Walter Pless on Football

By Walter Pless

Metro-Claremont have appointed Ahmad Abdaltam as their new Premier League coach for the 2008 season.

Abdaltam, who is from Sudan, played professionally in Greece and Egypt.

He has played in Tasmania with Hobart Olympic, Juventus and Glenorchy Knights and has coached the Knights and Juventus.

Metro finished last season as the wooden-spooners and survived a promotion-relegation play-off over two legs against Division One champions Beachside to retain their Premier League status.

Abdaltam replaces Matthew Gasparin, who has been in charge of Metro for the past two seasons.

Abdaltam said he would try and bring several experienced players to the club to form the nucleus of next year’s side.

Meanwhile, Premier League outfit University have appointed Scott Gallacher from NSW as their new senior coach for next season to replace Matthew Shaw, who is moving interstate.

Gary Slicer will be the reserve-team coach, while Les Richardson will coach the under-19s and the Premier Women’s team.

“I have been involved with soccer for the past forty years or more as a player and then as a coach,” said Gallacher, who is from Scotland.

“I first started coaching about twenty years ago and gained my licence as a senior coach ten years ago.

“In the past ten years, the first eight were spent coaching with Hills United Soccer Club, which is a representative club in the NSW State Super League.

“In this capacity I coached all age groups and during this time I took one year out to coach Castle Hill Premier League.

“I moved to Tasmania a year ago and have been involved with the Glenorchy Knights club and coached The Friends’ School first team.”

Women’s Intrastate Challenge Series

By Walter Pless

________________________________________________________

Jill Couch showed her class by scoring both goals for North, who were level at 1-1 at the break and 2-2 midway through the second half.

A goal five minutes before the end settled the matter in South’s favour.

Emily Parker was excellent on the left for South and her runs down the wing were dangerous, while Bliss Cantrell netted twice in a fine performance.

South started strongly and Parker made a run down the left in the first minute, only to shoot straight at the goalkeeper.

North lost goalkeeper Amanda Newson after a mere 12 minutes when she sustained a blow to the back of the head.

South goalkeeper Chelsea Thomas had to be at her best in the 21^st minute when an error by Claire Farquhar allowed Krystine Jeffery and Chelsea Smith to fire in shots.

On the half-hour, Thomas could only parry Nao Fujimoto’s long-range shot and Couch blasted home the rebound to give North the lead.

Parker made it 1-1 in the 41^st minute after Cantrell’s shot hit the post.

South took the lead in the 56^th minute when Cantrell headed home Kath Prescott’s left-wing cross.

In the 65^th minute, South’s substitute goalkeeper Isoline Ottavi made a brilliant save as she tipped Smith’s clever lob over the bar after the North striker had broken through the home defence.

Smith took the corner and Crouch, stationed at the far post, nodded home to make it 2-2.

With five minutes remaining, Cantrell made the most of a defensive error to grab her second goal of the game and the winner for the home side.

The sides meet again next Saturday at Mitsubishi Park in Launceston.

________________________________________________________

· South coach, Matthew Shaw, said:

“It was enjoyable and it was nice to see some goals and some good saves from both the keepers.

“Obviously, that probably means some of the defending got a bit lax at times, but it’s nice to see them knock the ball around.

“It would have been nice if we’d knocked it around a little more some of the time because we sometimes panicked and hoofed it forward to no great effect.

“But, it was fun and I think they enjoyed it. Hopefully, the people watching enjoyed it, too.”

· North coach, Jason Jones, said:

“I was really pleased with the contribution of the girls.

“They haven’t played together before and we haven’t been able to have a practice match the way the roster’s been scheduled.

“So, for them to come out and play the way that they did their first time together, I’m just really, really pleased.

“We ran short of fit players. We started with two players pulling out before the game so we didn’t have enough fresh legs and it really showed in the last ten minutes when they scored.

“I look forward to next week.”

_________________________________________________________

South: Thomas; Parker, L Jarman, K Presott, Cantrell, L Prescott, Jones, Saito, Manuela, Farquhar, Barnes.

(Subs: Ottavi, Hale, Clark, Gibbons, Dixon)

Booked: Farquhar

Goals: Parker 41, Cantrell 56, 85

North: Newson; Berger, Norton, Ayton, McCulloch, Smith, McGregin, Brazendale, Couch, Fujimoto, Goodwin.

