Mark Wakefield (Image PlessPix)

Reigning Champions Olympia FC Warriors unleashed a withering second half to obliterate the Kingborough Lions resistance. An eight goal second half saw the Warriors home 9-0 to earn their first points of the PS4 NPL season.

Lawrence Shuruma was the player of the match following his powerful second half showing. His first half left a lot to be desired whilst playing through the middle, but his move to the right wing in the second half proved a masterstroke as he scored four with powerful running and excellent finishing.

The first half was a reasonably tight tussle between the two sides as the Lions started promisingly, forcing Pasquale Gioffre into a few saves in the opening stanza. The Warriors did, to their credit, control the majority of the first half but they tended to overplay the ball at the edge of the 18 yard box and didn’t have a lot to show for their general dominance because of this.

As early as the second minute, Olympia should have been ahead. Borbor Sam was brought down by Mark Grace in what was a clear penalty. Referee Brenton Kopra must have been unsighted as he waved play on despite the heavy protests of the Warriors players.

In the 22nd minute, Sam was played through on goal by the excellent Thomas Bellini and Nick Cuthbertson’s tackle did not stick. Sam skipped back inside and unleashed a shot into the bottom right of the goal to make it 1-0.

The rest of the half saw numerous wasted chances for Olympia as they continued to shoot from distance or play the wrong options, hold the ball for too long and generally shoot poorly when they did carve out good chances. Shuruma certainly did not have his shooting boots on in the first half and made some very poor choices in his midfield role.

The Lions got to go into the sheds at half time for a breather with the belief they were still in the game at 1-0 down.

But it did not prove to be the case as the second half resulted in absolute feast of goals for the reigning champs. In the 53rd minute, Shuruma was played through on goal before slotting past Grace to make it 2-0.

In the 56th minute, a moment of brilliance by Sam inside the 18 yard box created space for Bellini who lashed a side footed shot home from 12 yards to make it 3-0.

In the 62nd minute, Shuruma scored his second. He was released by Zack Drake before he weaved past a defender and dummied a shot to make Grace commit to a save before he slotted past him.

In the 68th minute Shuruma rounded off his hat trick. Joel Schuth had gone to sleep on the ball and Shuruma ran through, picked his pocket and went and slid the ball home to make it 5-0.

Shuruma scored his fourth and final goal of the afternoon in the 73rd minute. He showed his work rate by sprinting through to steal the ball from in front of two uncertain defenders before running on an angle to go past Grace before smashing a left footed shot home on the angle to make it 6-0.

In the 82nd minute, substitute Joel Sammut was on the end of a Warren Wadawu cross to side foot a half volley home to make it 7-0. In the 92nd minute, substitute Vinnie Kamano slotted home after Bellini went on an amazing solo run before cutting back for the young striker to hit home.

In the 94th minute the Warriors rounded out their scoring, Sammut slamming home his second goal after youngster Jacob Leaman played him in from the left channel.

The final whistle was sounded soon after and ended what has been a miserable week for the Kingborough Lions.

Olympia coach Glenn McNeill was happy with the performance in the second half, “I was happy with the second half, I wasn’t so happy at half time.”

“I think failing to capitalise on our possession was a real problem for us in that first half and really losing the ball in wide areas and not whipping crosses in was all a bit of a concern in the first half.”

“We certainly were a bit more ruthless in the second half.”

“We popped Lawrence (Shuruma) out on the right wing in that second half. I think that made a bit of a difference, it gives him a bit more time and he’s very good in one on one situations. He ended up having a very good game.”

“Mearns has a hip flexor issue, we thought it was best to sit him out. Shae was at a wedding in Melbourne.”

“It is a little bit (a relief to get that first win)”.

Kingborough acting coach David Cooper was disappointed after the game, “there is no other word than disappointing for that second half. But at the start of the game, we’ve lost our coach mid week, I asked the boys to put their effort in and play as a team. The first 45, structure defensively was really good.”

“I think there is a lot of work we need to do in terms of keeping possession.”

“I think there is certainly an aspect of that (fitness being an issue after shipping numerous goals in second halves) and certainly mentality comes into it as well, being a bit down and losing your coach.”

“We have some options (for coaches) we are looking at, but nothing we can announce at the moment”.

So the Warriors finally open their account for the defence of their title, whilst the Lions will be hoping for a better result next week against an understrength Northern Rangers line up. First of all though, they will need to find a replacement coach so the team can have certainty going forward for the rest of this season.