3 On The Trot – SFC NPL 0-1 Sydney Olympic

Our good start to the 2017 NSW NPL season has continued, as we recorded our third win in a row to start the season, in a match that was certainly our toughest so far this season. The team showed great composure and resilience to come away with a much deserved victory.

Once again, right from the outset we took control of the match and started the brighter. Yu Kuboki had a good chance to open the scoring early on, but failed to really trouble the opposition goalkeeper. Throughout that first-half, the Burgess brothers and Hagi Gligor were controlling things in midfield, Niko Tsattalios and Yu Kuboki were creating havoc up front and Jason Madonis and William Angel were chiming in and making deep runs from the back. As the first-half progressed we continued to have most of the ball and in doing so created quite a few chances to take the lead, but we just could not capitalise on our good build up work. In not being able to trouble the scoreboard, it gave the opposition the impetus to try and open the scoring themselves, and while they did huff and puff a little late in the first-half, they never really looked like scoring, but as it turned out neither team could and so we had to settle for a 0-0 score-line at the half-time break.

With the score being 0-0 to begin the second-half, this of course gave the opposition underdogs a bit of a boost to start off the second-half. During the first 10 minutes of the half they had a couple of chances to open the scoring, but lucky for us they scuffed their chances. After this initially worrying period to start the second-half we regained control of the match. We stepped it up a notch and pushed hard to get the all-important opening goal, but again through some poor finishing along with a combination of desperate defending and solid goalkeeping, we were thwarted time and again, we even had an effort hit the woodwork, the longer the game went on the more it felt that we were destined to finish scoreless. But with 5 minutes remaining, a nice run from Max Burgess saw him make his way into the box, where he delivered a shot which was just too good for the opposition goalkeeper to do anything about, sending the Sydney Olympic Supporters into raptures. The last 5 minutes of the match involved us sitting back and trying to hold onto the lead, which we successfully did to give us a well-deserved victory and continue our winning streak to start the season.
  
It was another solid display, although not as comfortable as it had been in the opening 2 matches of the season. Everybody once again worked hard and as a solid unit, it was also a good first display from Thomas Whiteside who was making his first start for the club in place of Mitch Stamatellis and did the job which was required.

In terms of the Club Championship, the U20’s had a 2-1 win whilst the U18’s lost 4-0.

The team is in fine form and the boys are putting together some excellent performances week in and week out, so all Sydney Olympic Supporters should make an effort to come down and support the team.

Our next match is this Sunday Afternoon, April 2, against Parramatta FC, at Melita Stadium, Kick-Off is at 3pm.