Devonport City claimed a hard-fought victory away to Glenorchy Knights, winning 2-1 in the NPL Tasmania regular season on Saturday. The result extended Devonport's perfect start to the campaign, while Glenorchy's difficulties continued despite a brief period of hope.
It took just two minutes for Glenorchy to set their expectations high. A quick strike gave the home side an early lead, and for a while it looked as though they might secure something from the match. To be fair, they had the chance to build on that momentum but failed to do so.
Devonport responded with characteristic resilience. By then, the visitors had settled into their rhythm and began to press forward. The equaliser came in the fifty-second minute, shifting the balance of the encounter. And here's the thing about this team — they do not panic when things go against them.
The decisive moment arrived twelve minutes later. Devonport took the lead at sixty-two minutes and held on despite Glenorchy's attempts to find a way back into the game. The away side had nothing to lose as the match progressed, which perhaps explains their composure.
Before the game, Glenorchy sat seventh in the table with just three points from six matches. Devonport, meanwhile, occupied second place on eighteen points from six wins. The gap between them had never been wider, and this result only deepened the divide.
Glenorchy's recent form offered little comfort. They had lost four of their previous five matches before managing a 2-0 win over Allverstone. Devonport's record was more mixed — a 6-0 victory over Launceston United followed by a 1-3 defeat to South Hobart.
The visitors remain unbeaten in six games, though they have shown vulnerability at times. They lost 1-2 to Kingborough Lions and 0-2 to Kingborough Lions earlier in the season. By then, it was clear they were not invincible, just consistent.