Walter Pless on Football

Match Summary for the Weekend of 13-15 June 2008

By Walter Pless

Hobart Olympic became the clear leader of the Premier League competition by downing third-placed and reigning champions Tilford Zebras 1-0 at KGV Park on Friday night.

The fight to avoid relegation intensified with third-last New Town Eagles downing sixth-placed Clarence United 3-2 away at Wentworth Park and second-last Metro coming back from a 2-0 deficit to beat bottom-side Taroona 3-2 away at Kelvedon Park on Saturday.

Taroona now remain isolated at the foot of the ladder with just 2 points and they are 4 points adrift of Metro and 6 behind Eagles.

Zebras and Olympic slogged out a goalless opening half during which Olympic’s Danijel Djekanovic should have scored with an easy header and Zebras’ Dylan Fennell was thwarted in a one-on-one situation by man-of-the-match, Dmitri Nester, the Olympic goalkeeper.

Zebras sparked into life only when they had midfielder Aaron Brazendale sent off 9 minutes into the second half after he collected a second yellow card for a foul on Robert Lebksi.

Hugh Richardson went close for Olympic in the 62nd minute when his shot scraped the base of a post, while Fennell was denied twice by Nester in a superb display of goalkeeping.

With 13 minutes remaining, Lebski released Lee Mason on the right. Mason evaded a tackle from Daniel Lapolla and his accurate cross to the far post was headed home by Michael Bulis.

Two minutes later, Brett Pullen’s powerful header following a corner was cleared off the line by Mason, who was adamant that the ball had not crossed the line.

Pullen claimed it had, but the assistant referee did not flag and the referee quite correctly waved play on.

The Zebras’ Ben Crosswell shot wide with the goal at his mercy in the closing stages and then had an effort brilliantly saved by Nester as Olympic hung on for the win.

Goals by Will Roberts and Hugo Luttmer put Taroona 2-0 up against Metro, but two fine goals by Wayne Jackson - from Jason Dawes’s passes - and a marvellous strike on the turn by Aaron Marney gave the visitors a priceless victory.

Jamie Vernon, Wade Savage and Alex Leszczynski were Eagles’ marksmen against Clarence, who replied through Juma Barabara and Paul Bremner.

South Hobart regained top spot on the ladder with a 3-0 away win over fourth-placed University at Olinda Grove on Sunday.

South Hobart lead second-placed Hobart Olympic on goal-difference, both sides having 25 points, 6 ahead of third-placed and reigning champions, Tilford Zebras.

South Hobart completely dominated the game, but their finishing was appalling.

The visitors had 32 shots on goal, only 13 of which were on target, compared to University’s comparative figures of 6 and 4. South had 23 corners to University’s two.

South captain Jonathon Lo had a ‘goal’ disallowed early on, but South took the lead directly from Jonathon Ladic’s corner in the 17th minute, while Hugh Ludford had a penalty brilliantly saved by University keeper Ryo Matsuo in the 39th minute.

Matsuo, who had a splendid game - apart from the first goal direct from a corner - turned Ludford’s spot-kick against the bar, while Tom Roach’s shot from the rebound was blocked on the line by Julian Proud.

David Abbott made it 2-0 in the 52nd minute from Billy Gasparinatos’s cross, while Gasparinatos netted the third with nine minutes remaining.

Gasparinatos and Damian Pearce also hit the University woodwork as the home side defended bravely but were continually exposed by South’s attacks.

Seventh-placed Kingborough Lions United edged a point further away from the bottom three sides when they drew 3-3 at home at Lightwood Park with fifth-placed Glenorchy Knights.

Two goals by Greg Freeman gave the Lions a 2-1 lead at the interval, Igor having scored for the visitors, but a penalty by Igor made it 2-2 before Tom McDonald restored the Lions’ lead.

A header in injury time by Nick Harrison, making his comeback after a long absence through injury, earned the Knights a point.

The Lions had midfielder Gary Upton sent off.

In the Premier Reserve League on Saturday, a goal by Ezekiel Mateso gave Clarence a 1-0 win over New Town Eagles, while goals by Wade Hawkins and Scott Bagorski enabled Metro to win 2-1 against Taroona, who replied through Lucas Wyatt.

Goals by Patrick Dunne, Fabian Lapolla, Kurt Engels, Adrian Venettacci and Adam McGuire saw Hobart Zebras overcome Hobart Olympic 5-0 on Friday night.

On Sunday, Simon Burrett’s goal gave Premier Reserve League leaders South Hobart a 1-0 win over University, while Kingborough Lions United downed the Glenorchy Knights 2-0.

Beachside moved from third to second on the Division One ladder by beating fourth-placed Kingston Cannons 3-1 at home at Sandown Park on Saturday.

The win put Beachside a point adrift of leader New Town Eagles.

Bernhard Klasen netted twice and Sebastian Milford once for Beachside, while John Prichard replied for the Cannons.

Christian United moved off the foot of the ladder at the expense of Huon Valley by winning their clash 5-1 at home at Sherburd Park.

Ashley Page and John Manasseh each scored a brace and Dave Nettlefold once for Christian, while the visitors’ scorer was Anthony Dare.

Two goals by Jackson Marsh, an own-goal, and strikes by Adam Mills and Jayden Andrews powered sixth-placed Nelson Eastern Suburbs to a 5-2 home win over fifth-ranked Kingborough Lions United, the sides swapping places on the ladder as a result.

James Lewis and Brett Andrews were the Lions’ marksmen.

Division One leaders New Town Eagles were held to a 2-2 draw by Hobart United at Pontville on Sunday, Josh Hadfield and Chris Stingle, the latter with a penalty, netting for Eagles, and Akuel Guot and Peter Otto for the home side.