The Tasmanian Summer Cup has welcomed in the 2022 season and B90 are here to take you through all the action which includes upsets, player movement and more!
Match of the Round: Kingborough Lions v Clarence Zebras
Kingborough Lions 2 (Laura Davis x2) Clarence Zebras 3 (Catilin Stalker x2, Eliza Wylie)
New year, same Clarence Zebras as the away side came from behind to win 3-2 over Kingborough Lions on a balmy night at Clennett’s Lightwood Park.
For the Zebras, former co-captain Zara Dixon, midfielder Georgia Burt and goalkeeper Kacee Ponting have all returned to the club.
Dixon and Burt come back after taking a year away from football, while Ponting comes from Olympia Warriors, but was previously at Hobart Zebras for five years before the club’s merger with Clarence Football Club.
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Kingborough on the other hand has lost the Bonertz-Benn twins (Holly and Kate), as well as Eloise Paine, with all three moving to the mainland. They are all huge losses, but Kingborough are expected to make some signing announcements during the week.
Kingborough started the stronger of the two sides and had a penalty appeal waved away by referee James Hamilton in the opening minutes.
The Lions opened the scoring when former Zebra Danielle Kannegiesser made a magnificent run through the midfield corridor and hit for home. The shots was well palmed away by Ponting, but Laura Davis was lurking for the tap-in which was comfortably converted.
However, Clarence’s Caitlin Stalker was able to level moments later and with that, the teams went into the half at 1-1.
After the break, Stalker grabbed her second goal in style, finishing coolly past substitute keeper Olivia Gardner. Gardner had come on for Amy Coward who started the first half and was rotated.
Speaking of Gardner, the veteran keeper was called into action and made a great goal-line save off Stalker’s next effort which could have made the score 3-1.
Stalker would soon rue that miss as Davis netted her second of the game, making it 2-2 with a great long-range bomb.
It was still a good night for keepers though with Ponting making some great last gasp saves, before Zebras eventually scored the winner through newly promoted Eliza Wylie.
Wylie previously played in the Southern Championship and was introduced to the senior side by new coach Adam Powell, who told B90 before the game that he wanted to bring in the youth.
Metro FC 1 (Erin Lawler) South Hobart 9 (Bridie Cooling, Joni Ransley x3, Bonnie Davies, Ruby Batchelor x3, Mia Cane)
A new look South Hobart dismantled Summer Cup debutants Metro 9-1 away at North Chigwell.
SHFC has made some drastic changes with a new head coach and four new players coming into the squad. Former Olympia WSL title-winning coach Alastair Russell is now at the helm, while previous head coach Craig Westwood remains as an assistant coach.
Former WSL Golden boot winner Bonnie Davies has returned to Tasmania from Victorian side Heidelberg United, while the Cane sisters Mia and Izzy have both signed on. Ella McConnon has also put pen to paper with South Hobart after previously playing for Olympia.
Metro took the lead early through Erin Lawler but SHFC’s quality soon shone through with Bridie Cooling, Mia Cane, Pishon Choi and Bonnie Davies all scoring before half-time to send the away side into the dressing room with a 4-1 lead.
Joni Ransley netted a second-half hat-trick while Ruby Batchelor was able to score a brace. Ransley was another player promoted this weekend and her form on the night spoke for itself, perhaps a stroke of early genius from Russell.
B90 spoke to Bonnie Davies after the match:
“I think the game was good for us to find our feet and really understand how we want to play. We are gelling really well together and I think with that we can go really far this year. I’m looking forward to being successful with South, this team deserves to be.”
Olympia Warriors 1 (TBC) drew with Taroona FC 1 (Aya Gibson) (Taroona won penalty shootout)
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Taroona shocked Statewide Cup champions Olympia away at Empire Couriers Park, holding them to a 1-1 draw and winning on penalties.
Olympia have gone through some big movements with former WSL Coach and Technical Director Matt Kilsby leaving for Queensland, while defender and academy coach Leah Gubb has also left the club.
Taroona’s Aya Gibson helped her side defy all odds by scoring the equaliser, and the away fans witnessed an upset over the 2020 WSL champions.
Round 2 fixtures
Saturday 19th February
Clarence Zebras v Taroona FC, 10:00am at KGV
Olympia v Metro FC, 12:00pm at Empire Couriers Park
Kingborough Lions v South Hobart, 4pm at Clennett’s Lightwood Park