(Subs: Jeffrey, Shatton, Crack, Jones, Rolfe)

Goals: Couch 30, 66

Att: 200

Ref: I Colhoun

By Walter Pless

_____________________________________________________________________

Hobart Zebras won the State premiership by beating northern Premier League title winners and reigning State champions Somerset 3-1 away at the latter’s Cardigan Street headquarters on Saturday.

After a goalless opening half, substitute Mark Falzon, who had replaced midfielder Chris Cox at the interval, put Zebras ahead on the hour when he raced on to Romeo Frediani’s through-ball and beat the advancing goalkeeper, James Nettleton.

Midfielder Romeo Frediani made it 2-0 in the 70^th minute with an easy tap-in after Brett Pullen’s free-kick had been flicked on by Ryan Smith.

Bobby Eaves pulled a goal back for the home side with 15 minutes remaining when the ball was lofted over the Zebras defence and he fired past a hesitant Frank Mainella in the Zebras goal.

Five minutes from the end, Aaron Brazendale netted after a neat one-two with Ricky Self to make it 3-1 and complete the southerners’ triumph.

Brazendale was cautioned when he clashed with an opponent and they wrestled each other to the ground.

It was the third trophy for the Zebras this season, following their Summer Cup and southern Premier League titles.

Rookie coach, Nick Lapolla, who was one of the club’s stars back in the 1980s, was delighted with the win before a large and noisy home crowd and with three North-West Coast officials in charge.

Somerset coach, Craig Macey, said it was a good-quality game, but he was critical of the refereeing and said the two referee assistants had trouble keeping up with play.

_____________________________________________________________________

· Tilford Zebras coach, Nick Lapolla, said:

“The first half was a fiery contest and it took us half the game to wake up to their style of play.

“In the second half, we matched them and got on top.

“It’s been a good year for us and the boys are rapt.”

· Somerset Sharks coach, Craig Macey, said:

“It was a much better game than last year, with both teams going in hard at the ball all day.

“They wanted it more, and we had a couple of players who were a bit flat on the day, but overall, I was happy with the standard.

“No matter what we tried, it didn’t come off, while they had about three chances and they made the most of them.”

· Zebras goalkeeper, Frank Mainella said:

“We played really well and dominated for long periods before they took over for shorter periods.

“I only had one long-range shot to deal with in the first half and another save to make later, which I managed to get down for and turn wide.”

_____________________________________________________________________

Somerset Sharks (3-4-1-2): Nettleton - Hingston, C Eaves (Snare 85), Wells - R Eaves, C Considine, Reed, Skene - B Eaves - S Cocks (Ford 75), A Considine.

Substitutes not used: Campbell, Woolford

Booked: R Eaves, C Eaves, Reed

Goals: B Eaves 75

Tilford Zebras (3-5-2): Mainella - Fagg, Smith, Connolly - Self, C Cox (Falzon 46), Pullen, Frediani (Nicholson 80), Brazendale - D Lapolla, Fennell

Substitutes not used: D Cox, Sward

Booked: Brazendale, Fagg, D Lapolla

Goals: Falzon 60, Frediani 70, Brazendale 85

Att: 250

Ref: D Cole

By Walter Pless

Launceston City beat Somerset 2-0 at Valley Road on Saturday to collect the Milan Lakoseljac Memorial Trophy.

Somerset, the northern Premier League champions, had several good chances in the opening quarter of an hour, including one shot from Ricky Eaves that hit the post.

But, City took the lead in the 38^th minute through substitute Josh Duncan, who converted Roger Mies’s low cross from the left.

City squandered two penalties conceded by Casey Eaves. City captain, Alex Brownlie, placed his spot-kick wide on both occasions.

With five minutes remaining, Michael Frost netted City’s second, after the Somerset keeper could only parry Anthony Macri’s shot, to ensure a happy ending to a dismal season for the Launceston outfit, who had finished fourth in the league.

It was the final appearance for City striker Mies, midfielder Justin Dyer and goalkeeper Lino Sciulli, all of whom are retiring.

“They wanted it more than us and used the retirement of Mies, Dyer and Sciulli to lift their game for this cup final,” said Somerset coach, Craig Macey.

“Apart from the opening stages, we were up against it, and Sciulli pulled one out of the hat for his final game.”

City coach, David Craig, said: “It was good, really good, more so because of the three players who were finishing up today.

“It was a very special day for them and I’m really happy for them.”

In the final southern Premier League match of the season, University withstood tremendous Metro-Claremont pressure to win 3-1 at Olinda Grove on Saturday.

Metro had most of the play in the opening half and squandered a dozen chances, including a bad miss by Edward Guma, who somehow hit the crossbar from 4 metres with an open goal beckoning after University keeper Ashley Winter had turned Adam McKeown’s shot against the post.

