cannon a clean pair of heels after pretending to slow down and then accelerating. He might have shot himself but chose to square the ball for Daniel Brown, but Adam Coleman saved bravely at the striker’s feet.

Ian Cannon launches a Kingborough attack

South Hobart’s second goal came from a somewhat harsh penalty in the 55^th minute when Michael Wells was adjudged to have handled as Jonathon Lo smashed the ball into him at close range.

Hugh Ludford was untroubled in scoring with his spot-kick to make it 2-0.

South were largely untroubled from then on against a disappointing Kingborough, which did not trouble Mark Moncur in the visitors’ goal.

Brett Andrews gets above Daniel Brown to win a header

Iseli was very good at the back for Kingborough and kept the score down. He shackled Brown effectively and left one wondering why he has not been named in the Southern Tasmania squad.

This was Chris Sanita’s last game for Kingborough. The 18-year-old striker will sign for Victorian club Brunswick City on Tuesday.

Chris Sanita’s last game for Kingborough

“South are a very good side,” said Kingborough Lions United coach, Geoff Freeman.

“We struggled to play perhaps the way we have been playing over the last couple of weeks and that’s down to the way they played.

Jonathon Lo ready to take on Kingborough’s Ian Cannon

“They play a very hard, physical game and we tried to match them.

“I think Marc Iseli, today, was outstanding on Daniel Brown up front, and the save late from ‘Bear’ Coleman made sure that Daniel didn’t score, which was very nice.

Marc Iseli was a tower of strength at the back for Kingborough

“I think it’s frustrating the manner of the two goals that we conceded.

“The first goal was just poor defending after Marc Iseli giving away a good free-kick, if there’s such a thing as a good free-kick, on the half-way line.

“We had enough players back but we just didn’t man up and there was a good finish from the edge of the box.

Chris Sanita eludes Alex Gordon

“And then the penalty. Whether it’s hand-ball or whether it’s not, it’s still a penalty and a goal and I suppose they’re the two goals we conceded.

“I suppose the manner of the defeat is frustrating from that point of view, but South are a very good side.

“We’ve got a couple of good young players who are coming through and I think over the next few weeks, and hopefully, they’ll continue to improve and hopefully our fortunes will continue to improve.”

Ross Hinkley heads clear

South Hobart coach, Steve Adkins, said: “It’s always tough to win at Kingborough and we toughed it out. One goal in each half.

“Once again, we didn’t concede a goal and that’s been the story of the last six or seven games, when we’ve conceded only one goal, I think.

“It wasn’t pretty football, but it never is when you come to Lightwood.

South Hobart coach Steve Adkins

“The guys made the right decisions for most of the day, I thought.

“Alex Gordon was tremendous up front and certainly the best on ground as far as I’m concerned.”

KINGBOROUGH		SOUTH HOBART
12	Goal Attempts	13
1	Shots on Target	8
3	Corners	10
21	Fouls Committed	19
0	Off-Sides	1
2 (White, Kerr)	Yellow Cards	0
0	Red Cards	0