Statewide Cup 2005 Finals Knights vs Launceston City

Glenorchy Knights v Launceston City Match Report

By Walter Pless

Milan Lakoseljac Memorial Trophy Final, KGV Soccer Park, Saturday, 10 September 2005
Glenorchy Knights won the Milan Lakoseljac Memorial Trophy by beating the holder, Launceston City, 3-0 at KGV Soccer Park on Saturday.
The Knights last won this piece of silverware, named after one of their greatest players, in 2000, the inaugural year of this State-wide knock-out competition. The late Milan's family were on hand to present the trophy to winning captain, Tom Huigsloot.Exciting teenager Ben Crosswell scored the first and third goals before being surprisingly substituted 10 minutes from the end, while Jonathon Ladic netted the second.With City's Roger Mies, Claudio Luzardi and Anthony Macri tightly marked by the Knights' Janko Begovic, Jayden Wiggins and Tony Dzelalija, respectively, and with Anthony Grundy sweeping effectively behind them, the northerners were rarely in the hunt.Macri had several strikes at goal but was off target, while midfielder Justin Dyer was unlucky when he had a header deflected against a post in the second half.City lacked their usual attacking flair and appeared bereft of ideas with their strike-force shackled, especially after the dismissal of midfielder David Jordaan on the stroke of half-time after collecting a second yellow card from referee Michael Sprod.City had just been awarded a free-kick when Grundy cut down Mies in full flight when the incensed Jordaan chested Grundy in retaliation.
The Knights, on the other hand, were always inventive and could easily have scored more than three goals. They created some good attacking moves, but the finishing was sometimes less than clinical.Knights captain, Huigsloot, was highly mobile and gave a powerful display all over the park.Mathew Sanders shot wide from Huigsloot's pass in the 11th minute, while two minutes later, Huigsloot shot straight at the goalkeeper after being set up by Lincoln Conquest.City's first chance came in the 14th minute after an error by Dzelalija, but Macri's powerful drive flew straight at Ben Peter.Macri had another shot a minute later, but it went wide.On the quarter-hour, Ben Crosswell and Josh Fielding switched flanks, the former moving to the right and the latter to the left. It soon paid dividends when Crosswell put the southerners ahead with a tap-in at the far post in the 23rd minute after Josh Fielding had unlocked the City defence with a pass to Mathew Sanders, who crossed the ball across the goalmouth from the left.The Knights had a scare in the 33rd minute from Macri's corner from the left. The ball was flicked on, but Begovic cleared off the line.
Jordaan received his first yellow card the next minute after fouling Fielding.
In the 38th minute, Sanders sent over a right-wing cross, but Conquest headed harmlessly over the bar.One of City's best chances came a moment later when Mies released Macri down the right and his vicious, sliced shot threatened to curl into the far top corner of the net, but Peter dived and tipped the ball over the bar for a corner.
The Knights increased their lead in the 40th minute when Jonathon Ladic made it 2-0, firing home after City goalkeeper Lino Sciuli had blocked a close-range effort from Sanders.Three minutes before the interval, Macri crossed from the left and Mies controlled the ball with his chest, but it was cleared as he brought it down and tried to get in his shot. He might have been better off going for a first-time header or shot.

With Jordaan then sent off, the Knights had one more scoring chance before the break as Sanders crossed from the left, but Huigsloot's downward header lacked pace and was easily collected by Sciuli
Crosswell headed home Ladic's corner in the 63rd minute to make it 3-0 and kill off any chance City had of getting back into the game.
City's Brazilian import, Luzardi, was substituted the next minute. He was not happy and walked off on the scoreboard side of the pitch and then had to run the gauntlet of Knights fans behind the goal as he was escorted back to the dressing room by a club official. "No games are ever easy, especially against Ken Morton and Launceston

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Sports

Tags:

• Statewide Cup
• tasmanian soccer
• premierleague
• footballfederation
• walterpless
• stefanolufi
• mrvideo
• glenorchy knights
• launceston city
• northern premier league