University, against the odds, led 1-0 at the interval through a Colin Shepherd free-kick in the 28^th minute.

Julian Poud made it 2-0 from Matthew Shaw’s cross on the hour before Metro captain Shane Kent pulled a goal back from a penalty midway through the half.

University earned a penalty in the final minute and allowed goalkeeper Winter to take it, but his spot-kick was saved by substitute keeper Troy Kaden.

Referee Stephen Pitchford ordered the kick re-taken because of an infringement and Proud made no mistake to collect his second goal of the match and make the score-line 3-1 for the home side.

Beachside made sure of the Division One championship on Saturday with a 2-1 away win over second-last Christian United at Sherburd and booked a date with Metro-Claremont for the promotion/relegation play-off beginning next weekend.

Beachside led 1-0 at the break through a shot by Sebastian Milford, which took a deflection off United’s David Noble.

John De Vries equalised in the second half, but another strike by Milford ensured Beachside of the title.

Goals by Tom McDonald, Geoff Freeman and Ben Daley gave fourth-placed Kingborough Lions United a 3-0 win over third-placed Kingston Cannons at Lightwood Park.

In the final Reserve League match of the season, seventh-ranked Taroona lost 1-0 at home to sixth-placed University at Kelvedon Park through a goal by Brook Teale.

In Friday night’s women’s State-wide Cup final, Nelson Eastern Suburbs came back from a one-goal half-time deficit against the lowly-ranked Clarence United to win 3-1 after extra-time.

Clarence, second-last on the ladder, produced a courageous and skilful display to worry the league champion and Marlugu Dixon headed them in front with the side’s first corner of the game, taken by Harkana Dixon, in the 36^th minute.

Nicole Hale equalised in the 59^th minute but was promptly sent off after receiving a second yellow card for taking off her shirt and engaging in an overly exuberant goal celebration.

Clarence almost regained the lead when Nelson’s Lauren Barnes deflected a shot against her own post, but when the ball ricocheted to Marlugu Dixon, she directed her powerful shot straight at Nelson goalkeeper Katelin Barker.

Clarence goalkeeper Tess Joiner-Stewart had an outstanding game overall, but it was her poor goalkick in the 11^th minute of extra-time that enabled Chrystal Dean to fire Nelson ahead.

Dean made it 3-1 a minute later when she ran onto a great ball out of defence and advanced on goal before beating Joiner-Dixon with a well-placed shot.

South Hobart finished second in the Division One competition, three points adrift of champion Beachside, after beating bottom-side Huon Valley 5-1 at home at Wellesley Park on Sunday.

South Hobart dominated the opening half and led 2-0, but a plucky Huon Valley staged a revival early in the second half and scored just past the hour mark to make it one goal the difference.

Three goals in the final 20 minutes - two of them in the last 10 minutes - killed off a tiring Valley outfit that lost all 18 of its league matches this season.

The first half was like a shooting gallery with South Hobart peppering the visitors’ goal, but good goalkeeping by Liam Donohue and stubborn defending by Tobias Stauffer, Anton Cirvydas, John O’Toole and Mark Thompson restricted South to two goals.

Tom Veness, who was a constant danger down the left, fired South in front in the 11^th minute, while Rowan Franklin made it 2-0 midway through the half from David Cooper’s corner.

Ben Vale pulled a goal back for the Valley in the 62^nd minute after a defensive error by South, but Travers Wailes netted from Fred Assenheimer’s corner in the 73^rd minute to restore the home side’s two-goal buffer.

Premier League player David Cooper netted in the 80^th and 89^th minutes to complete South’s victory.

“It was a pretty hard-fought game,” said Huon Valley’s 48-year-old defender O’Toole, who was playing his 301^st game for the club.

“South had a lot of young guys with good control, but we weren’t a push-over and at least we pushed them.

“I think we made them play hard for their win.”

O’Toole had notched up his 300^th game for the club by playing in the reserves curtain-raiser. He has only been playing football for 12 years, having started his career at the age of 37.

South Hobart coach, Jed Donoghue, said: “Huon Valley played well in patches and so did we, but it was a bit of a scrappy game.

“We got five goals, but I was just disappointed we didn’t keep a clean sheet.”

