Devonport defeat Launceston City 5-2 in its NPL Tasmania match at Valley Road

After suffering its first loss of the season on Monday against Hobart Zebras, the Strikers were looking for revenge at Valley Road and found the perfect victims in an undermanned City side.

The home side opened the scoring after nine minutes through winger Max Fitzgerald when he got in behind the visitors defence and put his shot past goalkeeper Lachlan Clark.

The lead was doubled 13 minutes later by Argentinian import Ignacio Giampaoli who had an easy tap at the back post in from Fitzgerald's misdirected shot.

With Devonport in full attack mode, Launceston gifted them its third goal in the 25^th minute when defender Joe Dorazio's clearance attempt went straight into the back of his own net.

A 3-0 half-time lead threatened to get ugly in the second half for City as the Strikers' offence started flowing again, but out of nowhere came a glimmer of hope through talismanic forward Noah Mies in the 52^nd minute.

Left alone at the top of the box after receiving a pass, Mies took one touch before drilling a low shot past the outstretched glove of Nathan Pitchford.

But as quickly as Launceston gained some momentum, they lost it four minutes later when Joel Stone beat the offside trap, rounded the oncoming Smith and tapped home the Strikers' fourth goal.

Devonport enjoyed plenty more chances as the half went on and made it 5-1 in the 89^th minute thanks to substitute Miles Barnard.

With the game in its final stages, Launceston salvaged a second goal from the penalty spot when Degetto was fouled in the box and Mies converted.

City coach Lino Sciulli was left to bemoan a poor first half that he said he could see coming before the opening whistle.

"The writing was on the wall from the warm-up - we just didn't seem switched on and everything we did didn't seem to be working," he said.

"Before the game I had horrible thoughts going through my head and then it happened.

"But we had a good talk at half-time, made a couple of changes, and I thought we played much better in the second half - it felt like there were two teams out there.

"We had a few players out today, but we've got a game next week and then three weeks off, so hopefully some injuries will start mending and we can move on."

In other results from Saturday, Kingborough defeated Clarence 3-0, while on Anzac Day, Olympia defeated Glenorchy Knights 3-1 and South Hobart edged past Hobart Zebras in a 5-4 thriller.