James Ower 

Launceston City bounced back from their heavy defeat last week to South Hobart in impressive fashion on Saturday afternoon at Mitsubishi Park, defeating Clarence United 5-0 in their round 5 PS4 NPL Tasmania clash.

It was the visitors who started the brightest and Clarence had two good chances in the space of a few minutes, both opportunities falling to the influential Paul ‘Billy’ Bremner.  In the 14^th minute Andrew Robb sent in a perfect out swinging corner from the right and Bremner leapt to meet it but sent his header over the bar.  Then in the 16^th minute Grant Malcolm sent in a teasing delivery from a free kick and Bremner met it at the back post with a diving header but it went wide of the left hand post.

Shortly after Clarence were struck with two major blows in the 23^rd and 31^st minute as they lost key players Adam Hedge then Henry Lush to injury.  The visitors never really recovered from those losses and from that point on City began to dominate the match.

The home side really should have taken the lead before half time, Jervis Foley blazed a good chance over the bar in the 28^th minute and then skipper Toby Omenihu sent his shot wide in the 38^th minute after a great through ball from the increasingly influential Hayoto Ogusu.

As the second half started the match was still in the balance but City grabbed a deserved lead in the 54^th minute, Clarence keeper Matt Dyson fumbled an easy catch and Nathan Bartlett couldn’t believe his luck as it fell to his feet for him to slot home.

Bartlett, Ogusu and Isaac Degetto were starting to link up well for the home side and in the 61^st minute Bartlett’s good work on the left led to a chance for Degetto but the youngster saw his shot rattle back off the crossbar.

In the 66^th minute City doubled their lead and it was a beautiful move, Foley played a delightful through ball into the right channel for Degetto who picked out Bartlett at the top of the box and he curled a glorious right footed shot into the bottom corner.

Clarence kept battling away but never looked like getting back in the game and City punished them in the last ten minutes, grabbing three goals in quick succession to well and truly put the game to bed.

In the 81^st minute Dyson in the Clarence goal came miles off his line and initially did well to win the ball but held onto it too long and was dispossessed, the ball was then slipped to Degetto who had a simple task to place it past the despairing defender on the line.

Bartlett claimed the match ball in the 83^rd minute as he raced onto a through ball and nicked it past the keeper and into the net.  Degetto then made it 5-0 in the 85^th minute, taking a perfect touch at the left side of the box before placing a low shot into the opposite corner.

Clarence will head South licking their wounds and hoping the injuries to Lush and Hedge aren’t too serious, whilst preparing themselves for the daunting prospect of facing South Hobart next weekend.

Launceston City will take huge positives from the performances of Bartlett, Degetto and Ogusu and with Dom Rossi likely to return next week they’ll head into the big derby match with Northern Rangers full of confidence.