Matt Sim’s winner on his Manly United return helped the Northern Beaches outfit claim a 1-0 win over Sydney Olympic in their Round 1 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s encounter at Belmore Sportsground on Saturday evening.
The 33-year-old, who started his senior career at Manly 12 years ago and traded Edensor Park for Cromer Park in the off-season, scored the decisive 45th-minute strike to earn Adam Griffiths’ visitors the three precious points.
Manly United boss Griffiths had hailed Sim as one of the best attackers in the competition following his signature from Sydney United 58 in the off-season and it was certainly a finish worthy of that title – a superbly timed lob over Olympic custodian Nicholas Sorras at breakneck speed to crown a lovely exchange involving Thomas Fay and Dejan Pandurevic.
While Manly’s star recruit found the winner, Olympic’s big off-season arrival Roy O’Donovan endured a quiet evening as his teammates struggled to provide the Irishman with service, although the ex-Newcastle Jets and Central Coast Mariners frontman did find the net with a sensational looping header in the second half which was adjudged to be offside.
Olympic did muster two good chances from set-pieces on the evening, firstly when Ben Van Meurs met Adam Parkhouse’s corner only for his header to be headed off the line by Jimmy Oates. It proved to be a crucial intervention from the Manly stalwart, as Sim broke the deadlock with his classy finish just moments later.
Ante Juric’s Olympic improved in the second half but never quite managed to mount sustained spells of pressure on the Manly goal, although they almost equalized in stoppage time when substitute Marley Peterson’s header flashed just wide from Brendan Cholakian’s corner.
“This was a true Round 1 game,” said Juric.
“I wasn’t happy with the first half – we weren’t intense as we should’ve been. It’s a frustrating result.”
Manly United coach Griffiths hailed the team’s result as an upset win.
“It was a difficult game to come to Olympic because they have a lot of stars,” he said.
“I think people doubted we would take the three points tonight, but we were in control and had some dangerous moments, especially with set-pieces.
“We need to progress though and play our attacking style of football.”
Match Stats
Sydney Olympic 0
Manly United 1 (Sim 45’)
Saturday, 5th March 2022
Belmore Sportsground, Belmore
Referee: Adrian Arndt
Assistant Referees: Cameron Wayne Wright and Melik Ibrahim
Fourth Official: Harrison Fisher
Sydney Olympic: 1. Nicholas Sorras, 2. Tom Whiteside 4. Ben Van Meurs, 5. Michael Glassock, 6. Mathieu Cordier, 8. Sam McIllhatton (24. Hagi Gligor 76’), 9. Oliver Puflett, 11. Adam Parkhouse (17. Marley Peterson 67’), 19. Darcy Burgess (10. Brendan Cholakian 58’), 23. Daniel Dias (3. Nikola Ujdur 79’), 99. Roy O’Donovan
Substitutes Not Used: 30. Jeremy Pollard, 21. Chan Deng
Yellow Cards: Glassock 61’, Cordier 86’
Red Cards: N/A
Manly United: 20. Jack Greenwood, 2. Kieran Paull, 3. Jesse Piriz, 4. Jimmy Oates, 5. Tom Fay, 7. Seiya Kambayashi, 8. Dom Ferguson (24. Mitch Mattison 75’), 11. Matt Sim (9. Ben Koop 60’), 12. Finn Ashton (Bruno Mendes 38’), 14. Dejan Pandurevic, 19. Alen Aganovic
Substitutes Not Used: 17. Zendon Hart, 18. Lucas Rainbird
Yellow Cards: N/A
Red Cards: N/A
Player Ratings
3 – Jimmy Oates (MUFC)
2 – Bruno Mendes (MUFC)
1 – Matt Sim (MUFC)
By National Premier Leagues NSW reporter Jacob Windon