Devonport Strikers confident of overcoming horror injury run

Devonport Strikers’ impressive start to the NPL Tasmania season hasn’t come without its challenges on the injury front but they remain confident of pushing for the title. Here’s why.

Devonport Strikers aren’t afraid injuries are threatening to derail its NPL Tasmania title charge.

The ladder leaders have been hampered by a range of injuries in the opening month of the season and on Saturday will face their biggest test against South Hobart.

Strikers coach Tom Ballantyne he remained without “four or five” key players ahead of Saturday’s trip south.

He said two players would undergo fitness tests before the 2pm kick-off after one of the club’s goalkeepers suffered a season-ending knee injury earlier in the week at training.

“We haven’t had a game yet where we’ve had our strongest 11 available to select,” he said.

“We’ve just constantly just had a different team, a different 16 players available each week. This leads to those slightly disjointed performances.”

Despite the challenges consistently being thrown at his side, Ballantyne he was “still confident” in his side performing at a high level.

“We haven’t got to where we are this season where we are, top of the league, without doing what we’re doing so far,” he said.

“Different players will just have to step up, everyone knows their roles.

“The younger players who have been given the opportunity so far have really stepped up and taken it.”

South Hobart goalkeeper Nicholas O’Connell said his side were excited by the challenge as they aimed to find their best.

“We’ve been playing a decent style of football the last few weeks, we just haven’t found that last bit to make it click yet,” he said.

“For us, getting results (against Devonport) is about playing the style of football, (coach) Ken (Morton) has been trying to build at South for a long time.”

In other games on Saturday, Zebras will play host to Launceston City as Launceston United and Riverside Olympic do battle.