The abbreviated NPL Tasmania season reaches its midway point this weekend with both Launceston teams making full use of their squad depth.
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Last week's double-header saw plenty of players doubling up after featuring in Northern Championship action as the city's clubs sought to climb off the foot of the ladder.
Launceston City picked up their first point of the campaign but it felt like two dropped against Clarence, while Riverside again went shoulder to shoulder with one of the big boys but still lost their lunch money.
All that separates the Northern neighbours is the three points Riverside collected from their derby win earlier this month.
Olympic coach Alex Gaetani wasn't sitting on the fence after a disappointing 2-1 loss to South Hobart.
The visitors dominated until a final 10 minutes when Nil Sanz scored and several other chances went begging.
"It was disappointing we could not have had that intensity from the beginning," Gaetani said.
"Before that we showed no desperation to support attacks which meant we never looked like getting on the scoresheet.
I'm not going to gloss over a poor performance and will deal with it during the week.
- Riverside Olympic coach Alex Gaetani
"I'm not going to gloss over a poor performance and will deal with it during the week. Matt Spanos was unlucky to miss out, I'll have a look at that."
Gaetani felt Max Reissig, recruited from City last year, looked comfortable at statewide level despite having played a full Northern Championship match just hours earlier.
The same could be said for Isaac Degetto and Will Fleming who also graduated up to the NPL at Reissig's former club.
"We played better and were much more threatening," City coach Roger Hardwicke said after a rare Matty Oh goal salvaged a 2-2 draw.
"We showed good intensity to create a lot of chances but we just could not finish. But if we continue to play like that, we will start picking up points."