Sydney Olympic FC remain in the hunt for the Premiership after their 3-2 win against Mt Druitt Town Rangers at Popondetta Park on Friday night.
Ace marksman Roy O’Donovan fired home a brace either side of half time to push his tally to 19 for the season, alongside a goal to Sam McIllhatton to secure three points.
For Mt Druitt Town Rangers, they suffered a battling loss in what has been a tough campaign. The hosts pulled one back in the second half through substitute Mabior Garang and then a late screamer from Jack Stewart for some consolation.
Looking to finish off their home season in style, Mt Druitt Town Rangers were in the game early with a scramble almost going over the line then a drive from Solomon-Johnn Monahan-Vaiika thrashed wide from the corner.
Sydney Olympic took time to settle but almost opened up the hosts in the 20th minute as McIllhatton, Adam Parkhouse and O’Donovan all combined for the latter to prod wide.
The visitors were looking to put pressure on the top two in the league coming into the final week and got the opener through the head of O’Donovan from an Oliver Pufflet cross for 1-0.
Mt Druitt Town Rangers tried to respond themselves in the 25th minute through their own sharpshooter Jack Stewart, but his effort was thrashed wide of the right-hand post.
Not content to sit on their goal lead, Olympic kept pushing forward.
Darcy Burgess sent a cutback over the top, then just before half time O’Donovan’s shot on the turn was saved.
The hosts tried to pull one back quickly after the restart and it fell to their main man.
Stewart found an inch of space before he turned one straight at Olympic’s Christopher Parsons.
Past the hour mark, the visitors had a pair of shots to extend their lead – Parkhouse with a free kick that went straight then Daniel Diaz found space to shoot right at Mt Druitt’s Jerome Narayan.
Mt Druitt Town Rangers weren’t about to lie down as Stewart teed up a cross for veteran Tarek Elrich to nod straight at Olympic custodian Parsons.
There was a moment to remember for Mabior Garang as the substitute pulled one back for Mt Druitt Town Rangers, tapping home from a Louis Khoury ball for 2-1.
Sydney Olympic tried to restore their two-goal advantage on the counter started by Mathieu Cordier but the play ended up with both O’Donovan and Pufflet having shots that deflected wide of the mark.
Pufflet had a big chance to finish off the contest when the ball fell to him with wide open pastures ahead of him. He strode over but Rangers keeper Jerome Narayan made a fantastic stop to keep the hosts in the contest.
O’Donovan was the width of the post away from securing the three points in the 86th minute when he struck the post, then Parkhouse swept it wide from yards out.
The visitors restored their two-goal lead from the spot after Cordier was fouled on the left side of the box.
O’Donovan stepped up and slotted it home to make it 3-1 for Olympic.
Mt Druitt Town Rangers signed off their home portion of the season with one last piece of flair as Stewart arrowed one in the bottom corner to make it 3-2.
Post-match, Mt Druitt Town Rangers coach Stewart Montgomery stated that the game was a snapshot of the Rangers season in 2022.
“It was a snapshot of the season for us,” he explained.
“We had good moments then conceded on the transition against a good Sydney Olympic FC side.
“I think when we came out in the second half and dominated then it was one moment that cost us.”
Montgomery also praised substitute and 20s scoring machine Mabior Garang for his work.
“We’ve been working with him all year. He is leading the scoring in the 20s and I think he has a big future in the game.” Montgomery said.
For Sydney Olympic FC coach Ante Juric, the former Blues defender admitted it was a scrappy contest but his side took the three points which was all that mattered.
“It was a little bit scrappy due to being a short week for us,” he said.
“I wasn’t happy with how we played tonight but it was about the three points so now we head into next weekend with a chance to lift the Premiership.”
Match Stats
Friday 22nd July 2022
Popondetta Park, Emerton
Referee: Michael Weiner
Assistant Referees: Joon Park & Joseph Lee
Fourth Official: Joel Crawford
Mt Druitt Town Rangers 2 (Garang ‘72, Stewart 93’)
Sydney Olympic FC 3 (O’Donovan ‘24, ‘89, McIllhatton ‘42)
Mt Druitt Town Rangers: 2. Solomon-Johnn Monahan-Vaiika, 6. Louis Khoury, 7. Jack Stewart, 8. Jason Perez, 15. Brayden Burr (36, Noah Panczyk ‘84), 17. Cooper Coskerie, 18. Olayinka Sunmola (24. Mabior Garang ‘63), 19. Bul Juach (25. Mohammed Sabbouh ‘45), 21. Tarek Elrich, 22. Rhett Desilva (11. Fumoto Kamada ‘22), 30. Jerome Narayan
Unused subs: 1. Oman Ramezani, 32. Jacob Micallef
Yellow cards: Monahan-Vaiika ‘86
Red cards: nil
Sydney Olympic FC: 3. Nikola Ujdur, 4. Benjamin Van Meurs, 5. Michael Glassock, 6. Matthieu Cordier, 8. Sam Mcillhaton, 9. Oliver Pufflet (17. Marley Peterson ‘86), 11. Adam Parkhouse (22. Fabio Ferreira ‘90), 19. Darcy Burgess (10. Brendan Cholakian ‘61), 20. Christopher Parsons, 23. Daniel Dias (24. Hagi Gligor ‘90), 99. Roy O’Donovan
Unused subs: 2. Thomas Whiteside, 90. Evan Hamele
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards: nil
By Justin Davies (@JustDavies90)