Clarence bags first NPL win in 618 days

CLARENCE has broken a 618-day NPL cold streak in a round-one catch-up game against Riverside Olympic.

Both teams lacked confidence yesterday at Wentworth Park in what was a scrappy match in windy conditions.

Launceston controlled the attacking play early.

A long-range shot from Sam Davis in the fourth minute looked like it would open the scoring, but Clarence keeper Mathew Dyson tipped it over the bar.

Clarence was slow finding attacking momentum, but its chance came when Riverside’s Jonathon O’Neill clipped the heel of Lachlan Burt, bringing him down inside the box.

Burt hit the top left corner from the penalty spot in the 64th minute, sealing his side’s first victory since August 2017.

Riverside now joins Clarence on the bottom of the ladder — both sides with three points. Clarence coach Warren Burt said his side was “ecstatic”.

“It’s something we’ve looked forward to for a while,” he said.

Burt said the win would boost his side’s confidence for upcoming games.

“They’ll go in with their heads high and the knowledge in the back of their minds that they do have capacity to win.”

Yesterday saw another first for the season, with the Hobart Zebras toppling ladder leader Devonport 2-1 at KGV.

Devonport had won every game until yesterday’s roundone catch-up game with the Zebras.

The Zebras opened the scoring after j ust seven minutes when Nicky Edwards slotted one home off a cross from Riley Dillon.

The match-winning goal came only four minutes later when captain Mathew Sanders tapped in a Jayden Hey pass.

Kieran Mulraney gave Devonport hope in the 45th minute after knocking in a loose ball.

The Strikers controlled the ball in their attacking half for most of the second half, but they didn’t look dangerous in front of goal until a desperate five minutes of extra time.

The upset leaves the Strikers two points above and well within the sights of secondplaced Olympia, which has only lost one game.

All teams have now played each other.

The Zebras, still undefeated but having drawn four games, now move into third place alongside South Hobart.