South Hobart FC were made to work for their three points against a gritty and determined Northern Rangers side on Saturday evening at the NTCA. The Hobartians were slick in possession and on another day South may have put more on the scoreboard, but it wasn’t to be as the Rangers who had won their previous two matches did a good job pressing and harassing South.

The first ten minutes saw Ben Hamlett getting in behind the Rangers defence numerous times, but his final touch or turn seemed to take him away from goal.  The industrious Nick Morton was everywhere covering almost every blade of grass, on 27 minutes he drove a shot at Rangers keeper Sam Whatman, who at full range was able to push the ball around the post for a corner.

South Continued to pull the Rangers all over the ground and they were rewarded in the 29thminute as a lovely cross was converted in a goal mouth scramble, the last touch seemed to come off the gloves of Whatman but Turner wheeled around and claimed it as he was potentially the last South Hobart player to do so.

The score would remain the same going into halftime even though South continued with sustained pressure. Whatever Lino Scuilli said at the half time sent a rocket up the Rangers as they passed the ball around the NTCA surface at a much quicker tempo than the first half.

After a half devoid of scoring chances it was nearly 1-1 when in the 71st minute, South escaped a scare as young South Goalkeeper Brown had to clear a shot off the line.

Five minute from the end, substitute Mitchell Jones left the field after being kicked in the face inside the penalty area, Rangers appealed for a penalty but the referee didn’t agree and play resumed.

South Hobart then ensured that all three votes would be going back down the highway in the 88th minute through Jack Turner who was able to make contact on a low cross with a simple tap-in at the back post. It kept South Hobart in second place, a point behind the leading Devonport Strikers.

Ken Morton was happy with the three points.

“A good three points, I think in the first half we were able to dominate the ball, play a good possession style of football .. so yeah very happy with some of the football played. Jack Turner gives us heaps of drive going forward combined with Nicholas so I’m really happy with our midfield. “

“Rangers are a much-improved side this year, you can tell that each time that we play them they are playing better football, we are only one point behind Devonport who we will have to play so that will be a chance to go top”

Lino Sculli was pleased with the effort his side put in.

“ Yeah,  I mean it’s never nice to lose a match but I can’t fault the boy’s effort, we played a good South Hobart side .. that’s just the way it is sometimes”

“ We will keep going and hoping to win more games to the end of the season”