Another week and another challenge awaits for Launceston United as they play one of their closest challengers for the league title.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
United welcome South Hobart to Birch Avenue on Saturday with the latter looking to make ground on the league leaders who are five points clear in top spot.
The ladder-leaders enter the game after a comfortable 4-2 win at Clarence with American Alexis Mitchell, an Ellie La Monte double and a Danni Gunton's classy finish accounting for Launceston's goals.
READ MORE: Launceston mow down Zebras in 4-2 victory
While Launceston have beaten South Hobart twice this season, United co-coach Frank Compton was not complacent.
"We're anticipating another real stern test from a team that has matched us in many areas this year," he said.
"They pass the ball very well, they pride themselves on their ability to pass the ball, so we would be looking to try and match that and force mistakes were possible.
"Every team makes mistakes and that's part of football, [so] we're looking to jump on any areas that we can, I feel that is something we've done quite well this season."
Including the bye, South Hobart have two wins and two draws from the past five rounds to be one of the competition's form sides. With a bye in the final round of the season the Birch Avenue fixture represents a crucial juncture in the visitors' season.
If they managed to inflict Launceston United's first loss of the season, South Hobart's title challenge would remain alive.
Young Jazlin Venn has impressed in goal for United in recent weeks while the scoring form of attacking duo La Monte and Gunton has been strong across the season as United prepare to play in front of a home crowd.
"It'll be nice to be back and hopefully we can use that to our advantage, even if it's that we don't have to travel and you feel a little bit more comfortable at home. If we can get a one per cent increase of performance through that, we'll take it."
Round 16
Saturday
2pm Launceston United v South Hobart, Birch Avenue
2.30pm Taroona v Devonport Strikers, Kelvedon Park
2.30pm Clarence Zebras v Olympia FC Warriors
Bye: Kingborough Lions
Ladder
Team P W D L GD Pts
Launceston U 12 11 1 0 +34 34
South Hobart 13 9 2 2 +46 29
Devonport 13 7 2 3 +35 23
Clarence 13 7 1 5 +41 22
Kingborough 12 3 0 9 -23 9
Taroona 11 2 0 9 -57 6
Olympia 11 0 0 11 -73 0
NPL Tasmania
Launceston City have the chance to make further ground up the table with critical clash against South Hobart.
In front of home supporters, City have the chance to notch their fourth win in succession when South Hobart venture up North on Saturday and close the gap between the pair to two points.
City have accounted for Kingborough (2-1), Olympia (2-1) and Clarence (3-0) to become one of the comeptition's in-form sides.
A key focus for Lino Sciulli's men will be to maintain their impressive defensive application which has seen them concede just two goals in their last three games.
Their defence will be in for a stern test against South Hobart who have scored the third-most goals in the league this season (40). The visitors were in fine form last time they visited Launceston as they won 4-0.
Riverside welcome Kingborough to Windsor Park as they aim to be lion tamers for Saturday afternoon. The match-up pairs the league's worst defence (Riverside, 68 goals conceded) against the second-best attack (Lions, 41 scored). Rob Murray will be hoping his side replicates their resolute performance against South Hobart (1-1 in round 14) in front of their home fans.
Round 16
2.30pm Glenorchy Knights v Devonport
2.30pm Riverside v Kingborough
4.30pm Launceston City v South Hobart
4.30pm Clarence Zebras v Olympia
Northern Championship
The Northern Rangers have marked themselves as the team to catch in the Northern Championship but Devonport could throw a spanner in the works at the NTCA Ground.
The Rangers men have only dropped one game in their last five with 14 goals in that time to underline their free-flowing form. Last time the two sides met, it was Strikers who triumphed in a 3-2 win at the NTCA Ground.
It will be the same scene this weekend as the Strikers look to halt Rangers' title charge on Saturday.
It headlines the league's round 16 action with Launceston City welcoming Somerset, Launceston United travelling to Burnie United and Riverside hosting Ulverstone in Saturday's late game at Windsor Park.
Rangers' women's side will try to keep pace with the top two of Ulverstone and Burnie in the Northern Championship Women.
The trio are separated by five points with Rangers sitting in third and Ulverstone with a game in hand.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.examiner.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter: @examineronline
- Follow us on Instagram: @examineronline
- Follow us on Google News: The Examiner