Walter Pless on Football

By Walter Pless

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South Hobart finished second on the Premier League ladder, a point adrift of champions Tilford Zebras, after beating seventh-placed University 5-0 away at Olinda Grove.

Alexander Gordon breaks away from Taka Manaka

University were poor and had just one good chance in the 90 minutes. That was in the 28^th minute when Mills headed Manaka’s right-wing cross wide from beyond the far post.

Six minutes later, O’Brien chipped over the South Hobart bar from just outside the penalty area.

Roach deals with Shepherd and Manaka

University goalkeeper Winter pulled off a string of fine saves to keep the score less than half a dozen.

It was constant South Hobart pressure, yet the visitors had only one goal to show for it at the end of the first half, and that was from a penalty in the 42^nd minute. Michael Andrews brought down Daniel Brown and Bart Beecroft beat Winter with his spot-kick.

South might easily have had more through Brown, Cooper and Lo.

Beecroft puts South ahead with a penalty

Beecroft made it 2-0 shortly after the break, while Cooper added the third in the 63^rd minute with a tremendous strike from range.

Gordon broke through in the 75^th minute to slot away a fourth, while Beecroft completed his hat-trick with another penalty in the 79^th minute after Manaka had fouled Gordon.

Shepherd gets the ball out of defence

It came as a surprise that South Hobart kept Ross and Abbott on the bench until an hour had passed.

They pair started as twin strikers against Taroona last weekend and scored three goals between them in the 5-0 win.

Gordon and Brown, who started at the front in this match, found the going tough. Gordon did manage to score but Brown failed to do so.

Veteran Colin Shepherd puts his foot on the ball in an attempt to outwit his opponents

South Hobart can look back at their 0-0 draw with Clarence United in May and the 2-2 draw with New Town Eagles in July as major reasons for their failure to capture the title.

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• University coach, Matthew Shaw, said:

“It’s always disappointing to lose. It’s really disappointing to concede a penalty at the end of the first half.

“Cooper’s strike, especially, was quality. We were obviously not at their standard, and it showed, especially in the second half.

“Unfortunately, the penalty did deflate us and we just didn’t get it together in the second half enough to compete with them.”

University’s John Andrews clears from South’s Gordon while Michael Andrews looks on

• South Hobart coach, Steve Adkins, said:

“We really wanted to have a convincing win today. After Zebras drawing on Friday, it was something we needed to do to finish our season off well.

“The guys certainly tried their hardest through the year. Runner-up is better than last or anywhere else.

“I’m sure they’re looking forward to a good year next year now.”

 

South’s David Abbott heads toward goal

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University (1-2-5-2): Winter - M Andrews - Fletcher, J Andrews - Manaka, Richardson, Shepherd (Temby 73), Stockdale, Mills - O’Brien, Proud (Shaw 90).

Substitutes not used: Merry, Matsuo

Booked: Fletcher 39, Proud 46, Stockdale 67

Taka Manaka tussles with Jonathon Lo

South Hobart (1-2-1-4-2): Kruijver - Robinson - Ludford, Foley-Donoghue - Cooper (Horsley 84) - Wain (Ross 65), Beecroft, Roach, Lo - Gordon, Brown (Abbott 60)

Substitute not used: McCallum

Goals: Beecroft 42 pen, 48, 79 pen, Cooper 63, Gordon 75

Att: 80 (Olinda Grove, Sunday, 26 August 2007)

Ref: S Pitchford

University’s Ashley Winter beats South’s Gordon to the ball