Olympic outmuscle new boys from Central Coast in opener

Belmore Sports Ground was buzzing on Saturday night with the home fans especially jubilant, as Sydney Olympic overcame an enthusiastic Central Coast Mariners Academy 2-1 in the opening round of the 2013 IGA NSW National Premier Leagues  Mens 1 competition.

With the pre-season work all done and dusted, the 2013 season kicked off with an eagerly anticipated match-up between the experience and disciplined Sydney Olympic side, and ‘new kids on the block’, the Central Coast Mariners Academy.

The home fans were eager to see how their Olympic side would fare without the Triantis brothers, Chris and Peter, whilst welcoming with open arms the attacking exploits of Elsid Barkhousir, Hussein Salameh, Luke Grima, and Petar Markovic, amongst others.

Despite this being their top flight debut as an entity, the CCMA had some familiar names on their team sheet, with ex-Sydney FC attackers, Adam Biddle and Chris Payne, plus the much traveled journeyman, James Monie, all looking to kick-start the season for their new club on a positive note.

Just like he did straight from the CCMA kick-off, Olympic’s speed machine, Will Angel, zipped onto a lazy square pass by a CCMA player to create the game’s first real opportunity on 4’ minutes. After pinching the ball, Angel showed the CCMA defence a clean pair of heels as he raced away from just inside his opponents’ half, with CCMA goalkeeper, Jordan Nikolovski, eventually thwarting Angel’s attempt with a brave dive at the flanker’s feet.

CCMA responded on 8’ minutes, with Chris Payne doing ever so well to weave his way down the right wing, his square cut back desperately cleared by Olympic’s retreating defender, Brett Studman.

The Central Coast almost went one better a few minutes later, Scott Pettit’s low shot at the far post whizzing across Paul Henderson’s goal on its way to a corner, the original overlap and cross provided by the Coast’s skipper, Jamie Lobb.

But Sydney Olympic started to flex their muscle and take a stranglehold on the match leading into half-time.

Petar Markovic tested Nikolovski, on 26’ minutes with a  curling snapshot from the edge of the penalty area, with the custodian ever alert as he parried out to his left.

Drama was only moments away, however, as a far post cross was headed back across goal by Olympic’s Will Angel, and the ball inextricably struck CCMA defender, Ridge Mapu, on the forearm, with experienced referee, Kris Griffith-Jones, immediately pointing to the spot.

Sydney Olympic’s captain, Phil Makrys, sent Nikolovski the wrong way, stroking the ball to the keeper’s left as he put the home side into the lead.

Makrys actually had another chance to double Olympic’s lead just 2’ minutes later, hitting his shot too straight and into Nikolovski’s arms after latching onto an Elsid Barkhousir back heel inside the box.

Alas, the home fans didn’t have to wait long to be up on their feet once more, with yet another penalty and another goal on 31’ minutes.

Barkhousir was quickest to react amongst friend and foe to a long punt up field, cracking a low volley from just inside the box against the upright. Strike partner, Hussein Salameh, collected the rebound, and was abruptly brought down, forcing Griffiths-Jones once again to point to the spot for the second time.

Makrys did the honours once more, cheekily chipping his spot kick straight and over the despairing Nikolovski in the CCMA goal, the ball clipping the underside of the crossbar before nestling into the net.

The half-time whistle didn’t take too long to arrive thereafter, with the home side seemingly coasting, courtesy of a 2-0 lead and looking to drive home their ascendancy after the break.

But the CCMA were a rejuvenated side when they returned to the fray, and their willingness only increased when they managed to pull a goal back as early as the 4’ minute of the second-half.

This time it was the turn of Sydney Olympic to effect a lazy pass inside its own half, and Scott Petitt was onto it like a jack-in-the-box, intercepting the ball, and racing towards the penalty area before slipping it into Chris Payne’s path.

Payne took the leather to the byline before he cut it back into Pettit’s path, the latter having supported the play, and the wide man made no mistake, slotting a first time shot past Paul Henderson in the Sydney Olympic goal to reduce the deficit.

