Walter Pless on Football

By Walter Pless

Hobart Zebras took a 3-point lead at the top of the Premier League ladder with three rounds remaining when they beat seventh-placed University 3-0 at KGV Park on Friday night and second-placed South Hobart was held to a 2-2 draw at home by second-last New Town Eagles on Saturday.

Metro goalkeeper Neil Biggar 

Third-placed Hobart Olympic and fourth-ranked Clarence United virtually destroyed their title hopes when they fought out a 2-2 draw at the Athletic Centre on Saturday in a game that saw three players sent off.

Zebras, without injured midfielder Mark Falzon, adopted a 4-4-2 formation, with Brett Pullen at the back, Romeo Frediani in midfield, Josh Thorpe wide on the left flank and Aaron Brazendale partnering Daniel Lapolla in attack.

University were missing three key players and lost striker Julian Proud for the second half through injury, but they still created enough chances to worry the home side.

Proud, Aaron Hindmarsh and Craig Stockdale all had chances that they should have converted into goals, but they were either off target or allowed Frank Mainella to make comfortable saves.

Ricky Self put Zebras ahead in the 7^th minute from close range when he was left unmarked dead in front and Chris Cox nodded Thorpe’s cross to the far post down to his feet.

Cox missed a sitter in the 21^st minute, but a minute later, Brazendale demonstrated courage and speed to race on to a long ball out of defence by Henry Fagg and beat the advancing goalkeeper, Ashley Winter, to stroke home goal number two from just outside the box.

Charles White shields the ball from Adrian Lawler

Lapolla hit the crossbar just before the end of the first half, but five minutes into the second, Thorpe made it 3-0 with a delightful chip from wide on the left, the ball sailing over Winter and lodging just inside the far post.

Thorpe should have had another three minutes later, but he somehow mis-kicked from close range at the far post, while in the final minute, Brazendale attacked down the right and his shot skimmed the top of the crossbar.

Clarence led Olympic 1-0 at the break through a Paul Bremner goal from close range in the 40^th minute after Chris Hunt’s corner hit the far post and ricocheted off a couple of Olympic defenders.

Olympic striker Ben Backhause was sent off on the stroke of half-time after collecting two yellow cards within seconds of each other for dissent.

Matthew Hedge, who had come on at half-time as a replacement for the injured Lee Mason, equalised four minutes after the resumption from a penalty, awarded after Toby Ling and Ben Parker had sandwiched Michael Bulis.

Olympic’s Youssef Mohamad and Clarence’s Paul Bremner were sent off two minutes later by referee Jessica Manuela for violent conduct.

Hedge put Olympic in front in the 55^th minute, knocking home the rebound after Clarence goalkeeper Michael Moschogianis back-pedalled desperately and turned Peter Tsakiris’s free-kick against the bar.

Chris Hunt levelled for Clarence on the hour, volleying home Dwayne Walsh’s cross after he had been put away down the right by Kenyi Emmanueli.

Jarrod Saunders clears from Warren Iles

South Hobart had most of the chances against Eagles but only managed to score through Bart Beecroft, with a penalty, and Daniel Brown, while Matthew Rybak and Adam Shackcloth replied for Eagles.

On Sunday, bottom-side Metro-Claremont inched closer to safety from relegation in the Premier League with a 3-1 home win over fifth-placed Kingborough Lions United at North Chigwell.

Third-last Taroona lost 4-1 at home to Glenorchy Knights at Kelvedon Park on Sunday and two points now separate the bottom three sides.

Metro have 6 points, New Town Eagles 7 and Taroona 8 with three rounds remaining, but Metro have four games to play after Football Federation Tasmania ordered a replay of their game against University because of a timing error by the referee.

Brad Hughes (Lions trainer) tends to Warren Iles after a clash of heads

Ross Hinkley gave Kingborough the lead against Metro in the 14^th minute, but a marvellous volley by Metro captain Shane Kent in the 38^th minute made it 1-1 at the interval.

Kent put Metro ahead with a 53^rd-minute penalty, awarded for goalkeeper Adam Coleman’s foul on Aaron Marney.

Jason Dawes made it 3-1 ten minutes from the end with a powerful low drive after a Metro counter-attack involving Kent and Adam McKeown.

Two goals by Tom Huigsloot and one apiece by Jonathon Ladic and Josh Fielding gave Knights the three points against Taroona, who replied through Martyn Wells.

Neil Biggar thwarts Warren Iles

Beachside opened up a 12-point lead at the top of the Division One ladder by beating fourth-placed Kingborough Lions United 3-0 away at Lightwood Park on Saturday.

Ben Davis fired Beachside into a 13^th-minute lead, while Alex Holmes made it 2-0 in the 37^th minute.

Jacob Kavanagh sealed the match with Beachside’s third two minutes later.

Sixth-placed Hobart United, inspired by midfielder Mohand Rahni, downed bottom-side Huon Valley 3-0 at home at Pontville on Saturday, all the goals coming in the second half, with Benjamin Wolyan netting twice and Robert van der Wielen once.

Second-placed South Hobart continued their chase of leaders Beachside with a 2-1 win over Northern Suburbs-DOSA at Wellesley Park on Sunday, Hew Jarvis and Rowen Franklin grabbing the goals. Derek Story scored a penalty for DOSA.

Nelson Eastern Suburbs beat Kingston Cannons 4-3 at North Warrane on Sunday with Bill Hanley and Paul Gazzignato both scoring twice. Tuach Huseyin netted once and Nazih Abbas twice for Cannons.

Abbas was later sent off for dissent, while Steve Giudici had a penalty saved by Nelson goalkeeper Joe Martinez.

In the Reserve League, South Hobart won the championship with three rounds remaining after downing second-last New Town Eagles 4-0 at South Hobart on Saturday.

Ian Haertel hit a hat-trick and Julius Ross grabbed the remaining goal to bring out the champagne.

Second-placed Olympic cannot overhaul South after they lost 2-0 at home at the Athletic Centre to fourth-placed Clarence United on Saturday.

Stefan Hamilton and Nick Mayne were Clarence’s marksmen.

Fifth-placed University stayed a point ahead of sixth-ranked Hobart Zebras when they drew 2-2 at KGV Park on Friday night.

A goal by Dylan Fennell gave Zebras a 1-0 lead at the break, but the match ended all-square with a further goal by Fennell and two strikes by University’s Michael Driessen.

Warren Iles takes on Jarrod Saunders

On Sunday, Kingborough downed Metro 4-2 despite having Stewart Sharples sent off.

David Rietveldt hit a hat-trick and Alexander Beaumont scored once for Kingborough, while Edward Guma and Nicholas Butterworth netted for Metro.

A late goal by Alex Edwards gave Taroona a 1-0 win over Knights.