A week after needing a superb injury-time save from Nathan Pitchford to secure the win at Riverside, Strikers saw a gallant 10-man Launceston City side also come close to a point before going down 2-1.

Coach Roger Hardwicke admitted it was frustrating to watch his side fight back without reward against a top side for a second week running, having previously lost 3-2 at South Hobart.

"Like last week, we gave ourselves a mountain to climb but again I'm disappointed not to come away with anything," he said.

"We were slow out the gate and it cost us but I still felt even with 10 players we were the better side for the last 30 minutes.

"But there were plenty of positives with our attitude and belief despite the adversity and we still came close to getting something out of it. But we should never have got ourselves in that position in the first place."

A fortnight after his starring role in the sides' dramatic Lakoseljac Cup clash, Rob Gerrard was making headlines for the wrong reasons.

Perhaps fortunate to only see yellow for a full-blooded challenge just before half-time, the English playmaker was facing red following a second caution midway through the second half.

By then the hosts were two goals down, both excellent headers at either end of the first half.

Connor Parke launched himself to guide in the early opener from Eddie Bidwell's cross before Kieran Mulraney nodded home Joel Stone's free-kick.

Deprived of their cup match-winner, City looked to his housemate for salvation.

In just his third game for the club, Sam Ridgard is fast becoming a firm favourite with the City faithful.

Having launched the fightback at Darcy Street last week, the new captain repeated the feat with a display of gutsy resilience, epitomised by his composed 83rd-minute finish and subsequent wrestle with Pitchford for refusing to return the ball.

With experienced support from Gerrard and Gedi Krusa, the 27-year-old from Derby in the English midlands was proving the pivotal figure in the middle of Prospect Park - even up against the quality of Bidwell, Joel Stone and City old boy Daniel Syson.

With Jarrod Linger and Yasin Mohammadi both handfuls on the flanks behind striking figurehead Noah Mies, City certainly look full of goals this season.

Forced into a goalkeeping change following a quad injury to Lachie Clark, Hardwicke found an able replacement in Daniel Nash.

With previous experience playing NPL in Sydney, Nash saved his best work to deny Bidwell, who also hit the woodwork in each half, both excellent efforts which deserved a goal.

Despite two sterling fightbacks, City are still searching for their first point and will head into next week's derby against Riverside without the suspended Gerrard.