The Kingborough Lions have caused the biggest shock of the NPL season to date as they smashed the Hobart Zebras 5-0 on Saturday afternoon. Braces from Tim Baker and Chris Downes powered the Lions to a thumping win over a Zebras side that looked nowhere near the outfit they had in the opening weeks.

It was set pieces that mainly wrought the undoing of the Zebras in this one, and after a pretty even opening to the game with Jakub Sklenar unable to take the best chance of the game, the Lions took the lead half an hour in.

A Downes free kick was flicked into the path of Baker who was completely alone in the box and he stroked home from close range to get things started.

It would be the start of a 10 minute period that would win the game for the Lions and leave the Zebras stunned.

Minutes later a Kantzos corner was met by the head of Joel Schuth who powered it home and doubled the advantage.

It got better still when Chris Downes stepped up and curled a trademark free kick into the far corner from 30 yards out to send the Lions into the sheds 3-0 up.

Any hope of a Zebras fightback was snuffed out early in the second half as Timothy Baker stormed down the right before putting one on a platter from Downes who buried it and with it the Zebras.

Baker continued his day out by rubbing further salt in the wound in the form of a fifth goal on the hour mark. Having created the attacking opportunity with some trickery to beat a defender, he was left with a simple dink over the keeper from close range after the ball fell back to him.

That would be how it ended as the Lions roared out their song in the rooms in a statement victory. Their renaissance under Mark Broadbent continues whilst the Zebras will be left looking for answers as to where it all went wrong and needing to regroup ahead of their Anzac Day game with Olympia.