Olympic Into Top Four
Words: Matt Dorman
Olympic FC are into the top four for the first time this season following a 5-2 win over SWQ Thunder at Goodwin Park on Sunday.
Thunder netted twice late but a three-goal first half did the damage as the 2014 Grand Finalists notched their second straight win.
The hosts could have led as early as the 7th minute when Kazuya Ito sliced through Thunder’s defender, but the versatile Japanese player planted his finish against the post.
Danny Byrne then skied as pass from Costa Psaros, but the Olympic captain atoned for that miss in the 16th minute by opening the scoring with a well-taken finish across Jayden Formosa.
The visitors’ defence scrambled clear a chance soon after but couldn’t prevent Michael Lee from making it 2-0 from Psaros’ assist in the 32nd minute.
An own goal from Byrne’s teasing corner followed three minutes and the result was effectively sealed two minutes from the break as Lee got to a Psaros pass ahead of Formosa to make it 4-0.
Tim Smits kept the floodgates open immediately the restarted by turning home more good wing play from Psaros.
Former Brisbane Roar Youth midfielder Psaros was later denied a well-earned goal of his own by Formosa, when Thunder launched a late assault.
Thomas Fanning came off the bench to pull one back in the 85th minute before Anthony Grant ensured the Toowoomba team headed home on a high by converting a byline cutback just two minutes later.
Speaking after the match, Olympic coach Jim Bellas felt results were starting to reflect the effort put in on the training paddock.
“We’ve been working hard and the last two games paid off for us,” Bellas.
Thunder coach Chris Wilkes lamented his team’s slow start.
“The first 45 minutes we were completely outplayed. It was always a little bit of a fear that having 90 played 90 minutes in the last weeks we would possible be a little underdone,” Wilkes said.
Olympic FC 5 (Danny BYRNE 16’ Michael LEE 32’, 43’ Own Goal 35’ Tim SMITS 48’)
South West Queensland Thunder FC 2 (Thomas FANNING 85’ Anthony GRANT 87’)
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