Boys U13 League 1

Derwent United FC

V

Hobart Zebras FC

On top of their previous day heroics, the Zebras travelled to Weily Park to take on Derwent United FC in their Youth Cup Quarter final.

The game saw the omission of Kayden Edwards (absent) and Andonny Papastamatis (absent) however were bolstered by the inclusion of Manny Hennicke (ineligible for 14 Boys) as well as Tyson Barrett and Olaf Conforti (from 12 Boys Div 1) and Hugh Fleming and Dominic Gates (from 12 Boys Div 2).

United came out hard and appeared to unsettle the Zebra’s usually confident mid-field and forward combinations.  A few questionable tackles on the Zebras smaller forwards did not diminish their desire to provide opportunities and they continued manfully against their bigger and more physical opponents.  The score quickly blew out to 3 nil United’s way.  The  Zebras only real chance of the half came from a penalty following a handball in the box.  Sean Young took the chance but unfortunately only found the keeper who accepted the opportunity and gloved the ball well.

The Zebras went into the half time break trailing 3 goals to nil.

The second half saw much of the same from United who dominated early in the half.  Their early pressure was rewarded by the first goal of the half.  However, soon after the Zebras found the determination that saw them defeat the 2^nd place Beachside FC less than 24 hours earlier.  They started to apply the same physical pressure that saw United dominate until that point.  Tyson Barrett was running wide and found himself on a couple of occasions entering the box.  The closest opportunity found the keeper square on.  Barrett was then involved in the Zebra’s first and only goal of the game when he challenged from the corner and then centred the ball into the box.  This found Matthew Gates who, like the previous day, took on a defender and then beat the keeper and finished well with the ball buried into the back of the net.  Barrett continued his dominance during this period providing further opportunities that were not taken by his fellow forwards.  The Zebras burst of dominance was only short-lived as United regained the ascendency that saw them score 3 more unanswered goals.

In the end the Zebras conceded 7 goals to 1.

Boys U13 League 1

Hobart Zebras FC

V

State U14 Girls

Showgrounds 1, 1800hrs

The boys travelled mid-week to the Showgrounds for another show down with the State Under 14 Girls.  Last time the teams met the Girls walked away with the points with a comfortable 5 goals to 3 victory.

The team’s usual battle with absences continued with the withdrawal of Nick Fader (intrastate travel), Kane Morgan (illness and Kayden Edwards and Andonny Papastamatis (both interstate).  This saw the inclusion of Will Kaden, Kobe Kemp and Jack Hale, all from the 14 Boys as well as Tyson Barrett and Olaf Conforti from the 12 Boys.

The Zebras continued to display how much they have improved since the beginning of the season and came out hard and confident against their bigger opponents.  The Zebras took an early lead when Matthew Gates centred the ball into the middle of the box for Sean Young to slam home the first goal of the game.  This was soon followed by a Jack Hale cross from outside the box that found Jack Carter waiting on the end and subsequently finding the back of the net in crisp fashion – the Zebras up 2 goals to nil.  The Zebras looked threatening throughout the first half seeing a number of crosses from both sides of the pitch finding their marks inside the box with a number of opportunities going wide and above the net.  Olaf Conforti finished off a magnificent half for the Zebras by again crossing a ball from wide that found Tyson Barrett.  Barrett skilfully beat the keeper and pushed the ball into the back of the net.  The State Girls had few shots on goal during the half and those that were presented never threatened the Zebras ever reliable keeper in Riley Psaila.

The Zebras went in to the half time break leading 3 goals to nil.

The second half saw the State Girls come out hard and had early opportunities on goal – the first, and closest, narrowly cleared the cross bar.  The Zebras quickly found their form following a Jack Hale back-pass that found Will Kaden who, from well outside the box, drilled the ball into the back of the net.  From there the Zebras really started to control the game however, against the run of play, the State Girls skilfully moved the ball forward that resulted in the Zebras defence’s only real error of the game occurring when they over committed on the striker.   The ball was skilfully worked around the last defender who went to ground resulting in the State Girl’s striker finding the back of the net.  This only reinvigorated the Zebras who then had many shots on goal – Gates had many opportunities but continued to find both the keeper and the outside of the uprights as well as Young who also had several opportunities.

The game finished with the Zebras recording a 4 goal to 1 win.

This really was a wonderful team effort and showed the true value of a well structured and disciplined defensive line.  However, notable performances came from Lachlan Gregory who was simply outstanding in defence. His work in pushing both the attacking players, as well as the ball, wide showed excellent defensive skills. Olaf Conforti was brilliant in running wide into the forward line and provided many opportunities for his forwards and the 14 Boys combination of Will Kaden and Jack Hale provided run in both attack and defence and were outstanding in combining to nullify any pressure put on by the State Girls in the midfield.

Boys U13 League 1

Hobart Zebras FC

V

Clarence Red

Cambridge, 18:30 pm

This week saw the boys travel to Cambridge for their first night game of the season to take on the 3^rd placed Clarence Red.

Owing to the continued recovery of Alex Colavecchio (injury) and the absence of Kane Morgan (illness) the team were bolstered by the inclusion of Tommy Marshall and Ashley Sutton (both from the 14 Boys) and Olaf Conforti and Jackson Ebini (both from the 12 Boys).

The Zebras young developing team found playing one of the top contenders in the League a real challenge and were trailing early in the game following a Clarence Red strike just outside the box that found its way to the back of the Zebras net.  From there, the Clarence midfielders and forwards dominated the half providing several opportunities on goal.  Their endeavours were rewarded by a second goal from within the box that also found its way into the back of the Zebras net.

Whilst the Zebras did display glimpses of the team that has shown great improvement in recent weeks, their forward pressure was below their usual high standards and they did well to go into the half time break trailing by only 2 goals.

The second half saw the Clarence team come out hard and with continual pressure to the Zebras midfield and back line saw their endeavours richly rewarded.  Their third and fourth goals came from strikes within the box, their fifth saw the ball deflect from a Zebra defender from a well taken corner and their sixth was well struck from outside the box that hammered in to the top of the Zebras net.

The half did see the Zebras improve their ball carrying through the midfield but many of their wide forays forward saw a vacant box that easily allowed the Clarence defenders to clear the ball. The half also saw the Zebras only real chance where a Sean Young strike from inside the box hit the upright and the rebound was quickly cleared by a Clarence defender.

The game finished with a convincing win to Clarence Red, 6 goals to nil.

The better players for the Zebras were Jack Carter who again covered both ends of the field and provided run through the centre, Ashley Sutton whose defensive work in the first half was outstanding, Olaf Conforti who provided drive from the midfield and set up many opportunities passing wide to inside the box and Jackson Ebini who took over from Sutton in the second half to provide a barrier in defence as well as rebounding several of the Clarence forays forward.