The aattached article was recently printed in the Hobart Mercury. Fairly interesting reading,
Cup results highlight gap
THE Milan Lakoseljac Memorial Trophy statewide cup competition has highlighted a substantial gap in the standards of the northern and southern Premier Leagues.
In the preliminary round, Olympia Warriors, who are bottom of the southern Premier League table, easily defeated Somerset, who are third-last in the north, 8-1.
On Saturday, Olympia comfortably defeated Ulverstone 3-0. Ulverstone sits fourth in the north, just three points off top spot.
Olympia were missing eight first team players who were either unavailable or rested for the cup match.
Ulverstone coach Nick Owen said his team had under-performed on the day.
"If you're judging the northern league on today's performance, we don't [usually] play like that," Owen said.
"We've played like that once this year [in the league] and copped a hiding and we've played like that again [in the cup on Saturday]."
However, there were other indications that there is a worrying gap between the southern and northern competitions.
Sixth-placed northern team Riverside Olympic were bundled out of the cup by League One outfit Taroona, who play in the south's second tier.
Burnie United were the only northern team to advance past southern opposition, defeating Nelson Eastern Suburbs 3-1, after they failed to replicate fellow League One side Taroona's upset.
Burnie join Devonport City and Northern Rangers, who both advanced by beating northern opponents, as the three northern teams in the final eight.
In the likely event they draw southern opponents in the next round, it will be interesting to see how competitive they are in the quarter finals.
In the preliminary round, Olympia Warriors, who are bottom of the southern Premier League table, easily defeated Somerset, who are third-last in the north, 8-1.
On Saturday, Olympia comfortably defeated Ulverstone 3-0. Ulverstone sits fourth in the north, just three points off top spot.
Olympia were missing eight first team players who were either unavailable or rested for the cup match.
Ulverstone coach Nick Owen said his team had under-performed on the day.
"If you're judging the northern league on today's performance, we don't [usually] play like that," Owen said.
"We've played like that once this year [in the league] and copped a hiding and we've played like that again [in the cup on Saturday]."
However, there were other indications that there is a worrying gap between the southern and northern competitions.
Sixth-placed northern team Riverside Olympic were bundled out of the cup by League One outfit Taroona, who play in the south's second tier.
Burnie United were the only northern team to advance past southern opposition, defeating Nelson Eastern Suburbs 3-1, after they failed to replicate fellow League One side Taroona's upset.
Burnie join Devonport City and Northern Rangers, who both advanced by beating northern opponents, as the three northern teams in the final eight.
In the likely event they draw southern opponents in the next round, it will be interesting to see how competitive they are in the quarter finals.
