Lions playing for pride in key clash

KING BOROUGH Lions coach Mark Broadbent says his side is more focused on avoiding the wooden spoon than a spot in the League Cup ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Clarence United.

The Lions sit seventh on the NPL Tas ladder with three rounds to play, one spot below a qualifying place in the season-ending League Cup, but one above bottom side Clarence.

With Clarence only two points behind the Lions and able to leapfrog them with a win at Lightwood Park, Broadbent is putting all his energy into winning the game.

“It’s not necessarily the League Cup spot that’s a huge [focus] for us, it’s making sure we don’t end up on the bottom,” Broadbent said. “It’s one of our biggest games of the season since I’ve been in charge ... just simply because I would not like to see the players end up in that last position.”

Clarence beat the Lions 3-0 when the two sides met in Round 14, but Broadbent believes Kingborough is the better team.

“I believe that they’re more physical, however physicality can only get you a certain percentage of the way, I think we’re a lot more technically efficient,” he said.

Like Broadbent, Clarence coach Alan Jablonski is desperate to avoid the wooden spoon, and is also going into the game confident.

“We should win, but then I don’t think it would be the first time this year where we should win and we haven’t,” Jablonski said. “It’s going to be a tight game, and I’ve just got to hope that the experience that our boys have gets us over the line.”

The third-placed Devonport Strikers host South Hobart at Valley Road tomorrow.

South wrapped up the title last week, but Devonport can still push for a top-two finish.

Sixth-placed Launceston City host the Hobart Zebras at Buckby Land Rover Park in tomorrow’s other game. The Zebras are fourth on the ladder, but have an outside chance of finishing third.

Olympia Warriors will look to bounce back from their 5-0 thumping at the hands of New South Wales side APIA Leichhardt Tigers in the FFA Cup on Tuesday when they take on the Northern Rangers at Warrior Park on Sunday.