Cup of hope for Strikers
THE Devonport Strikers are gunning for a home FFA Cup tie after pulling off a 1-0 defeat of South Hobart in a pulsating Lakoseljac Cup final. A 15th-minute Miles Barnard goal carried the day as the Strikers weathered a second-half storm in front of more than 2500 fans at KGV.
THE Devonport Strikers have their fingers crossed for a home FFA Cup tie after downing South Hobart 1-0 in a pulsating Lakoseljac Cup final yesterday.
Miles Barnard’s 15th minute goal proved the difference between the two sides, but the Strikers had to weather a second half South storm at KGV.
Both teams had scoring chances in a spectacular endto-end second half, but the Devonport defence held firm.
As well as hoisting the Lakoseljac Cup, the Strikers earned the right to represent Tasmania in the Australiawide FFA Cup.
The Strikers last played in the FFA Cup in 2016.
Devonport coach Chris Gallo was thrilled with the win.
“I’m really pleased for the players. They showed a tremendous amount of discipline to stick to what we do really well, and execute on the big stage,” Gallo said.
Gallo joined the club only last year and can’t wait to experience the FFA Cup.
“I wouldn’t mind Mel- bourne City at home. An ALeague team at home would be fantastic,” he said.
Captain Brayden Mann said the win was “maybe even a little bit more special” than his team’s 2016 triumph. Mann was less fussy about his choice of opponent.
“It doesn’t really matter. I just want another home game at Valley Rd,” Mann said. “It would be unreal to have another 4000 or 5000 there.”
Barnard put Devonport ahead after a Gediminas Krusa free kick was flicked into his path by Mann.
“I got the head on it, hit the keeper, and thankfully it fell to my feet and I blasted it home,” Barnard said.
South came out firing in the second half, with Connor Schmidt and Pajari Sculthorpe both going close within 10 minutes of the restart.
Michael Holden almost doubled Devonport’s lead in spectacular fashion in the 63rd minute when his long range effort towards an empty net bounced back off the crossbar.
The FFA Cup round of 32 draw will be held on June 26.