Very good Friday for Olympia

OLYMPIA took home the Easter chocolates 1-0 against Glenorchy at Warrior Park last night in a Lakoseljac Cup game that lived up to its hype as the predicted match of the round.

The first half ended without score after Glenorchy had appeared the more attacking team. A 39th-minute free kick from Knights import Diego Gutierrez-Chavez looked the most likely first-half goal chance, but he sent the ball sailing over the Warriors’ wall and into the crossbar.

After halftime, the Knights’ attack was blanketed by the Warriors as they moved the ball in a slow-and-steady-wins-the-race style.

It took Olympia just eight minutes to score after halftime when Nick Mearns steered a low one inside the right post after a deflection off the head of Glenorchy’s Lochlan Hardwick.

From there, 2017 Cup champion Olympia tightened its defensive stocks and gave the Knights very few chances to get back in the game.

It’s the third straight year the Warriors have sent the Knights out of the Cup, with the win last night likely to expand the healthy rivalry between the two clubs.

Knights coach James Sherman said there was no hiding from his team’s sheer disappointment.

“I had to ask the players after the game, ‘do we want to be a team remembered for honourable losses, who at times can match it with the top teams, or do we want to be a top team?’,” he said.

“We have to make the most of our opportunities and we didn’t against Olympia but I was undoubtedly proud of our effort.”

In the other Lakoseljac Cup game yesterday reigning champion Devonport defeated Kingborough 2–1.