RIVERSIDE Olympic could not find the win it needed to secure the Northern Premier League, drawing with Northern Rangers at Windsor Park yesterday.
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The result means Olympic will have to rely on reigning champion Somerset losing or drawing one of its two catch-up games against Devonport City and Burnie United.
The ladder leader dominated the opening half but only entered the sheds 1-0 up when Chris Wademan capitalised on an error at the back.
Rangers equalised two minutes after the restart when Josh Burk’s attempted bicycle kick fell to Hayden Vanderveld to finish.
Former Riverside player Dan Cristy put Rangers ahead with a header from a corner before Olympic struck back through Tay Neilson.
Cristy again put Rangers up, volleying in Jack Harrison’s cross to the back post.
But Olympic kept coming and with 10 minutes to go equalised when Wademan got his second.
Both sides had chances in the final minutes but could not find the net.
Somerset signalled it has not given up the title race, smashing Launceston United 11-0.
Kyrone Johnson scored four, Jimmy Nettleton netted three, Kaimon Johnson got two while a single to Garry Hamilton and an own goal completed the rout.
The Sharks play Devonport next week and Burnie the week after knowing two wins will secure the title.
Prospect Knights dominated the first half against a young Launceston City but did not find the back of the net until five minutes before half time when Trent Mitchell slotted a through ball.
City replied in the second half, Raphael Tsakirellis pouncing on a defensive error to equalise but Knights restored its lead straight away through Rhys Kinslow who turned in Mitchell’s squared pass.
Kinslow added his second from Mitch Duffy’s short cross, which went in off the upright.
Ulverstone had a 1-0 win against Burnie United.
In the Victory League, Northern Rangers drew 2-2 with Hobart Zebras after a nil-all first half.
Five minutes after the restart, Aidan Rigby was fouled and Shane Brassington netted the spot kick.
Rangers added its second goal 12 minutes later when a misdirected back pass put Nick Lanau-Atkinson through one-on-one.
Zebras pulled a goal back with a penalty of their own, awarded for a handball and converted by Alex Leszczynski in the 65th minute.
Both sides had chances to score but it was Zebras who equalised, Leszczynski heading to Ethan Engels at the back post to make it 2-2 in the 79th minute.
Devonport City had a 3-0 win against Glenorchy Knights with club stalwart Chris McKenna putting the Strikers ahead in the first minute, side-footing Michael Holden’s cross.
Devonport doubled its lead on the half hour, Miles Barnard heading home to take a 2-0 lead into the break.
With 10 minutes to go, Callum Moore rounded the keeper and passed to Jake Gleeson to tap into an empty net.
Launceston City had a late-night kick-off against Olympia and was down 1-0 in the opening eight minutes while ladder-leaders South Hobart play Kingborough Lions today.
Results — Northern Premier League: Riverside Olympic dw Northern Rangers 3, Somerset 11 d Launceston United 0, Ulverstone 1 d Burnie United 0, Prospect Knights 3 d Launceston City 1.
Victory League: Hobart Zebras dw Northern Rangers 2, Glenorchy Knights 0 lt Devonport City 3.