North Hobart wins third game in a row and firms its place in SFL Premier League’s top three

North Hobart’s third win in a row had players, coaches and fans trying to remember the last time the Dees won three on the trot. How long it has been.

TSL. Adam Bester coach North Hobart. North Hobart V Glenorchy. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

A courageous win kept North Hobart a game clear in third on the SFL Premier League ladder and by banishing close rival Glenorchy in a wintery slip ‘n slide at North Hobart Oval on Saturday, the Demons secured their third consecutive win since 2011.

North Hobart coach Adam Bester wasn’t sure how long it had been since the Dees’ claimed three on the trot, but Demons officials were certain it had been 14 years.

By the way the boys in red and blue celebrated, it meant the world to one of Australian football’s most successful clubs.

“It’s the first time in a long time this club has won three games in a row,” said coach Adam Bester.

“I know it’s a little win but it shows we are looking to finish the year really strongly and puts us one step closer to where we want to be toward the end of the year.

“It puts us two games clear of Glenorchy now and we’ve got a big challenge now down at Lauderdale, but gee these young boys have really grown in the past six to eight weeks.”

The game didn’t pull a big crowd and the rate of scoring made sure the goal umpires felt every bit of the rain-sodden round 12 winter weather.

The two teams scored a total of three goals in the opening term and went goalless in the second, when North led 17-10 at half-time.

Glenorchy came out firing in the third and levelled the scores at 19-apiece.

Leading by five points at the last change, the stage was set for a thriller until a lapse in discipline saw Glenorchy give away a 50m penalty from a free kick to Nathan Janes, putting the Dees ruckman on the goal line four minutes into the last.

Janes kicked the major, and from then on North Hobart’s backline, anchored by captain Bailey Walker, was like the Berlin Wall.

“It was a really tough day in the conditions we had, it was always going to come down to the team that wanted to play a brand of footy where bodies are on the line, guys who wanted to put their head over the footy, and take your chances when you go forward,” Bester said.

“I’m super-proud of these boys.

“We had six or seven changes from last week into this week, with boys unavailable with the Devils and a few injuries.

“The guys who came in really stood up.”

At the Twin Ovals, Kingborough made a statement with its six-point win over second-placed Clarence.

Only one goal was kicked for the entire first half, when the Tigers led 1.9 to 0.6.

The Roos outscored the home side in the second half but the Tigers held on for a much-needed win.

At Pontville Oval, Lauderdale beat Brighton by 25 points.