Written by Nick Owen

Courtesy of Devonport Strikers

Reigning champions, South Hobart, showed that they are still a force to be reckoned with in the Playstation 4 Victory League by thumping Devonport Strikers 6-2 at Valley Road.

 

The contest was of biblical proportions. Just like the story of the Battle of Jericho, South Hobart marched up to the Valley Road fortress, and the walls came tumbling down.

Former Devonport Striker, Brayden Mann, wasted no time getting himself on the score sheet. A defence-splitting pass from Connor Schmidt left Mann one on one with the Devonport keeper, Tom Pearce, and the South Hobart striker calmly finished to give his side the lead inside the first minute.

Devonport’s English import, Josh Maskill, picked up an early yellow card soon after when he made sure Mann knew who he was with a bone-jarring tackle. The former north-west coast youngster, Liam Quaile, received a yellow card of his own with an equally strong tackle on Maskill on the half hour mark.

In the 32nd minute Devonport gifted South Hobart their second goal. Pearce rolled the ball to Adam Gorrie in midfield, who inadvertently played the ball first time to a wide open Mann. Mann finished with aplomb over the stranded Pearce.

Five minutes later, Mann thought he’d scored his hat trick after he turned the ball in from close range after Pearce spilled a drive from Alex Leszczynski, but he was adjudged to be in an offside position.

Mann with his Slice of Cheese stubby which he received for a 3 goal, 2 assist man of the match performance.

Four minutes before half time South Hobart somewhat fortuitously scored their third goal. A long throw in by Chris Downes was flicked on by Leszczynski and the ball looped high over the hapless Pearce.

It didn’t get any better for Devonport after the half time interval. In the 54th minute, Downes added himself to the score sheet when his well-struck drive hit the knee of Strikers’ defender, Kieran Mulraney, and once again the ball looped over Pearce in the Devonport goal.

In the 63rd minute, Mann turned provider after he held the ball up on the left wing and found Schmidt, whom had pushed on from the right back position. The Valley Road crowd must have thought a storm was brewing, as the young Schmidt took a flashy touch followed by a thunderous net-busting shot from the best part of thirty yards out.

Devonport pegged a goal back in the 70th minute from the penalty spot after South Hobart’s goal keeper, Kane Pierce, raised a forearm to Luke Banfield’s face inside the penalty area. Beau Blizzard calmly finished to make it 5-1.

The Strikers gave their fans a tiny glimmer of hope in the 75thminute when they made it 5-2. Maskill burst through the midfield and played the ball to Brody Denehey who beat Pierce with a low shot.

It only took South Hobart three minutes to snuff out that glimmer of hope when they earned their own penalty. Mann was brought down inside the area by Gorrie and took the penalty himself to complete his hat trick.

Next weekend over Easter both teams have two games. On Good Friday, South Hobart have a home game against Olympia Warriors. The day after, Devonport are away to the Glenorchy Knights. On Easter Monday, Both teams will square off again against each other at Darcy St to see who advances in the Westfield FFA Cup Qualifiers.

Devonport City 2 (Beau Blizzard 70’ PENALTY, Brody Denehey 76’) South Hobart 6 (Brayden Mann 11’, 32’, 78’ PENALTY, Alex Leszczynski 41′, Chris Downes 54’, Connor Schmidt 63’) (HALF TIME 0-3) (Valley Road, Devonport) MORE INFO