Olympia Warriors too strong for Clarence Zebras in Development League

Photo:  Olympia's Zane Wright-Dawes (left) and Clarence Zebras' Finley Palmer have eyes only for the ball. [PlessPix]

(NPL Development League, Empire Couriers Park, Sunday, 8 May 2022)

Olympia Warriors 2 (Mohammad Danial Abdul Kadir 1’, Harrison Cox 5’ og)

Clarence Zebras 1 Campbell Birch 52’)

HT:  2-0   Att:  60   Ref:  Joshua Clement (AR Meghan Goscombe, AR Hamish Harle)

Olympia Warriors:  C McGuiness;  M D Abdul Kadir, J Banks, J Clothier, J Dolliver, J Hall, E Kounelis, Z Prebble, C Roberts, P Rosson, Z Wright-Dawes  (Subs:  B Green, T Kennedy, B Potito, C Wallis)

Clarence Zebras:  A Featherstone;  C Birch, R Boscoe, X Brudenell, H Cox, D Diafokeris, F Hadley, O Jones, E Medhurst, F Palmer, J Reynolds  (Subs:  A Bennett, J Maundrill)

Photo:  Referee Josh Clement checks on the condition of Clarence Zebras goalkeeper Aidan Featherstone after he collided with a post and wrapped himself in the net while dealing with a high lob that landed on the roof of the net.  Featherstone was limping for a while after this incident. [PlessPix]  

Clarence Zebras got off to the worst possible start when they visited Empire Couriers Park today to face Olympia Warriors.

The visitors were two goals down in the opening five minutes.

Mohammad Danial Abdul Kadir opened the scoring in the first minute, while it was 2-0 in the 5^th minute when Clarence Zebras’ Harrison Cox put through his own net.

Clarence Zebras were reeling under the fierce Warriors assault and they should have conceded a third goal midway through the half.  A high cross into the box eluded goalkeeper Aidan Featherstone, under pressure from Zane Wright-Dawes, and the ball fell perfectly for Jacob Hall, but the youngster somehow blazed high over the crossbar from a metre out.

Photo:  Olympia's Jacob Hall lifts his shot over the bar from just a metre out. [PlessPix]  

Clarence Zebras gradually settled down and managed some attacks of their own but were unable to beat the Olympia keeper, even in one-on-one situations.

The visitors also rattled the framework of the goal with a fierce shot that cannoned off a post.

Olympia were well worth their 2-0 lead at the interval, however, despite signs of life in the Clarence Zebras ranks.

Clarence Zebras pulled a goal back 7 minutes after the resumption through Campbell Birch but an equaliser remained elusive.

Photo:  Olympia's goalscorer, Mohammad Danial Abdul Kadir, on the attack down the wing. [PlessPix]

Photo:  Clarence Zebras' Harrison Cox (No.10) forces a fine save from the Olympia keeper with his fierce free-kick. [PlessPix]

Photo:  Clarence Zebras' Finlet Palmer (left) gets to the ball ahead of Olympia's Zane Wright-Dawes. [PlessPix]

Photo:  Clarence Zebras' Finley Palmer (No.4) and Oliver Jones close in on an Olympia opponent. [PlessPix] 

Photo:  Clarence Zebras keeper Aidan Featherstone is first to the ball in this contest. [PlessPix]