Launceston hoping to be a fly in the ointment for red-hot Lions

THE Kingborough Lions are one of the hottest teams in the NPL Tasmania and will look to continue their climb when they face Launceston City at Lightwood Park today.

The Lions are currently on a fourgame winning streak that has seen them draw level with Glenorchy in second place on the table.

Despite that, Kingborough striker Noah Mies says they can’t be complacent in today’s game against fifthplaced City.

“It’s a danger game, absolutely – it’s probably one we’d expect to get three points from, but you never take these lightly,” Mies said.

While the Lions have now entrenched themselves in the top four in the league, Mies says they won’t be looking ahead and trying to plan a title attack.

“My personal view is that Devonport will run away with it now, but as long as we keep getting three points each week, that’s all we can do,” Mies said. “Top two would be a good achievement, but you never know.”

Mies is far from a stranger to Launceston City, with the young forward playing 78 NPL games for the club from 2015-20 and scoring 38 goals.

“He’s in the wrong-coloured shirt, it pains me even to look at the colour he’s got on,” Launceston City president Danny Linger said.

City has faced the top two teams in the league in the past two weeks and impressed, losing by one goal to both Devonport and Glenorchy.

The side conceded only three times across those games, with goalkeeper Lachlan Clark leading the defensive unit.

“We’re lucky we’ve got Lachie in goals … he’s got a lot of reach, (his) reflexes are fantastic,” Linger said.

While City is seven points outside the top four, Linger thinks it can still have an impact late in the season.

“We can be the fly in the ointment and take points away from those three vying for second spot,” he said.

“We’ll just be an annoyance, I suppose, until the end of the season.”

In today’s other fixtures, league leader Devonport hosts last-placed Riverside Olympic at Valley Road, Glenorchy will face Olympia at KGV, and the Clarence Zebras take on South Hobart at Wentworth Park.