South Hobart players out for redemption in FFA Cup Round of 32 match against Marconi Stallions at Blundstone Arena

There is a sense of unfinished business among the South Hobart playing group as the club prepares to take on NPL NSW giants Marconi Stallions.

South Hobart’s Nick Morton and Ben Hamlett ahead of Wednesday’s match against Marconi Stallions at Blundstone Arena. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

THERE is a sense of unfinished business among the South Hobart playing group as the club prepares to take on NPL NSW giants Marconi Stallions in the FFA Cup round of 32 on Wednesday night.

South’s match against the Stallions at Blundstone Arena from 7.30pm will be the club’s first in the Australia-wide competition since it was knocked out in round-of-32 penalty shootouts in consecutive years in 2014 and 2015.

Forward Benjamin Hamlett, 27, and midfielder Nicholas Morton, 23, both played in South Hobart’s heartbreaking 2014 loss to ACT side Tuggeranong — a match which South led until the 85th minute.

Hamlett was forced off with injury in that match, and it was “pretty heartbreaking” to watch the penalty shootout helpless from the sidelines, so he is relishing the chance to return to the national stage.

“For me personally, I’m always wanting to win games and make it through to the next stage regardless, but definitely I think we have some unfinished business and I think that as a group we can really use that to push ourselves,” Hamlett said.

“In saying that, too, it’s cup football, so it’s a matter of really going there and wanting to win and I think just the atmosphere around the club … everybody’s really keen to put in a massive effort, a big shift, be courageous and confident, go out there and play to our strengths and play some really good football.”

South Hobart’s Ben Hamlett, right, in action against Olympia. Picture: EDDIE SAFARIK

Morton said he hoped for a great atmosphere at Blundstone Arena.

He said taking on Marconi would be a “special moment.”

“I suppose for us, because we’ve not made it past the round of 32 — it’s always hard to take going out on penalties, but we’re going to look to correct that and go one step further and make it to the round of 16,” Morton said.

So have South Hobart players been practising their penalties this week, just in case history repeats?

“To be honest, no we haven’t, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we take a couple [at training on Tuesday night],” Morton said. “I think the last time leading up to the game we did take penalties, so this time we might not, we might switch it around.”