South Hobart and Hobart Olympic retain Premier League lead
Match Report for “The Sunday Tasmanian” of 8 June 2008
By Walter Pless
Reigning Premier League soccer champions Hobart Zebras moved from third place to the top of the ladder after beating eighth-placed New Town Eagles 3-1 at KGV Park on Friday night.
Ricky Self put the Zebras ahead in the 12th minute, tapping home the loose ball after Eagles goalkeeper Nathan Pitchford had blocked his first attempt from close range.
Ben Crosswell made it 2-0 in the 19th minute with a header at the far post after an excellent run down the right and an accurate cross by Brett Pullen.
Pitchford produced fine saves from Self, Aaron Brazendale, Paul Cairns and Crosswell in the first half, while Eagles Jacob Malakoff, Mark Wakefield and Chris Stingle squandered half-chances for Eagles, also in the first period.
Five minutes after the resumption, Crosswell headed his second goal, and the Zebras’ third, from Self’s corner to give the champions a commanding 3-0 lead.
It was Crosswell’s 21st league goal of the season and gave him an 11-goal lead over the league’s second-ranked marksman, the Glenorchy Knights’ Brazilian midfielder, Igor.
Pitchford continued his fine form for Eagles in the second half, denying Self and Crosswell with excellent saves.
Adam McKeown netted a consolation goal for Eagles 15 minutes from the end, heading home Ben Whitehall’s corner.
Seventh-placed Kingborough Lions United beat bottom-side Taroona 4-1 away at Kelvedon Park yesterday after leading 2-0 at the interval.
The visitors took a 28th-minute lead when Taroona failed to clear Marcello Marchioli’s free-kick and the lurking Tom McDonald turned sharply and smashed home a low shot from just inside the box.
Joel Schuth, who had earlier missed a good chance with a header, made it 2-0 in the 32nd minute when he wriggled past three defenders on the left of the box and squeezed his shot inside the near post.
The introduction of substitutes Chris Cox and Cian Carey revitalised Taroona and it was Cox who reduced the arrears in the 66th minute, firing home the rebound after Lions goalkeeper Adam Coleman failed to hold Cian Carey’s shot.
Two minutes later, Cian Carey unleashed a thunderbolt that rebounded into play off the underside of the crossbar.
Taroona may have pulled the Lions’ tail with this effrontery, but the visitors regained their composure and goals by McDonald and Greg Freeman killed off the Taroona challenge.
McDonald tapped home in the 78th minute to make it 3-1after Freeman had eluded Alex Holmes down the right and fired against the base of the far post, while Freeman headed the fourth from Marchioli’s free-kick from deep on the right in the 81st minute.
Other Details: [Premier Reserve League] Hobart Zebras 5 (Josh Thorpe 2, Luke Engels, Kurt Engels, Patrick Dunne) b New Town Eagles 1 (Alec Johnston); Taroona 0 lt Kingborough Lions United 5 (Marcus Bremner, William Walker, Ryan Bevan, Peter While, Phil Cooper); [Division One] Kingston Cannons 4 (John Demir 2, Steve Giudici, John Prichard) b Christian United 0; Kingborough Lions United 4 (Warren Iles 2, Charles White, David Rietveld) b Huon Valley 1 (own-goal).
Match Report for “The Mercury” of Monday, 9 June 2008
By Walter Pless
South Hobart and Hobart Olympic remained the joint leaders in the Premier League soccer competition when they won their ninth-round matches handsomely.
South was untroubled in beating second-last Metro 5-0 at North Chigwell yesterday in the 132nd meeting between the sides, while Olympic overcame fifth-placed Glenorchy Knights 5-1 in a thriller at KGV Park on Saturday night.
University held on to fourth spot despite being held to a 1-1 draw at home at Olinda Grove by sixth-placed Clarence United yesterday in match that was also played for the Andrew Hoppitt Memorial Trophy, named after University’s late goalkeeper.
Jonathon Lo hit a hat-trick for South against Metro, the other goals coming from Hugh Ludford, with a penalty, and substitute Greg Downes, the win giving South the Steve Robins Memorial Trophy, named in honour of a past player of both clubs.
Metro goalkeeper Michael McKenna pulled off a string of excellent and brave saves to keep the score below double figures.
Igor set up Edward Guma for the Knights’ opener against Olympic, but Kosta Grillas levelled just before the break and then displayed tremendous skill and pace to set up Robert Lebski for Olympic’s second soon after the resumption.
Igor had a penalty saved by Dmitri Nester midway through the second half and that was the signal for Olympic to take command, with Grillas going on to complete his hat-trick and Chris Tsakiris scoring the fifth with a free-kick that beat Ben Peter at the near post.
The Knights had joint player-coach Janko Begovic sent off in the 90th minute when he collected a second yellow card.
In the Premier League Reserves, two goals by Simon Burrett and one apiece from Alex Gordon, Julius Ross and Rowan Franklin gave league-leader South Hobart a 5-1 win over Metro, which replied through Matthew Gasparin.
Two goals by Sam Jones and one each by Takayuki Manaka and Patrick Brealey gave University a 4-0 win over Clarence United.
In Division One, Hobart United, which had Thom Youl sent off for serious foul play a minute before the interval, drew 0-0 with Nelson Eastern Suburbs at home at Pontville yesterday.
A last-minute goal by Josh Hadfield gave league-leaders New Town Eagles a 1-0 win over second-placed Beachside at home at Clare Street to increase their lead at the top to 4 points.