Eight-goal masterclass from Dylan Riley leads Launceston back to top spot on State League ladder
Launceston’s electric forward Dylan Riley kicked more goals in one quarter than the Tigers could manage in two matches in a one-sided clash.
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LAUNCESTON has responded from relinquishing top spot on the TSL ladder in emphatic fashion by dismantling the Tigers for the second time in 2020.
Four days after going down to North Launceston, the Blues jumped back ahead of their cross-town rivals on percentage — albeit having played an extra match — following a 17.12 (114) to 2.6 (18) hammering of the Tigers.
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An eight-goal bag to Dylan Riley and three each from playing coach Mitch Thorp and best afield Jay Blackberry sunk the visitors, who for the second time this season needed a goal late in the last quarter to avoid their lowest ever State League score.
In round three the Blues dished out an 82-point hiding after keeping the toothless Tigers goalless through three quarters and in windy conditions at Windsor Park they produced a similar effort.
With the aid of a four-to-five goal breeze, the hosts piled on 5.4 to nothing in the first quarter to set the tone, and then held their opponents goalless while adding another themselves in the second to cement the advantage.
The floodgates opened in the third stanza as the dangerous Riley ran amok with five majors as Launceston put down the hammer with eight unanswered goals before Tyler Carter finally got his side on the board deep into time on.
Riley booted his eighth goal early in the last term to equal the best individual haul in the past few seasons, before attention turned to the Tigers and their attempt to surpass their lowest score of 2.2 — also against Launceston — in 2014.
Carter’s second goal with only three minutes left avoided a slice of unwanted history, before Thorp rubber stamped the performance with an immediate reply.
The defeat leaves the Tigers’ finals aspirations hanging by a thread with the side now two games behind fourth spot.
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