Words: Michael Flynn
Additional Reporting & Images: Paul Smith

Olympic FC have moved into the top four for the first time this season after narrowly defeating SWQ Thunder 1-0 at Clive Berghofer Stadium.

In a match of few chances, Olympic’s Ramone Close delivered the match winner early in the second half to lift his season’s tally to five goals.

The win extends Olympic’s perfect record against Thunder to six wins from as many matches in PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues – marking a third league double in as many years over the Toowoomba-based club.

Their fourth straight win moves Olympic ahead of Brisbane City and Redlands United in the race for the PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland Finals Series, with both those sides still able to edge back into fourth later in the round.

The match was Thunder’s last at home this season and leaves them needing to take maximum points on the road from their final three fixtures to stay in contention for a maiden finals appearance.

Key Moments

5’ – CHANCE FOR OLYMPIC – Ramone Close’s lobbed effort from outside the penalty area is tipped onto the crossbar by Thunder goalkeeper Luke Borean. Liam O'Bryan pounces on the rebound but pushes it wide of the target

7’ – CHANCE FOR OLYMPIC – O’Bryan nutmegs his defender before picking out Byrne ten yards out but the Olympic skipper can’t find the target with the ensuing shot

13’ – CHANCE FOR THUNDER – Hong Soon Im advances into the penalty area before crossing to Mustafa Jafari at the far post but his head is easily saved by Nicholas Mooney

58’ – GOAL FOR OLYMPIC – A scramble ensues from a corner kick and falls invitingly for Close to turn it across the line from close range

63’ – CHANCE FOR THUNDER – Jafari dribbles to near the byline before pulling the trigger from a tight angle but his shot is high over the crossbar

83’ – CHANCE FOR THUNDER – Jafari chases down a throughball and crosses in toward Christopher McCartney but he mis-times his leap and the ball is collected by Mooney

What They Said

“It was very tough. We stuck to our game plan throughout the whole game and there was just a unfortunate goal there but that’s football and we’ll learn from that and move on. It was good to see the supporters’ out tonight to send us off in a good way but it was disappointing we couldn’t get a win for them. But there’s three away matches to come and we’re sure we can come away with three points from each of them.“ – Keagan Sheridan, SWQ Thunder FC captain

"I thought the first-half we controlled the game and certainly had a lot of chacnes to put the game away. In the second half it became a bit more fifty-fifty. But we got the goal, kept the clean sheet and we got the three points so we're very pleased." - Terry Kirkham, Olympic FC coach

Match Details

PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues 2016 – Round 19

Saturday, July 30
Clive Berghofer Stadium, Toowoomba

SWQ Thunder FC – 0
Olympic FC – 1 (Ramone CLOSE 58’)

Match Centre – http://bit.ly/2av9Upy

Match Officials – Michael BOZHOFF (referee), Alex HOHN (assistant), Josh EISER (assistant), Kehan RYLEY (fourth)