Hobart Olympic v Metro-Claremont Match Report

By Walter Pless

Premier League, Athletic Centre, Saturday, 30 June 2007

Hobart Olympic 2 (Grillas 49, Bulis 80)

Metro-Claremont 1 (S Kent 19)

HT: 0-1 Att: 100 Ref: C Phillips

Hobart Olympic (1-3-4-2): D Nester - C Tsakiris - N Vavoulas, R Lebski, H Nagarathnam - A Abdalla (D Djekanovic 46), L Mason, F Tracy, K Grillas - C Winter (A Pinkus 76), M Bulis [Substitutes not used: E Roussos, L Southam] [Coach: F Shaw]

Metro-Claremont (4-4-2): N Biggar - J Saunders, A Herring, D Chaffey, M Gasparin - A Lawler (A Marney 67), A McKeown, T Kent, P Curran - S Kent, R Dutton [Substitutes not used: S Land, J Dawes, S Hope] [Player-Coach: M Gasparin]

Hobart Olympic stayed third on the southern Premier League ladder as a result of this win and closed to within 5 points of leaders Tilford Zebras and a point behind second-placed South Hobart.

It was bad news for Metro-Claremont. They dropped to last place on goal-difference because New Town Eagles managed a 1-1 draw against University at Clare Street the same afternoon.

Lee Mason was excellent in midfield for Olympic. He won a lot of possession and generally used the ball wisely to put his side into attack.

Royston Dutton worked hard for the visitors. He played as a striker but was always ready to defend inside his own penalty area when Metro were under pressure. His height allowed him to head clear at corners and put his side back into attack.

Adam McKeown and Shane Kent were lively for Metro and were always in the thick of the action in attack.

Kosta Grillas started at left-midfield for Olympic. In the second half, he played a more orthodox striking role and it was no surprise when he grabbed the equaliser 5 minutes after the break.

Michael Bulis again showed why he is the league’s leading scorer, his winner in the 80th minute being an excellent strike.

Metro looked dangerous in the opening 20 minutes and it came as no surprise when Shane Kent put them ahead with a superb strike in the 19th minute.

Jarrod Saunders took a long throw-in from the right, which was nodded on by Dutton, and Shane Kent volleyed home in spectacular style.

Grillas headed Olympic level in the 49th minute from Daniejel Djekanovic’s cross following a corner. The left-footer had replaced Aymen Abdalla at the interval.

Hermanathan Nagarathnam was somewhat unfortunate to collect a second yellow card in the 59th minute, which meant a red from Mr Phillips.

Olympic maintained their composure, however, and Bulis scored a marvellous winner 10 minutes from the end after Djekanovic crossed from the left and Grillas chested the ball down.

“It was very disappointing,” said Metro’s player-coach, Matthew Gasparin. “We were 1-0 up at half-time and then, against the run of play, they scored.

“Our goal was a superb goal. Shane Kent is a class act. It was very well taken and I was very pleased with that.

“We’ll just keep battling. The hardest part is we’ve got to learn to win. I don’t know how you do that, but we’ll work on it in the weeks to come.

“Like always, we’ll never give up.”

Olympic coach, Farrell Shaw, was banned from the bench for this game and watched from the stands.

“It was a very important win to come from behind,” said Shaw. “We didn’t do it easily.

“The first half was very ordinary, I thought, and we just couldn’t put things together.

“In the second half, we made a change and the lads seemed to click just a little bit.

“Disappointed to lose a player being sent off in that sort of circumstances, but the lads fought it out for the three points.

“We’re still within striking distance of the leading pair and our next two games are very important for us, games against Zebras and South Hobart.

“That’ll make our season, virtually.”

HOBART OLYMPIC

METRO-CLAREMONT

9

Goal Attempts

10

6

Shots on Target

3

7

Corners

2

20

Fouls Committed

12

1

Off-Sides

0

2 (Nagarathnam 33, 59)

Yellow Cards

2 (S Kent 36, Herring 88)

1 (Nagarathnam 59)

Red Cards

0

Hobart Olympic:

PLAYER

GOAL ATTEMPTS

SHOTS ON TARGET

Vavoulas

1

1

Abdalla

2

2

Grillas

4

2

Djekanovic

1

0

Bulis

1

1

Metro-Claremont:

PLAYER

GOAL ATTEMPTS

SHOTS ON TARGET

McKeown

3

0

S Kent

2

1

T Kent

2

1

Dutton

1

1

Curran

2

0

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