Ton up: Launceston City players celebrate captain Jarrod Linger's 100th appearance. Picture: Jamie Richardson
Sports Editor ROB SHAW reflects on the performance of our statewide league soccer clubs this season
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LAUNCESTON CITY
Finish
5th in NPL Tasmania (Played 21, Won 7, Drawn 1, Lost 13, goals for 26, goals against 48, goal difference -22, Points 22)
Losing semi-finalist in Lakoseljac Cup
Top scorer
Dan Smith (8)
Story of the season
City finished fifth in the league by recording two wins over sixth-placed Olympia, two over seventh-placed Clarence and three over bottom-placed Riverside. In the 12 matches against the four teams that finished above them, Lino Sciulli's men registered just one point. Aside from 5-0 losses at South Hobart and Glenorchy the young side were rarely walloped and grew in confidence, particularly when picking up three straight wins mid-season. Twice in the league and after extra-time in the cup, eventual champions Glenorchy only just squeezed home 1-0.
Tan line: Stef Tantari plots a course towards goal in the derby against Riverside.
Team style
Bouncing back from a bottom-placed finish in 2020 and the subsequent loss of imports Sam Ridgard and Rob Gerrard plus stalwarts Lindsay Millington and Noah Mies, City had little choice but to put their faith in youth. The side grew under the guidance of old hands like Gedi Krusa and Dan Smith, and, while still young, Jarrod Linger, Matty Oh, Lachy Clark and Yasin Mohammadi can all now be classed as NPL veterans. The front three combination of Mohammadi and Will Fleming either side of the wily Smith caused considerable inconvenience.
Pivotal moment
Early in their fifth game of the league season, City had lost four, scored once and were 2-0 down to Northern neighbours Riverside. A long season beckoned. But Smith and Mohammadi had them level by the break, captain Linger waited until injury time to claim the winner with his only goal of the season and eventually the points started to accumulate.
Highlight
Hard to look past two last-minute home winners in 3-2 Northern derby triumphs - Krusa's cheeky Panenka penalty in round 15 adding to the Linger zinger 10 rounds earlier - although, in truth, the 5-1 win at Windsor Park midway between them was a better demonstration of the Sciulli system firing on all cylinders.
Glove affair: Lachy Clark launches another City attack. Pictures: Paul Scambler
Best player
With Riverside's Jarrod Hill having headed interstate and Devonport's Nathan Pitchford announcing his retirement, a solid case could be made for Lachy Clark being the best goalkeeper in the state. An excellent shot-stopper, he is also brave, dependable and an excellent distributor in the mold of Ederson at Man City. Also hard to remember many major blunders which are an occupational hazard for keepers.
Honourable mentions
Equal with Smith on six league goals, Mohammadi is one of the competition's most unpredictable, therefore undefendable, attackers, Krusa brings all the worldly experience you would expect of someone from the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda while Linger - City's captain and new member of the 100-game club - has become its Mr Dependable, as happy at centre-back as he was in midfield and the traditional role his no.10 shirt is associated with.
Quiet achiever
Matty Oh just does his job with the minimum of fuss. City actually scored the fewest goals of any side in the comp (26), but avoided shellackings thanks in part to both Clark's keeping and the central defensive partnership of Oh and Linger who made up in workrate what they lack in height. Oh did, however, blot his copybook early doors by calling for a stretcher when suffering from cramp.
Best prospect
Stef Tantari has grown into the playmaker role. Combining neatly with the hard-running Krusa he has become so comfortable at statewide level that it was a shock to watch the recent SATIS state final and realise he is still at school.
The coach says
"Season 2021 has not delivered the on-field results we expected nor accept as a club," Sciulli said. "However, progress has been made towards consolidating our playing style and developing our younger players through extended opportunities. We have had several chances to win fixtures during the season but have not been able to execute under pressure during the latter part of games. We are all looking forward with enthusiasm to next year, building a strong culture and achieving better results."
Next season
The Sciulli contact book is one of the thickest in Tasmanian soccer, and not just because he's not great with mobile phones. The feelers have already gone out for some fresh faces which could be all that is needed to turn City's trot into a canter or even gallop.
Justin Chadwick
Oliver Caffrey
Oliver Caffrey
Justin Chadwick
Oliver Caffrey
Oliver Caffrey
Justin Chadwick
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