Northern Rangers coach Ian Loft believes a restructure of the Tasmanian women's competition is in order after his side was ruthlessly dispatched from the statewide cup by Hobart Zebras.
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In torrid conditions at a soggy and windswept NTCA Ground, the visitors stormed to a 6-0 win to set up an all Southern final against Kingborough, who beat Olympia 3-1 at Lightwood Park on Saturday evening.
Commending the class of the victors, Loft said the result spoke for itself.
"There's a huge gap in levels of competition across Tasmania," he said.
"We've won two championships in the last two years and they wanted us to play Super League but we said no because of the travelling.
"I think Football Tasmania have got to look at it differently. I think they need a Northern and Southern conference and the best sides play off."
Loft said his side had not been helped by rostering in their Northern Championship.
"We have not played many sides like this. We have still not played the top two sides in our competition. The way it's been rostered, we're a third of the way into the season and we're yet to play Riverside or Devonport. But we've got them both in the next couple of weeks so we'll see how we go."
A Zebras side featuring former Launceston City teammates Selina Steventon and Keilin Fagan wasted little time asserting its superiority.
Danielle Kannegiesser scored the first of her two first-half goals in just the fifth minute.
Zoe Nichols made it 3-0 in the 52nd minute and despite the best efforts of Tanita Nortje in the Rangers goal, Fagan added the fourth.
Ignoring what Rangers' men's coach Rod Fulton called "a four-goal breeze", Allie Berry added a composed fifth before Fagan banged in her second at the death.
"Obviously, they are a class team," Loft added.
"It was horrible conditions and they all had a hard day out there."
Lakoseljac Cup
For the third time in four years, Devonport Strikers will reacquaint themselves with South Hobart in the Lakoseljac Cup final on June 10.
On a dismal weekend for Olympia, the Warriors' men's team suffered the same fate as their women by dropping out of the statewide cup at the semi-final stage.
Four goals from Ben Hamlett and one from Samuel Berezansky set up the 5-2 win at Darcy Street as Joffrey Nkoso hit a double for Olympia.
Devonport had already booked their spot by beating University 2-1 at Olinda Grove on Saturday.
Rob Shaw
Heralding the impact of Tasmanian sport without saying "punching above its weight" is not as easy as it sounds.
Heralding the impact of Tasmanian sport without saying "punching above its weight" is not as easy as it sounds.