Sydney Olympic’s Emmanuel Giannaros was replaced at the break after succumbing to injury, and 7’ minutes after the re-start, skipper Phil Makrys, was also substituted due to injury. Now losing two hard men definitely had an adverse impact on the Olympic side, but take no credit away from the visitors, the Central Coast Mariners Academy side had their ends up and started to cause Peter Tsekenis’ men some real concern as the game wore on.

On 58’ minutes CCMA spurned a great chance to equalize, with Olympic’s Brandon Hooper stabbing the ball away from under Payne’s nose as the striker delayed in pulling the trigger from a few yards out.

Then on the hour a loose ball in the Olympic box caused all sorts of mayhem, with CCMA’s Petitt squeezing a shot past the onrushing Paul Henderson, only for the ever-alert Troy Danaskos to clear the danger.

The Mariners were riding a crest of a wave at this point, and Daniel Bragg would have been disappointed not to do better in the 63’ minute, failing to control a brilliant square pass from the overlapping Ridge Mapu, his touch letting him down when he had the goal at his mercy.

But try as they may, Central Coast Mariners Academy just could not break down the Olympic rearguard, and the remainder of the match fizzled out amongst a range of stoppages.

There was time for some late drama in injury-time, however, for the fans that had patiently waited for the final whistle.

Olympic substitute Luke Grima saw red in the 92’ minute for a high tackle on a CCMA defender as he selflessly chased a long ball down field.

Not to be outdone, CCMA’s Adam Biddle joined him for an early shower, earning the wrath of the referee with firstly, a late tackle, and then dissent, his two yellows reducing his side to ten, the same as his opponents.

Sydney Olympic would be rather content with the three points, knowing they didn’t have their full artillery on the paddock for 90’ minutes, and knowing full well they didn’t perform anywhere near what we are used to seeing from one of the league’s powerhouse teams.

They will have to regroup very quickly though as they travel to the Shire next week to tackle the in-form Sutherland Sharks.

The Central Coast Mariners Academy did enough to show they will be far from pushovers, displaying a slick movement of the leather at times combined with a confidence that comes with youth. CCMA will be much better for their first run, and will look to take the good points of this match into next week’s tricky clash against APIA-Leichhardt Tigers at Lambert Park.

Sydney Olympic 2 (Phil Makrys 26’ (pen), 31’ (pen) )

Central Coast Mariners Academy 0 (Scott Petitt 49’)

Referee: Kris Griffith-Jones

Assistant Referees : Michelle Allen and Alec Mouawad

Fourth Official: Gareth Williams

Sydney Olympic: 1.Paul Henderson; 2.Emmanuel Giannaros (4.Ibrahim Haydar 46’), 3.Brett Studman, 4.Ibrahim Haydar, 7.Phil Makrys (C) (22.Amaury Gauthier 52’), 8.Kingsley Williams, 11.William Angel (9.Luke Grima 83’), 12.Troy Danaskos, 14.Petar Markovic, 16.Elsid Barkhousir, 18.Hussein Salameh, 24.Brandon Hooper.

Substitutes Not Used: 21.James Demetriou, 23.Luke Kairies

Yellow Cards: Emmanuel Giannaros 45’+1’, Brett Studman 66’, Petar Markovic 80’

Red Cards: Luke Grima 90’+2’

Central Coast Mariners Academy: 1.Jordan Nikolovski; 3.Jamie Lobb (C), 5.Brady Smith, 6.Chris Payne (11.Louis Bozanic 56’), 7.Scott Petitt (15.Dillon Vorster 68’), 8.Daniel Bragg, 9.James Monie (21.Grant Brown 83’), 10.Adam Biddle, 26.Ridge Mapu, 29.Tomislav Cirjak, 16.Jed Prater

Substitutes Not Used: Beyhan Irmako (GK), 22.Liam O’Dell

Yellow Cards: Chris Payne 26’, Ridge Mapu 61’, Adam Biddle 90’+6’

Red Cards: 10.Adam Biddle 90’+6’

3 – Brett Studman (SO)

2 – Phil Makrys (SO)

1 – Jordan Nikolovski (CCMA)