APIA Leichhardt 3-1 Sydney Olympic

Sydney Olympic blew a chance to cement a Top 5 position on Sunday Afternoon, falling to what was a fairly unimpressive APIA Leichhardt side at Lambert Park. Sure, APIA have been and are a very good side once again this season, but they did not play in a manner which signified anything close to being levels above us or even dominant against us in the match yesterday.

In the first-half we were the better side, but that isn’t really anything to get excited about, as both sides were not that great. Even still, we managed to create a few openings, but when we did get ourselves in a position to have a shot at goal, our players preferred instead, to try and be cute and lay it off for someone else, instead of having a go themselves, this was all inside the box mind you. This cost us a few times during the first-half yesterday.

As is standard practice in this sport, if you fail to take your chances, the opposition goes down the other end and punishes you and that’s what happened. APIA hit us with a sucker-punch of a goal, when they really didn’t look threatening at all up to that point and at half-time we were down 1-0.

The opening stages of the second-half can only be described as a circus and cost us from getting anything from the match.

Firstly, everybody stood around as APIA walked the play inside our box, their shot was initially well saved but the ball rebounded flukily off the APIA player and nestled in the back of our net. Secondly, the same APIA player decided he was going to try his luck and swan dive inside the box as if he had been bowled over by a hurricane, the referee who was a prick all match decided yep, that’s a penalty. APIA converted the penalty and we were all of the sudden down 3-0 and the match was effectively all over.

We pulled a goal back but the players and the fans, never believed we could perform any miracles and thus ended a disappointing day, a 3-1 loss and a near fatal blow to our season.

The players could not overcome their poor display, especially the period between the last 10 minutes of the first-half and first 10 minutes of the second-half, the lack of concentration in that time killed us, but also they were never going to overcome that cheat of a referee which is what he was.

I’ve seen enough sport personally to notice a Championship let down season when I see one. The 2018 season swelled the heads of several players and many simply do not give a toss this season, which is sad to see.

The lack of motivation yesterday and all season has been extremely disheartening. One swallow doesn’t make a summer, as they say.

The board must take its share of the blame also, they simply did not rejuvenate the team at all. Other than losing Max Burgess, the squad is pretty much the same as last year. Standing still and resting on our laurels was never going to get us anywhere in 2019, we had to freshen up the squad and the few signings they did make, have been positively horrendous, atrocious, shocking.

We lauded the coach last year and rightly so, but this year he has to take his share of the blame and he showed that he could not adapt to a new season and a change in circumstances.

In the Club Championship, the 18s won for the first time in a long time, 2-0, and in the 20s we lost 2-0.

Next week is absolutely the last roll of the dice, it’s must win now, as we take on Marconi next Sunday Afternoon July 28, at Belmore Sports Ground, Kick-Off is at 4pm.

As for the First Grade women’s team, they smashed the Newcastle Jets 5-0 on Sunday and moved into 2nd spot on the NPL 1 ladder. Next Sunday Afternoon they travel to face the Northern Tigers, Kick-Off at 3.30pm.