By Walter Pless

Premier League, Olinda Grove, Saturday, 1 September 2007

Roysten Dutton slides in to thwart University’s Matthew Shaw

University 3 (Shepherd 28, Proud 61, 89 pen)

Metro-Claremont 1 (S Kent 65 pen)

HT: 1-0 Att: 70 Ref: I Colhoun (S Pitchford 70)

University (1-3-4-2): Winter - M Andrews - Manaka (Teale 84), Fletcher, J Andrews - Mills, Richardson, Shepherd, Shaw (Matsuo 95) - Proud, Stockdale (Merry 55) [Substitute not used: Kirkham] [Player-Coach: M Shaw]

Metro-Claremont (1-2-5-2): Biggar (Kaden 71) - Chaffey - Curran (Gasparin 81), Dutton - Dawes, McKeown, Hope, Rahni, Marney (Lawler 61) - S Kent, Guma [Substitute not used: Herring] [Player-Coach: M Gasparin]

Metro’s Mohand Rahni wins the ball against University’s Colin Shepherd

Metro-Claremont ran riot in the first half of this replay of the earlier league meeting between the sides but trailed 1-0 at the break through a goal from a free-kick by Colin Shepherd in the 28^th minute.

The goalmouth action in the 7^th minute summed up Metro’s day. Adam McKeown’s low shot was turned against the inside of the left-hand post by Ashley Winter and the ball rebounded across the goal to the far post, where Edward Guma incredibly hit the bar from four metres.

In the 13^th minute, Stuart hope’s header looped onto the top of the crossbar and Winter caught the ball as it came down. The ball looked suspiciously over the line as Winter clutched it to his chest, but play continued.

It was all Metro and in the 24^th minute Shane Kent squandered a good chance by shooting straight at the goalkeeper.

Two minutes later, a great ball forward by Darrin Chaffey found McKeown and Kent through the defence together, but Kent chipped over the goalkeeper and wide of the target.

Matthew Shaw evades a tackle by Metro’s Darrin Chaffey

Matthew Shaw had the ball in the Metro net in the 27^th minute, but the effort was ruled off-side.

A minute later, Shepherd put the Students in front.

In the 34^th minute, Winter had to dive to turn Kent’s free-kick wide as Metro’s bad luck continued.

Julian Proud made it 2-0 in the 61^st minute when he converted Shaw’s low cross from the left.

Metro keeper Neil Biggar takes a corner

Metro earned a penalty for handball in the 65^th minute and Kent netted to make it one goal the difference.

That was the signal for Troy Kaden to replace Neil Biggar in the Metro goal in preparation for next weekend’s promotion/relegation play-off with Beachside, who won the Division One title the same afternoon by beating Christian United 2-1.

Referee Ian Colhoun suffered a calf injury at this point and was replaced by senior assistant referee Stephen Pitchford, while University official John Parry took the flag.

A change of referees and a quick check on the time before resuming

University’s Taka Manaka was stretchered off in the 80^th minute with a leg injury and replaced by Brook Teale.

In the 89^th minute, University were awarded a penalty and goalkeeper Ashley Winter came up to take it. Kaden saved his spot-kick by diving to his left.

Mr Pitchford ordered the kick to be retaken and Proud made no mistake, sending Kaden diving to his left while the ball went straight down the middle.

Reserve goalkeeper Ryo Matsuo then came on in place of Matthew Shaw and went in goal, while Winter moved into the attack.

He had one shot in open play, but that was straight at Kaden.

Manaka down but not out

The three points were just reward for University, who had won the initial game 5-1 before a timing discrepancy led to the replay.

University finished in seventh place and Metro last.

“Well, its over,” said University’s player-coach, Matthew Shaw. “We were terrible in the first half at times.

“We just opened up the gates and said “Here, have a shot’.

“They just didn’t seem to want to stick it in the net. They had an open goal at the top of the six-yard box. You should score them every time, but we were kind of grateful they didn’t.

“In the second half we had a little bit more control, but still, we took our chances and they didn’t.

“If you don’t take them, you pay the price for not taking them.

Metro captain Shane Kent confronted by a University defender

“We’ve had games like that this year.”

Metro goalkeeper, Neil Biggar, said: “I think it was a good hit-out for next week, actually.

“Having the week off would have done more harm than good, I think.

“We created more opportunities today than I think we had for half the season and we got one goal for it, and that was a penalty.

“Sometimes it happens like that.

Metro’s substitute keeper Troy Kaden takes a free kick

“We’re quite confident for the game against Beachside. We got one goal today, but if we create half as many chances next week, we’re going to score goals. We have to score goals.

“We’re not worried about them. We’re only worried about us.”

