Andrew Cooling (Image PlessPics)

Hobart Zebras maintained their perfect start to the season, overcoming a sluggish opening 45 minutes to comfortably account for Clarence United 4-0 and take out the Luke Cripps Memorial Shield.

In a tale of two halves, Clarence, who were diligent and organised in the first 45 minutes, fell away badly and were steamrolled by a Zebras side that hit their stride in the second 45 minutes. They took advantage of some poor defensive lapses from the Reds to take a crucial three points and keep pace with  fellow undefeated sides South Hobart and Devonport.

It was a cagey opening to this game with neither side creating much and both teams struggling to get their passing game going. Zebras had a couple of half chances with McKeown and Huigsloot firing over the bar from range, but it wasn’t till the 22nd minute that the first real opening was forged.

Heath charged into the area having been played in by Naden and fired a cross to the back post where a sliding Robb saw the ball deviate away from him by a crucial intervention from Henry Fagg. From the resulting corner it was Naden who rose highest, making thumping contact, but his header flew over the bar.

Clarence were enjoying their best spell of the game but couldn’t find a goal to show for it and bar one good leg save from Dyson to deny Huigsloot there were no real chances as the game resumed its scrappy style. It was the Reds who went into the break the happier side.

The second half was all Zebras, having played against the wind all first half, the 180 turn it appeared to take certainly did the Reds no favours as they were once again forced to play into it.

A Kurt Engels injury forced the introduction of Sam Conway who made an immediate impact, just two minutes into the half, his first touch in NPL TAS football saw him produce a searing run down the wing which ended in a cut back to McKeown who opened the scoring.

Ten minutes later slack marking from a corner, leaving Luke Huigsloot unmarked at the back post saw the Zebras double their lead, the towering front man making the most of his gift, having had two markers on him through all of the first half.

It was nearly 3-0 moments later when both McKeown, then Sherman were denied by Dyson in quick succession, the Clarence backline suddenly under siege.

Sherman then curled a superb free kick into the back of the net but it was indirect so was chalked off. If he had of struck the ball as sweetly when played in by Huigsloot a minute later he would have had his goal, but his tame effort was saved by Dyson.

A rampaging Dwayne Walsh, who switched to the right wing and was tremendously effective in the second half was denied a goal by the woodwork when he surged into the area, the Zebras onslaught now starting to overwhelm a tiring Reds side.

He wouldn’t be denied in the 84th minute however when he took the ball from his own half and scored a superb solo goal, burning past Clarence defenders and firing home to make it 3-0.

If things weren’t going bad enough already, there was salt in the wounds when George Hallard was shown a second yellow card and sent to the stands, the gun englishmen now out of next week’s Eastern Shore derby.

The final action of the game was a goal to Moody when Aitken tried to clear a ball that should have been left for Dyson, the ball falling to the big centre back who made no mistake, securing the 4-0 win and capping off a dominant half of football.