The keepers' hands would have told the story as reigning champions and ladder leaders Devonport picked up a routine 4-0 win at Launceston City.
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On a bitterly cold evening in Prospect, Nathan Pitchford's hands would have been stinging having struggled to stay warm with nothing to do for an hour before suddenly having to block Isaac Degetto's point-blank volley which was to prove the home side's only serious threat of the match.
In contrast, Lachlan Clark's fingers would barely have noticed the plummeting temperatures such was the workout they received from a rampant Strikers strikeforce.
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Four times the City keeper was required to retrieve balls from the net but he was repeatedly responsible for the scoreline remaining in respectable territory.
Such was the strength of Devonport's squad that they could afford to limit Daniel Syson to a substitute's role after the former City playmaker had already scored in the Northern Championship curtain-raiser.
Meanwhile full-back Dominic Smith was able to rack up a 100th top-flight appearance at the tender age of 20.
City had no such comforts.
They lost two imports during the week after centre back Pat Sullivan decided to return to the US and English fulcrum Shane Cartwright upped stumps for the season.
Against the best side in the state, both were inevitably missed.
While Sullivan's absence increased the workload on captain Lindsay Millington, a City midfield without Cartwright's calming influence is like a New Zealand innings without Kane Williamson.
However, the game's most intriguing match-ups were out wide where Devonport's dynamic wing duo Ed Bidwell and Max Fitzgerald squared up to Charlie Dyer and Aaron Mattarozzi.
The City full-backs gave a good account of themselves but when both were cautioned in the shadows of half-time it suggested the floodgates were starting to creak.
Dyer was unfortunate to claim the opener, Fitzgerald's teasing centre luring him into a ferocious own goal and after Joel Stone had tidily tucked away a second, Fitzgerald showed his class with a sumptuous third.
Clark's solitary mistake on an otherwise exceptional night was ruthlessly punished by Miles Barnard to complete the scoring.
"I just told them not to be too disappointed," City coach Lino Sciulli said.
"We lost two imports this week and Martin Mitreski at half-time so we were a bit under-done but Charlie and Az did well and Tom Ottavi did a good job marking Joel Stone."
Goals from Brayton Allen, Phil Kantzoz, Jake Brennan, Nick Cuthbertson and Cam Steele saw fifth-placed Kingborough to a 5-1 win at cellar dwellers Clarence for whom Jackson Ebini struck a consolation.
South Hobart host Hobart Zebras at Darcy Street on Sunday.
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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.
