It was the dream draw that had brought smiles to many wise heads in Launceston’s two NPL clubrooms.
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But crosstown coaches Jez Kenth and Lino Sciulli are not accepting that to advance into the Lakoseljac Cup last four will be a fait accompli.
Launceston City will host Hobart City on Saturday and Northern Rangers are home to Taroona on Sunday in the state cup’s quarter-finals.
The southern championship sides have not tackled an NPL opposition, but Kenth knows the perils of underestimating the rank underdogs.
“I have been a championship coach and it is so easy to motivate your players when you’re playing an NPL squad,” Kenth, the first-year City coach, said.
“The championship players generally rise, so it is more than just us being complacent. I accept the fact they will play out of their skins, as this is a big opportunity for them as much as it is for us.
“They’ll want to take a big scalp and will play their best, so we have to be ready for something outside the box.”
Hobart United advanced 1-1 on penalties over Nelson and 3-0 over Northern championship titleholders Somerset to make the quarters.
The opponents are set to include several of Kenth’s ex-charges from University, a side that he coached to multiple championships.
The insight could be telling come kickoff on matchday.
“They are just a formidable side,” Kenth has warned.
“Their spine is very strong, they like to play football very quick, there’s a lot of pace in the team and on the day they will trouble anyone.”
Formidable Hobart City might be, but Taroona could be said to be intimidating.
Taroona has come off scintillating early-round wins, 10-0 over Launceston United and 7-0 against University.
Sciulli, who has been involved in the game over four decades, admits his intel on Rangers’ rival is very limited.
“I don’t have a lot on them, but they are doing well in their league and are not far off from the top,” the coach said. “So we’ve got to focus on what we’re working on.”
More of Sciulli’s concern is last year’s upset fall.
Southern championship mid-table club Nelson went on to cause a boilover in the round of 16 that had Rangers knocked out prematurely.
Sciulli said his team, the core similar to last year’s cup lineup, should not lack motivation to curb complacency.
“We shouldn’t, but I hope we don’t come in with a false sense of security,” he said.
“I wouldn’t imagine they [the players] would be feeling what they felt last year when we lost to a non-NPL side.
“They were pretty devastated with that afterwards.
“Hopefully, we’ll take a little bit of that empty feeling into the match.
“Because anyone who puts 11 players out there on one given day can beat anyone.”
On the all-NPL side of the draw, South Hobart hosts Hobart Zebras, as Devonport City meets Olympia Warriors.