Launceston City and Riverside face tough tasks in NPL Tasmania

Having lost twice in the league without scoring, a 5-3 Lakoseljac Cup victory at Somerset was just what the team needed, particularly as they had to come from behind three times.

However, an accidental collision between keeper Lachy Clark and Will Rodman left the midfield general with a broken eye socket and cheekbone which required a hospital visit and should keep him out of action for several weeks.

"We showed a lot of character and stood up and played some good football but we lost one of our best players," said coach Lino Sciulli.

"It was friendly fire but he will be out for a few weeks.

"He had x-rays and will probably need restorative surgery on the eye socket."

While delighted to see strikers Dan Smith and Will Fleming find the net, Sciulli was also pleased youngsters Mason Gardner and Stefan Tantari also made the scoresheet as City broke their 2021 goal drought.

"We finally got over that little fear and will move onto the next one."

Last season's player of the year Matty Oh has recovered from being stretchered off against Devonport and will come in for Rodman for Saturday's visit to ladder leaders South Hobart.

"South Hobart are South Hobart and will do what South Hobart do," Sciulli explained. "They will play good football and try and get as many goals past us as they can. But we have our own plans to score as well."

Riverside face a similarly-daunting prospect with the visit of a Devonport side buoyed by a 13-0 cup win at Northern Rangers.

Alex Gaetani's men have scored three goals but collected zero points from two league games down South and are ready to take statewide centre stage with daylight savings plus a twilight kick-off ensuring good use of the new Windsor Park floodlights.

Olympic limped out of the Lakoseljac Cup with a 4-0 home loss to Glenorchy but, like City, found plenty of grounds for optimism with a win in the under-20 cup.

Without a game on April 17 due to Launceston's A-League fixture, City and Riverside will next play in the Friday evening derby at Prospect on April 23.