Walter Pless on Football

By Walter Pless

Tilford Zebras lost their first game of the season in any competition last weekend when they succumbed 1-0 to South Hobart in the quarterfinals of the Milan Lakoseljac Memorial Trophy competition.

The loss may have done them a world of good for their league campaign as the pressure to maintain an unbeaten run in all competitions can weigh heavily on a team.

With the pressure off, they should be able to concentrate on the task at hand this Saturday, which is to beat off the challenge of third-placed Hobart Olympic away at the Athletic Centre.

Zebras have a four-point lead over second-placed South Hobart, which could be whittled down to just a point if Zebras lose and South Hobart topple reigning champions Glenorchy Knights at KGV Park on Friday night.

Zebras versus Olympic clashes have traditionally been fierce affairs, but the frenzied days of the Italians versus the Greeks are long gone and this should be more of a sedate encounter, with the visitors the favourites.

Zebras will have free-scoring striker Josh Thorpe back, while striker Daniel Lapolla is expected to be fit after going off injured against South Hobart last weekend.

Lapolla suffered a corked thigh in a collision with South Hobart goalkeeper Mark Moncur and, after undergoing physiotherapy during the week, is expected to play.

“This should be a cracker after our last episode and we must win all our remaining games if we’re going to take the title,” said Zebras coach, Nick Lapolla.

Hobart Olympic will have defenders Peter Tsakiris and Youssef Mohamad back, but Hermanathan Nagarathnam is suspended, despite being incorrectly sent off in Olympic’s last game.

Tsakiris has been side-lined for several weeks because of a back injury, while Mohamad has been on holiday in Syria.

Nagarathnam is most unfortunate. He received a second yellow card last week against Metro when the referee claimed he did not call a name when going for the ball.

Nagarathnam said he called, “ Herman”, which is a shortened version of his name and which all his team-mates call him.

The referee apparently interpreted the call as “Hey man!” and booked him.

The referee realised his error after the game and said he would acknowledge the error in the report, but it seems the suspension stands.

Insiders at Olympic say that Nagarathnam may not have been selected in the seniors anyway, but it still seems a bit harsh to me.

Glenorchy Knights should be back to full strength for the game against South Hobart.

Knights had several players unavailable for the cup-tie against Clarence last weekend, including Janko Begovic and Shay Hickey, but they still won.

“I’m optimistic, but South are the form team at the moment,” said Knights coach, Robbie Huigsloot.

“We’re looking to build for the State-wide Cup semi-finals as we haven’t got a chance of retaining our league title.”

South Hobart still has defender Hugh Ludford suspended, but will welcome back captain Jonathon Lo, who was unavailable for last weekend’s game against Zebras.

Matthew Hill, who returned to South Hobart this year after a season playing in Brazil at the Cruzeiro club, will play his last game for South before moving to Melbourne to seek his football fortune there.

“Everyone is fit, but we’ll have to keep an eye on the five players selected to play on Sunday for the South against the North in Launceston,” said South Hobart coach, Steve Adkins.

“This is a game we really need to win because if Zebras slip up against Olympic we’ll be only a point behind them.

“Everyone is switched on for it as it’s one of our chances to close the gap.”

Eighth-placed Taroona copped a hiding against Launceston City in the cup last weekend, but will have five players back for the visit to Kelvedon Park of seventh-ranked University on Saturday.

Ben Schaap, Steven Gates, Cian Carey, Daniel Palmer and Felix Abetz all return to the side.

“It’ll be a tough game against University,” said Taroona coach, Matthew Rhodes.

“We hope to be more competitive than we were last weekend against Launceston City and I hope we can bounce back.”

University also had many players unavailable for their last outing and welcome back goalkeeper Ashley Winter, midfielders Brook Teale, Hugh Richardson and Tyler Duniam, defender Taka Manaka and strikers Aaron Hindmarsh and Luke Temby.

Alexis Bull is doubtful because of a groin strain, while Gerard O’Brien is still overseas.

“The result and performance against Eagles [ a 1-1 draw] was both a relief and a disappointment,” said University coach, Matthew Shaw.

“It was a relief to get a point with so many of our first choice players absent and, losing two more of them on the morning of the match, meant that we were patching the team together right up until kick off.

“In the end, five of the 14 doubled up from the reserves, with one of those having also played in the Under-19s.

“So, with the cobbled together nature of the team, to get something was good.

“However, to play against 10 for the majority of the match and not win was a disappointment.

“Our movement and passing will need to improve and those that show they can provide this at Thursday’s hit out against the TIS side will be the ones who will start on Saturday.”

The remaining game of the round is at North Chigwell on Saturday when last-placed Metro-Claremont host fourth-placed Clarence United.

Clarence will miss the experience of suspended midfielder Scott Hadley, but Chris Hunt and Dwayne Walsh have returned from Melbourne.

“We don’t have a good track record at North Chigwell, having lost two of our last three games there,” said Clarence coach, Andrew Brown.

“The team was lacklustre against the Knights in a low-quality game and much improvement is required if we are to earn a result at Chigwell.

“We lost 2-0 and 4-0 there and then won scrappily 2-0 during the past three seasons.

“I have great respect for the Metro fighting spirit and never-say-die attitude and expect a physical and dour encounter that should go down to the wire.”

Metro have injury concerns surrounding Adrian Lawler (ankle), Phil Curran (thigh strain) and Shane Kent (hamstring soreness).

Coach Matthew Gasparin may adopt an attacking 4-3-3 formation, with Adam McKeown, Royston Dutton and James Hope up front and Jarrod Saunders, Terry Kent and Phil Curran in midfield.

“The guys are looking forward to this challenging affair and are confident of obtaining a valuable three points against their well coached Eastern Shore rivals,” said Gasparin.

“The last time we played Clarence at North Chigwell, we beat Clarence and, as always, a tough battle looms.”