Blackburn United Reserves on Pitch 1 and the sun was shining... Olympic needed a win to keep them at the top and the pressure is on Rishton who if they slip up will be a few points behind Olympic and played 1 more.
Rob Plummer is unavailable along with Stu Clark and Ste Round. Ben Parker handed in a written transfer request mid week and was released by manager Dave Lloyd after a loyal spell at the club. Dave Lloyd himslef fancied as start as the Olympic back line was thin and started at Right back. The rest of the team was relatively unchanged leaving Joe Roberts on the bench.
Olympic kicked off and Blackburn United didn't even touch the ball for the best part of 5 minutes. Olympic look up for this today.
It didn't take long for the first goal. Good play down the left from Brown & Tomlinson released Ian Mason who put a teasing ball across the face of goal. Andy McCari raced in and managed to get a touch which put the ball into the roof of the net. A well deserved 1st goal of the season for McCari having put in some good performances over the last few weeks... 1-0 OLYMPIC.
Olympic were comfortable and could have gone 2 up not much later. An Olympic corner was cleared to the end of the box. It was headed back in towards leading scorer Tomlinson who conected with a sweet overhead kick that Wayne Rooney would have been proud of. The keeper couldn't get near it and the ball flew in to the net but unfortunately the linesman had his flag up and the goal was ruled out. What a shame ... Surely would have been a candidate for the goal of the season.
The opposition hadn't really tested Tomas Barath at all and Olympic where in control going into the break.
Tempers flared at half time as some of the Olympic players were dissapointed to be going in at only 1-0.
The second half started with Stu Brown who has been knocking on the door for a goal over the last few weeks went close with a strike from the edge of the box however he just couldn't get over it and the ball kept rising over after a lay off from Chris Tomlinson.
It's all Olympic at the moment and Lee Grundy forced a mistake from the defence who gave the ball straight to Carl Black who lofted a ball over the back line for Sholicar to go and hunt down and he didn't dissapoint. First of all putting the defender under pressure to miss a clearance and then to beat the on rushing keeper to the ball and nod it round him into an empty net.... OLYMPIC 2-0.
Stu Brown again almost got his name on the score sheet just after Olympics second with an audacious lob from all of 50 yards however the keeper managed to get back and tip the ball over for a corner.
A quick double from the opposition startled Olympic as against the run of play they found themselves level. Barath managed to get a big strong hand to the oppositions second to tip it on to the post however unfortunely it rolled along the line hit the other post and trickled in. 2-2.
Tomas Schmeichel then pulled off the save of the season to keep Olympic in the game. After a quick break from Blackburn Utd the ball was bouncing around inside the Olympic area. When the ball finally landed at the feet of an opposition player he smashed a goal bound shot into the far corner leaving Tomas helpless... or so they thought. The opposition were practically celebrating a goal that would have give them the lead for the first time in the match and probably would have won them the game but Barath managed to get accross and claw the ball out of the net and around the post for a corner... unbelievable Jeff.
That save gave Olympic the momentum to go and on win the game. Sholicar once again broke free and thundered towards goal only to be impeded by the opposition. Lee Grundy fired a delightful ball to the back post and Carl Black managed to power a header into the goal from just inside the six yard box sparking celebrations from the Olympic fan and players. OLYMPIC 3-2........... 5 minutes to go
Olympic just had to keep possession now and see out the rest of the game with only minutes remaining however they didn't plan to have to do it with 10 men. Sholicar again went on a surging run only to be fouled again by the opposition. Freekick to Olympic but in the heat of the moment Sholicar kicked the ball into the touchline and the referee produced a second yellow.
Backs to wall for Olympic but they managed to dig deep and hold on to the well deserved 3 points which now puts them top of the league with a game in hand over 2nd place Hindle Arms.... where did they come from?? A solid game from Player Manager Dave Lloyd who didn't put a foot wrong all game. It's between the three B's Black, Brown and Barath for the MOM award and the match winning save from Barath thats gets him the award.
Any way still a must win game against Rishton next week without Stu Brown who is now away for 3 weeks giving up his joint record with Carl Black of playing every minute of every game this season.
