A Noah Mies double has helped Launceston City down Clarence United 5-0 at Wentworth Park. Mies opened the scoring in the 20th minute before Tyler Fischer doubled his sides lead in the 61st. Only six minutes later it was Mies finding the back of the net again, before Daniel Smith made his way onto the scoresheet. The victory was rounded out by a Lindsay Millington goal in stoppage time, sealing a comfortable City win.

The game started with City on the front foot, attacking early, and Tyler Fischer looming as a threat. This early City attack continued as Joseph Dozario produced a good run on the ball but it came to nothing. Not long after, Jeremy Price and Jake Stuart combined for a good attack for Clarence, and the home side had a shot of their own go wide, but this would be as good as the day got for the Reds.

It was the visitors who were first to put themselves on the scoresheet, with Noah Mies hitting home in the 20th minute. The attack began when Mies won the ball off a Clarence defender and attempted to cross, this cross was cut out by Paul Palmer, however it fell straight back into the path of Mies. Mies then put on a great show of skill, rounding two of his opponents and striking the ball into the back of the net, seeing City go 1-0 up.

In the 29th minute Aaron Campbell rattled the crossbar with a powerful strike, and in the 42nd Mies forced a Matthew Dyson save, however the score remained at 1-0 to City heading into half time.

The second half began much like the first ended, with Mies forcing a sharp Dyson save in the 51st minute. In the 53rd it was Daniel Smith attempting to hit the target for the visitors, showing some great skill before his curling shot went just over the bar. Just five minutes later, Jeremy Price found himself with space at the top of the box after a good Clarence attack, however he couldn’t quite get a shot away.

Eventually it was City who doubled their advantage, when in the 61st minute Tyler Fischer made space at the top of the box, striking the ball into the back of the net, with his shot gaining a deflection along the way, putting City 2-0 up.

Only six minutes after Fischer’s goal it was City celebrating again, when Harrison Wicks produced a great run down the left hand side of the box. Wicks then crossed the ball into the box, with a lucky deflection seeing the ball fall right in front of Noah Mies who finished well, putting City 3-0 up.

Clarence continued to show the signs of fighting, with Hatcher causing trouble for the City defence. However, in the 73rd minute City made it 4-0, with Alex Turner’s shot being redirected into the back of the net by Daniel Smith.

There was still time for one more and in stoppage time City won a corner, playing the ball short before whipping it in towards the back post. After a tight contest in the box saw the ball fall to Lindsay Millington, the City centre half hit the ball into the back of the net, completing the 5-0 victory.

Speaking post match City assistant coach Roger Mies said he wasn’t happy with the first half at all. However, after a talk at half time they came out with “more purpose and intensity” and Mies believed they should’ve had more than the five goals they scored.

Clarence coach Alan Jablonski said that he thought his side outplayed City in the first half, and that it was the key City players that were the difference.

The result sees City remain in 2nd place behind Devonport whilst Clarence remain in 8th. Next week in Round 17 of the NPL TAS City host the Northern Rangers, in what will be a tough Northern Derby, Saturday, 4:30pm at Buckby Landrover Park. Meanwhile on Sunday, Clarence face a tough opponent in South Hobart, 2:00pm at Darcy Street.