Launceston soccer clubs launch statewide challenge

Although Launceston United's women showed no sign of a championship hangover with a sobering 5-0 wake-up call for their rivals, the view from the men's competition was far more bleary.

Of the record Northern contingent in the eight-team NPL Tasmania, Launceston City would be delighted to get underway with a victory while back-to-back wooden spooners Riverside and newcomers Launceston United would have learned much from 2-0 losses.

Friday night's season-opener between City and Olympic at Prospect Park was a splendid advertisement for Tasmania's largest participation sport.

Two excellent goals, plenty of local-derby feistiness, numerous players facing their old teams, a debut for the state's best-known player and even a wayward wallaby ensured plenty of entertainment for the healthy turnout enjoying the warm welcome of both the fire pots and bar.

In their first match since switching from Riverside, Will Humphrey and Toby Simeoni provided a steamy storyline by combining for City's opening goal against their old club before the latter set up Stef Tantari for the superb sealer (thus ensuring two very Italian surnames on the Juventus scoresheet) and missed a penalty to ensure plenty of mentions in the match report.

Olympic keeper and captain Daniel Nash (see page 26) continued the theme by saving Simeoni's spot-kick against his former team.

A discipline (made-up collective noun) of yellow cards kept things interesting - not least to City assistant coach Nathan Pitchford - on a night when participants from England, Portugal, America, Bhutan, Nepal, Italy and Afghanistan united under the NPL Tasmania flag in the wilds of Prospect.

Elsewhere, two more stunning strikes from Lucas Dzalakowski gave Glenorchy victory in Launceston United's first statewide men's fixture in 33 years.

And City goalkeeper Lachie Clark's two most-feared strikers both located the onion bag as Roberto Garrido and Noah Mies opened the scoring for Devonport and Kingborough respectively.

While Northern Rangers striker Moana Chamberlin's healthy nine-goal tally clearly establishes her as the Erling Haaland of the Northern Championship, Devonport have long been the Manchester City of statewide competition but delivered the surprise of the round by failing to beat Clarence at Valley Road.

Just 10 minutes after Garrido had given the reigning league and cup champions a predictable lead, Xuan Cappellino pounced on some uncharacteristic defensive sloppiness to level the scores.

Meanwhile, South Hobart did what South Hobart often do, regrouping after Mies' seventh-minute opener for the Lions to steal the points with two goals in five minutes late on.

The introduction of a third Launceston team considerably changes the league's dynamic and - with each facing six derbies - at least guarantees plenty of points remaining within the city limits.

City have the squad to justify coach Daniel Syson's top-three ambitions, United deserve reward for embracing a second statewide challenge and Olympic will need to garner more points than the six mustered last season if they are to merit a place at the state's top table.

The Women's Super League saw coach Nick Rawlinson pick up where Lynden Prince and Frank Compton left off as Launceston United made a statement start to their league and cup defence.

Last season's leading scorer Dani Gunton showed all the accuracy to be expected of a police firearms instructor with a hat-trick in United's 5-0 win at Taroona with US import Courtney Marten also on the scoresheet and showing she is a capable replacement for departed compatriot and cup final player of the match Alexis Mitchell.

Elsewhere, Devonport came from behind to beat Clarence 2-1 and South Hobart did what South Hobart often do (that sounds familiar) with a late winner to defeat Kingborough 1-0.

Across both statewide competitions, there was a refreshing lack of the one-sided thumpings which suggest underlying fundamental issues.

Contrast that to the opening round of the Tasmanian Netball League, in which all four winners virtually doubled their opponents' scores and Cavaliers beat Arrows 111-9.

Never before has Launceston had four teams playing statewide soccer in the same season.

The next six months will show whether the city has the depth to sustain it.

Or whether Palace can build on Jeffrey Schlupp's consolation goal against Arsenal on Sunday.

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