Casimir Douglas For Slice of Cheese

We are the pride of all Tassie, the cock of the North”, those are the first lines of the Devonport Strikers club song, and after defeating Northern Rangers 1-0 to clinch the 2016 PS4 NPL Tasmania premiership, they ring truer than ever. The win came in a largely tepid affair in blustery conditions at the NTCA Ground in Round 20 action courtesy of a 30th minute Brodie Denehy goal. His goal not only claimed the Strikers’ maiden championship win since the re-introduction of the State League, but also completed the fabled league and cup double after winning the Milan Lakoseljac Cup in June. The Devonport side also became the first team from the northern half of the Tasmania to win the title in the new State League era. But most significantly for the Strikers it welcomes them back from the State Championship wilderness to raise the cup for the first time in 12 years.

The Strikers welcomed holding midfielder Daniel Syson back into the side for the contest after being omitted due to Visa restrictions from the game on Wednesday, and FFA goal-scoring hero, Jesse Dance, made way in the starting eleven. Rangers’ coach, Des Baker, continued to tinker with his line up, their positions, and formation.

From the kick off it was evident that the wind would play a major role in the shape of the game as it blew strongly toward the clubroom end of the NTCA Ground. Devonport would have the wind behind them in the first half. In the 4th minute, Gorrie picked up the ball on the right wing in a dangerous position, but on attempting to float his cross into the box, the wind carried the ball straight out for a goal kick.

The pitch itself withstood the lashing of rain mid-week in the northern region of the state to provide an excellent surface for the contest. The Strikers capitalised on this fact, and monopolised territory and possession for much of the first half, whilst the Rangers looked to catch the visitors on the counter attack.

Chances came at both ends in the early going with Brayden Mann having his best chance of the game on 9th minute. Following a corner that was initially cleared, the ball was played back into the box and came to Mann’s feet in the 18-yard box after a scramble. But his shot was well defended and easily accounted for by the Rangers custodian, Wesley Chugg. The next minute, Jorge Palacio, being deployed up front Des Baker, found some space on the right hand side of the 18-yard box for a shot, but his effort sailed over the bar.

In the 25th minute, Strikers keepers, Niko Giantsolopolus, gave a glimpse of the form that will undoubtedly make him the subject of A-League overtures, when he came to the very edge of his area to clear the ball with a double fisted punch. In doing so, he clattered into the rugged Rangers defender, Conor Doherty, who lay prone on the ground for some time before eventually making his way to his feet to continue to the game.

In the 29 minute, after another corner for the league-leaders was initially cleared, the ball came to Denehy at the top of the 18 yard box and his acrobatic volley was well struck but didn’t trouble Chugg as he lifted his shot over the bar

But Denehy was not be denied, and in the 30th minute struck gold and manufactured a league title winning goal. This time, Denehy picked up possession on the left wing and as he carried the ball toward the corner post, he checked his run, and turned back onto his right foot. He then fired a curling cross into the six-yard box toward a Todd Hingston run at the front post. By his own admission, Hingston didn’t get a touch on the ball but his run did enough to bamboozle Chugg as the ball dipped and bounced just before reaching him, and rippled into the right hand side of the net.

The 36th minute provided an opportunity for captain, Brayden Mann, to double his side’s lead. Joel Stone took a free kick on the right wing and Mann met it with an overhead bicycle kick, which had the required purchase but not accuracy as it missed narrowly past the left hand goal post.

Both sides headed into the sheds at half time knowing that the game was still very much in the balance despite Devonport’s narrow 1-0 lead. Devonport to this point has produced 13 clean sheets in 19 PS4 NPL Tasmania games this season and needed only to protect their goal for 45 minutes to clinch the title. But Rangers, who had defended well against the wind, now had it behind them and would hope to use the conditions to aid their counter attacks this half.

