Bottom-side Taroona and second-last Olympia Warriors continue their battle against relegation this weekend and both sides face tough encounters in the Forestry Tasmania Southern Premier League competition.

Taroona face the daunting task of meeting league champions South Hobart away at South Hobart on Sunday, while Olympia may have a slightly easier task away against third-last Kingborough Lions United at Lightwood Park on Saturday.

Tasmania 0

Central Coast Mariners 3 (Simon 76, Bozanic 80, Kwasnik 90+2)

HT: 0-0 Att: 1768 Ref: L Laverdure (Victoria)

Tasmania: Pitchford (Kruijver 46) - Pennicott, Iseli, W Abbott, Scott - B Eaves (Roach 46), Marchioli - Brennan (Lo 46), Mann (D Brown 46), Kanakaris - McKenna (Hamlett 60)

Central Coast Mariners: Ryan - Bojic, Griffiths, Wilkinson, Bozanic - Hutchinson, McGlinchey (Porter 78), Lewis (Rose 60) - Mrdja (Kwasnik 68), Perez (Simon 65), McBreen

It was like being in Europe again, where football is king. The KGV Park pitch was looking like a football pitch should, and the crowd was excellent. To see spectators all around the perimeter of the pitch and up on the hill at the Glenorchy end of the ground was heart-warming to say the least. Perhaps the official attendance figure was too low, but it certainly matched those of Sunderland’s visit to KGV Park in 1976, and that of the Socceroos at the same venue in the early 1980s.

It was a good night for Tasmanian football. Our team was not disgraced and, with a little more composure inside the box, might even have embarrassed the visitors. Imagine what longer preparation and a few other inclusions may have done.

We certainly lacked the technique of the Mariners, and their passing was crisper and more accurate. But there are other factors to the game and Tasmania lacked nothing in terms of commitment and desire. Tasmania were not overawed and they could hold their heads high at the end. For 76 minutes the home side kept the visitors scoreless, both through good play and good fortune.

Central Coast Mariners beat Tasmania 3-0 before a crowd of 1,768 at KGV Park this evening, but it took the A-League side 76 minutes to break the deadlock.

Tasmania put up a plucky performance and had several chances to score.

The opening half was goalless, but Tasmania may well have led by that stage as Andy Brennan twice missed good chances.

The Mariners played neat possession football and forced several corners, but they were unable to break down the resolute Tasmanian defence.

The holders of the Milan Lakoseljac Memorial Trophy, Clarence United, will meet Forestry Tasmania Southern Premier League champions, South Hobart, in this year’s final of this state-wide competition.

Clarence made it two successive appearances in the final when they scored a late penalty to down Burnie United 4-3 away at Montello.

In the other semi-final, South Hobart beat New Town Eagles 2-1 away at Clare Street.

Clarence led 3-0 after just a quarter of an hour, but Burnie pulled a goal back through Chris Smith before the break.

This really was a game of two halves and it took until the second half for South Hobart to hit their straps and take over the match to win comfortably.

Clarence more than held their own in the opening 45 minutes and deserved their 1-0 lead at the interval. The goal came in only the 2nd minute. Sam McIntyre knocked a free-kick from deep on the right towards the far post and Ben Parker rose unchallenged and powered home a header from inside the 6-yard box. 

South Hobart continued on their merry way to the Forestry Tasmania Southern Premier League title on Saturday with a 5-1 win over fourth-placed Clarence United at South Hobart.

The win kept them 13 points ahead of second-placed Tilford Zebras, who beat sixth-placed New Town Eagles 4-2 at home at KGV Park on Saturday night.

Glenorchy Knights ended a run of seven games without a win when they downed bottom-side Olympia Warriors 2-1 at KGV Park on Friday evening.

Kingborough Lions United moved up one place and back into fourth position with a 1-0 home win over second-last Taroona at Lightwood Park on Saturday.

South Hobart coach Ken Morton expects a hard, physical clash against Clarence United at South Hobart on Saturday at 2.30pm.

The reigning champions are almost assured of retaining their title and so the outcome of the match against fourth-placed Clarence is not all that important in terms of points.

Psychologically, the outcome is important for both sides. South Hobart want to keep their momentum going as they have not lost a game so far, while Clarence want to consolidate their place in the top-four. Last season, they came from fourth to win the State title and they also picked up the Milan Lakoseljac Memorial Trophy.

South Hobart will probably play their highly-rated Korean, Kwun-Jun, who had returned after a trial with Gold Coast United.

He may play at centre-back if Hugh Ludford has not recovered from a stomach bug. If Ludford is fit, the Korean is likely to play in central midfield.

This win gave South Hobart a 13-point lead at the top of the Forestry Tasmania Southern Premier League ladder. South would need to lose five games now - there are 9 games remaining - to relinquish their title, and that just isn’t going to happen. The champagne in the Wellesley Park club rooms can be taken out of the fridge and uncorked because the title belongs to South.

Taroona matched the visitors in the opening exchanges and South certainly did not have things their own way.

 Taroona goalkeeper Robert Hortle did well to smother an effort from Greg Downes in the 13th minute as he was put through by Andy Brennan. The corner came to nothing, but South did force a number of corners in succession and Hortle was kept busy catching and punching balls that were floated into his 6-yard box.