Rams no match for goal crazy Olympic

It was always going to be a tough season for the Rams and in this game they got a real lesson in paying for their defensive lapses and allowing the score-line to blow out, giving a lop-sided appearance.
Shannon Cole, back from a lengthy injury, was instrumental in much that was good for Olympic but in the early stages looked frustrated by his wayward passing.
Still, Cole was on hand to set-up the first chance of the match after 9? minutes when his in-swinging corner was met by Matthew Jurman, wearing the number five shirt often worn with distinction by Michael Cindric, though unable to gain enough height to get any true purchase on the effort that finished harmlessly wide.
The Rams had the occasional half-chance but nothing of any real note in the opening exchanges and after 15-minutes were almost completely out of the game and pressed back by a home side looking for goals and spurred on by the previous nights results.
A succession of corners saw Macarthur goalkeeper Brody Crane spill two on the trot to put even greater pressure on his defence but they coped admirably under the onslaught until the 30? minute. With the cracks appearing, a neat move down the Olympic left-flank gave Siraj All-Tal, making a rare start, the opportunity to loop a header into the net.
He added a second, although it looked suspiciously like an own goal by Josh Ford, again with a header as Olympic, ironically, headed into the break two goals to the good although moments earlier a slip by Jurman saw Shannon Hankin clean through on goal, but his shot was expertly saved by the fingertips of Michael Herbert in the Olympic goal.
An immediate substitution at the start of the second period saw Kosta Barbarouses come on for Craig Cooley as Macarthur were forced to chase the game but the inevitable gaps at the back were not aided by a shaky defence as Anthony Hartshorn profited and added Olympic?s third. The Olympic midfielder nearly added the fourth a minute later when he leapt unmarked to meet a Cole cross only for Crane to save smartly at near point-blank range.
Hartshorn was not to be denied his second and did eventually net the fourth with another header. At this point, a game that promised much for the ?nuisance? team prior to kick-off was turning into a rout.
The final nail in the Rams coffin came when All-Tal should have finished off his hat-trick with yet another header only to see it cannon back off the post and straight to the feet of Matthew Mayora who didn?t look the gift horse in the mouth and thumped the ball home for number five on the night.
A disappointed Rams coach Paul Carter said afterwards:
?We were never dominated as such during the game yet still managed to let five in.
?We had four lapses in defence and paid the price but we had too many players out there today who didn?t stand up and at this club we cannot afford to carry passengers.?
Sydney Olympic boss Milan Blagojevic was enthusiastic following the final whistle:
?Our hit-miss ratio was better today and obviously we created more chances but at least we started to take them.
?The result is emphatic and I am surprised because the Rams never give up too easily but we knew the results of the games played on Saturday and that spurred us on.
?However I am unhappy with the state of the pitch, it didn?t help either team.?
Match Stats
Sydney Olympic 5 (Siraj All-Tal 30?, 40?, Anthony Hartshorn 53?, 61?, Matthew Mayora 71?)
Macarthur Rams 0
Venue: Belmore Sports Ground
Referee: Peter Vrtkovski
Assistants: Brett Woodford and Dale Fuda
Fourth Official: Tom Klein
Crowd: 1003
Sydney Olympic: 1. Michael Herbert; 3. Emmanuel Zunino, 14. Shannon Cole, 4. Mirko Jurilj, 5. Matthew Jurman, 7. Milorad Simonovic, 6. Roger Galayini, 18. Chris Triantis (19. Marino Musumeci 78?), 9. Anthony Hartshorn (17. Iain Ramsay 65?), 15. Matthew Mayora (12. James Kovas 83?), 37. Siraj All-Tal
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Sam Emmanouil, 16. Nathan Sherlock
Yellow Cards: Shannon Cole 64?, Iain Ramsay 68?
Red Cards: Nil
Macarthur Rams: 1. Brody Crane; 2. Craig Cooley (13. Kosta Barbarouses 46?), 6. David Gardner, 7. Matt Toogood (21. Renato Jelen 56?), 9. Steven Old, 12. Shannon Hankin, 14. Daniel McCann (8. David Lagudi 75?), 16. Steven Baveas, 17. Adam Wither, 23. Josh Ford, 22. Glen Trifiro
Substitutes Not Used: 40. Roy Bell, 27. James Young
Yellow Cards: Matt Toogood 36?, Josh Ford 82?
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3 ? Siraj All-Tal (SO)
2 ? Anthony Hartshorn (SO)
1 ? Milorad Simonovic (SO)
-By Micky Brock