From the very first minute of second half, Rangers were eager to assert themselves on the contest and played aggressively. Harry Thanhausser, fresh from being awarded the Derby Cup Medal as the best player across the three Derby games against Launceston City in season 2016, fired a low driving shot from 35 yards out which was only just off target to the left of Giantsopolus’ goal.

It was clear that Rangers had been giving license to shoot from distance this half, hoping that the wind would make it difficult for Devonport’s sublime shot-stopper to keep the ball out of the net. Difficult chances from range came to Palacio in the 56th minute and Monticchio in the 66th minute, but on both occasions their strikes did not trouble the Strikers keeper.

Much of the second half was played in the middle third of the ground, with both sides looking tired and missing the mark with their passes. However, Rangers created the better chances of the half and looked dangerous on the counter attack as the Strikers focused on defended their premiership hopes. The best chance of the half came to Thanhausser in the 70th minute. Rangers were awarded a free kick 10 yards back from the left hand side of the ‘D’. Tenzing Anderson, having scored from a number of free kick opportunities in a similar position this year, stepped up and his shot forced Giantsopolus to parry the ball into the path on the on-coming Thanhausser unmarked in the 18-yard box. But the bouncing ball made it difficult for him to control his shot and he fired wide to the left with only the keeper to beat.

As the clock wound down Rangers would have one last chance to play the role of spoiler. In the 88th minute, Josh Burke’s shot from 25 yards out directly in front of goal looked destined for the top right hand corner of the net. But as he has done all season long, Giantsopolus pulled another tremendous save out of the top draw and the parried the ball out for a corner.

The Devonport Strikers would not be made to wade through injury time, and the official brought a close the premiership title race as he blew the whistle right on 90 minutes. Whilst the sound of the whistle did cue celebrations, they were not exuberant scenes of jubilation, but rather they were a subdued and relieved satisfaction of a job well done.

The win gave Devonport an unassailable 8 point lead over second-placed Hobart JEEP Zebras who can only claim a maximum of 6 points from their remaining two fixtures, making it an mathematical impossibility. Furthermore, the last time the Strikers won the State Championship in 2004 was in a one-off game against none other than the Zebras.

The key role in Devonport’s win was played by goal-scorer Brodie Denehy, who was a constant threat to the Ranger defence, and looked the most energetic and dynamic player of the Devonport outfit on the day. Also impressive was Daniel Syson in his return to the side as the midfield enforcer, and Kieran Mulraney in Devonport’s defence who thwarted Rangers in the air, and with well-timed tackles. For Rangers it was Mulraney’s opponent, Jorge Palacio, who impressed as the target man up front. The battle between the two provided an entertaining contest throughout the afternoon. Two key figures for Rangers as they strove for an equaliser late were Thanhausser and Monticchio who both had plenty of the ball, and looked to create and score in equal measure and forced the Ranger agenda in the second half.

Devonport Strikers coach, Peter Savill, in the wake of their FFA Cup triumph mid-week, maintained that the true prize this week was the PS4 NPL Tasmania premiership. And whilst the championship came on the back of performance that will not be remembered as one of their best of the year, this week and indeed this year will be fondly remembered as the most successful in the club’s history.

Next week Rangers travel to Clarence in their last chance to win a game for season 2016. They will hope to close the book on what has been a difficult year for the club with a positive chapter. If they play with the tenacity and desire they did on this day, they will be chance.

In a classy act the Northern Rangers players made a guard of honour to congratulate the new premiers as the Devonport Strikers made their way from the ground.  And after a heart-felt speech in the sheds from Club President and legend, Rod Andrews, the Strikers launched into a stirring rendition of the club song.

But whilst it appears that the tenure of Savill at Devonport has its days numbered, the season is not yet over. The Strikers next week travel to Warrior Park to play the 2015 State League Premiers. At the completion of the game the Devonport side will be awarded the 2016 PS4 NPL Tasmania Championship Cup. And that fact itself means that the Strikers have now entered further national competition dates into their schedule with a game against the Western Australia NPL champions penned in for September.