Brown seals hat-trick win

CLARENCE United’s miserable start in the NPL Tasmania season continued at KGV last night as Declan Brown scored a hat-trick to help the Glenorchy Knights to a 5-0 win.

Glenorchy controlled the game from start to finish and could have scored several more in the second half.

It was the Knights’ second win from their opening four games, while Clarence have lost all three of their matches to start the season, conceding 22 and scoring none in the process.

Glenorchy monopolised possession, but Clarence defended resolutely in the early stages, giving away few chan- ces and looking to strike on the counter.

The Knights took the lead in the 25th minute when Matthew Nowicki was played through on goal, rounded the goalkeeper, and cut back for Brown, who finished coolly.

Glenorchy created more chances after going ahead, and doubled their lead on the stroke of halftime when Alessandro Bellini’s superb pass with the outside of his foot played in Matthew Nowicki, who found the bottom corner.

The Knights should have scored twice early in the second half, before Brown made it 3-0 in the 58th when he tapped home Jake Stuart’s low cross.

Nowicki scored Glen- orchy’s fourth 13 minutes later with an easy finish into an empty net, and Brown followed from the penalty spot in injury time after Clarence’s Paul Bremner was sent off for a last-man challenge in the box.

Newly promoted Riverside Olympic earned their first NPL Tasmania win in dramatic circumstances against Launceston City at Buckby Land Rover Park in last night’s other game.

Mitch Roberts fired Riverside ahead two minutes before halftime, but Noah Mies looked to have snatched a point for Launceston when he nodded home the equaliser.

But Riverside’s Rhys Kinslow scored from a tight angle in the 86th to seal a historic 2-1 win.