Biggar said he did not know whether he or Troy Kaden would be in goal against Beachside.

He said it was good to see Kaden back because he was the future of the club and that the 20 minutes he played in this game were important.

Metro’s Jason Dawes tackles Colin Shepherd

UNIVERSITY		METRO-CLAREMONT
13	Goal Attempts	17
10	Shots on Target	6
2	Corners	6
14	Fouls Committed	15
6	Off-Sides	5
1 (Stockdale 53)	Yellow Cards	2 (Rahni 47, S Kent 72)
0	Red Cards	0

University:

PLAYER	GOAL ATTEMPTS	SHOTS ON TARGET
Stockdale	2	1
Proud	4	2
Shepherd	1	1
Shaw	2	2
Richardson	1	1
Winter	2	2
M Andrews	1	1

Metro’s Troy Kaden saves Ashley Winter’s penalty

Metro-Claremont:

PLAYER	GOAL ATTEMPTS	SHOTS ON TARGET
McKeown	5	1
Guma	2	1
Dawes	1	0
Hope	1	1
S Kent	8	3

University’s Julian Proud scores a penalty to make it 3-1

By Walter Pless

Women’s State-wide Cup Final, KGV Park, Friday, 31 August 2007

Clarence United 1 (M Dixon 36)

Officials (l to r) Stephen Pitchford, Tom Humphries, Matthew Brooks, Jason Priest

Nelson Eastern Suburbs 3 (Hale 59, Dean 101, 102)

HT: 1-0 FT: 1-1 AET: 1-3 Att: 250 Ref: T Humprhries

Clarence United (1-3-4-2): T Joiner-Stewart - M Brighella - M Dabner, K Vienna-Hallam, M Nicholls - K Bolton, M Dixon, E Cripps, J McIntyre - H Dixon, K Enkelaar [Substitutes: J Jarvis, E Batt, S Clifford, E Van Chastelet] [Joint Coaches: R Bolton, A Baxter]

Nelson Eastern Suburbs (4-4-2): K Barker - N Hale, K Clark, L Barnes, A Belbin - S Morris, V Johnson, B Grant, E Longo - C Dean, A Jones [Substitutes: L Hooper, N Smith, A Underwood] [Joint Coaches: O Fitzgerald, G Slicer]

With a large moon rising in the east and rain occasionally pelting down, these two Eastern Shore sides fought out a cup final that really brought to life that old cliché about ‘the romance of cup football’.

On paper, Nelson Eastern Suburbs were hot favourites to win. They had beaten Clarence United 13-0 in their first league meeting, and Nelson had won the Summer Cup and the league. They are also in next weekend’s State premiership final against Launceston City in Launceston.

It was not until July that Clarence scored their first league goal, and they finished the season in second-last place. One could not have envisaged a more David and Goliath pairing than this final.

But, Clarence were a team transformed and they almost pulled off the sort of giant-killing feat that abounds in the annals of cup football.

Clarence were not outclassed. They led 1-0 at the break and were level at 1-1 after the regulation 90 minutes. It was only in extra-time that they ran out of legs and the physically stronger Nelson team gained the edge, despite being down to ten players after only an hour of the game.

Clarence prepare for a kick off

Nicole Hale, who started at right-back, but soon moved up into the attack, was sent off in the 59^th minute when she collected a second yellow card for celebrating her equalising goal. She pulled off her shirt and, clad only in a bra above the waist, ran towards the crowd while swinging her shirt above her head.

Hale had earlier been cautioned for standing over the ball at a Clarence free-kick. Her indiscipline in both instances was, fortunately for Nelson, not to cost them dearly.

Indeed, Nelson could, and probably should, have been down to nine players when Hale was sent off. After only five minutes of the match, goalkeeper Katelin Barker rolled the ball out into midfield for Lauren Barnes, but she was dispossessed by Marlugu Dixon.

Clarence goal scorer Marlugu Dixon - her two goals in the semi-final helped Clarence to reach the final

As Dixon set off for goal, Barnes, the last defender, pulled her back and conceded a free-kick just outside the box. Mr Humphries, surprisingly, did not even caution Barnes when he might easily have sent her off for the infringement.

Harkana Dixon’s free-kick came to nothing, however.

The statistics indicate Nelson’s superiority, but statistics do not tell the whole story.

They do not tell of the bravery of the Clarence side and their not inconsiderable skills.

The Dixon sisters were the equal of any players Nelson had, while goalkeeper Tess Joiner-Stewart was excellent and dealt superbly with many dangerous shots. It was a tragedy that her poor goal-kick in extra-time gifted Nelson their second goal, which ultimately turned the game in Nelson’s favour.

