Fans celebrate as Tasman home in
Trafalgar Park has been the benchmark for crowd support in this year’s Stirling Sports Premiership.
But it’s taken until round 15 for the Nelson fans to have something to celebrate as Tasman United finally earned their first home win of the season by beating Hamilton Wanderers 1-0.
Though it was a scintillating run by winger Tinashe Marowa and a slick finish from Ermal Hajdari that will go down as the difference on the day, Tasman’s victory was built on a foundation of defensive steel - something that has been missing in the previous 14 games.
Whether it was Daniel Allan, Luca Perico, Ryan Stewart, Sam Ayers or Robbie Pearson, there was always a Tasman marker in Wanderers’ way and they restricted the opposition to only a few goalscoring opportunities.
The result is just Tasman’s second win of the season and their first clean sheet, and now lifts the team off the bottom of the table, one point ahead of Southern United.
‘‘We talked before the game that we didn’t feel like we were a bottom of the table team, and we’re not at the moment. With three games to go it’s important we put a bit of a run together,’’ Ifill said ending their nine-game winless streak.
Ifill hailed the team’s resilience at the back, the defensive unit well marshalled by Allan, a 20-year-old rookie.
‘‘I’m a big fan of Dan. When I first got here I remember walking into the changing rooms and the boys said this is going to be our centrehalf.
‘‘He had long hair, he had slippers on and he was wearing stubbies.
‘‘I said ‘are you sure? I thought we’re in trouble if you’re the guy that’s going to be looking after us all season.’
‘‘But every single week he gets better and better.
‘‘He’s an absolute die-hard who puts his body on the line week in and week out, and he’s got some ability to go with it too.’’
Tasman made a positive start to the game but Wanderers were able to cause problems of their own down the left-hand side through Jerahl Hughes, Jama Boss and Raymond Gunemba.
But all momentum went Tasman’s way when Marowa’s run sparked the game’s only goal, charging towards goalkeeper Matt Oliver before flicking the ball over to Hajdari, who snared his fourth of the campaign.
Hajdari hit the post in the second half when chances were harder to come by, although substitute Nicolas Abot should have doubled the lead when he was unmarked in the box in injury-time, only to see his shot drift agonisingly wide.
Though the sample size is small, the win continues interim coach Davor Tavich’s unbeaten record since taking the reins from Richard Anderson.
‘‘We needed a change and he’s given us a bit of freedom,’’ Ifill said of Tavich, who was clapped off the pitch by the spectators.
‘‘I feel as free as I have all season and it’s nice to have two wingers so I can get try get in the box and try get on the end of stuff.
‘‘He’s really given us a base with a back four and we’ve worked on that, and I think you can see it.
‘‘We look much better defensively and if you can keep a clean sheet, we always fancy that we can score a goal.’’