Jess McIntyre was splendid in midfield and her defending reliable. A real chip off the old block. Her father, Michael McIntyre, the former Metro and Juventus star, was in the stands watching and must have been well satisfied.

Nelson’s Vanessa Johnson was always dangerous with her shooting, especially from long range, while Barnes and captain Karen Clark made a formidable central defensive duo that proved almost impossible to break down.

Hale was always dangerous when she moved up to take over as a striker, and her header at the far post in the 8^th minute flew just wide. On the quarter-hour mark, she was put through by a diagonal pass from Johnson, only to shoot straight at the goalkeeper.

Clarence won their first corner of the match in the 36^th minute and it proved decisive. Harkana Dixon floated the ball over and Marlugu Dixon headed it home to give Clarence the lead.

Clarence Captain Emily Cripps receives her losers medal watch over by adoring Clarence fans

Hale equalised in the 59^th minute when she eluded the Clarence defence, got past the last defender and just managed to roll the ball agonisingly slowly towards goal. It beat Joiner-Stewart and hit the far right-hand post before crossing the line.

Joiner-Stewart made excellent saves to deny Belinda Grant and Johnson before the 90 minutes were up.

In the 4^th minute of extra-time, Clarence almost regained the lead when Harkana Dixon sent in a dangerous cross from the right and Barnes, in trying to clear, volleyed the ball against a post. The ball ricocheted to Marlugu Dixon, whose powerful shot flew straight into Barker’s arms.

Five minutes later, Clark pushed forward and fired just wide as Nelson increased the tempo of their attacks.

In the 101^st minute, a poor goal-kick by Joiner-Stewart went straight to Chrystal Dean, who advanced on goal and scored with a shot inside the far post to give Nelson a 2-1 lead.

Clarence’s Harkana & Marlugu Dixon

Within a minute it was 3-1 as Dean was released by a marvellous diagonal ball from the right of the Nelson defence and she raced through to easily beat Joiner-Stewart again.

Marlugu Dixon had another chance before the end, again from her sister’s corner, but she headed straight at the goalkeeper.

Nelson’s captain, Clark, paid tribute to the Clarence side as she hoisted the trophy, presented by Football Federation Tasmania president, Steve Gasparinatos.

“I’m very proud of them,” said Clarence United’s joint-coach, Ronnie Bolton, a former Hobart Olympic star.

“We’ve earned a lot of respect this year and I’m very proud of them.

“It’s very difficult to keep up with a team like Nelson and they’re the benchmark and have been for a number of years.

“Our girls tried, but to do it for ninety minutes is extremely difficult, and in extra-time is almost impossible.”

Nelson Eastern Suburbs joint-coach, Gary Slicer, was relieved to win.

There’s no bad moon rising for Nelson

“Yes, it was a relief after a first half in which the girls didn’t play too good at all,” said Slicer.

“Clarence came out, and, to give them credit, they really gave us a run for the money.

“Certainly a bit of a shaking in the dressing room at half-time.

“Losing a player and being down to ten wasn’t too good either.

“But, very relieved to win. The girls came out and did well in the second half.

“The second half, we came back, and in extra-time it really consolidated it for us and, from then on, they didn’t really worry us too much.

“Clarence didn’t give up right until the end, so they made us play.

“It was a very successful season for us. The Summer Cup, took the league out, and, of course, now the State-wide Cup.

“We’ve just got next week in Launceston for the State final, as well, against Launceston City.

“It’s been a great season for the girls.

Nelson Captain Karen Clark acknowledges and thanks Clarence

“We did very well against Launceston City the last time we came up against them and I think the girls will be really pumped up with this win.

“We’ll have a few tired legs, mind you, and a few of the girls are really aching, so we’ll give the girls a bit of a rest, have a look at what happens on Wednesday at training, and take it from there.”

Clarence United striker, Harkana Dixon, said: “We held them off pretty well as we’re near the bottom of the ladder.”

Harkana and her sister, Marlugu Dixon, worked well together and their corner combinations were a threat to Nelson.

“Too bad our second corner routine didn’t work,” said Marlugu. “We work pretty well together.

“We sort of try and work together. I know her game really well and we try and work together and help out the team.”

CLARENCE		NELSON
6	Goal Attempts	30
4	Shots on Target	16
3	Corners	13
7	Fouls Committed	9
1	Off-Sides	3
1 (M Dixon 76)	Yellow Cards	5