Olympic flame burning bright at top of the table

16 March 2016

IT was a case of mission accomplished for the champions-elect when they secured another three points in their quest for the Amateur League Division 1B crown.

Fourth-placed Grove United had every intention of halting Olympic’s surge to the title, but they ran into a brick wall in the final third of the Bells Bridge pitch as Liam Sloan’s back four gave a masterclass in defending throughout the 90 minutes.

This gave Olympic a solid platform on which to build and goals from Nathan Jones and Karl Lewis were no more than Olympic deserved as they produced yet another commanding display.

Both sides started with a lot of intensity and the action was hot and heavy in the opening exchanges. However, Olympic had a greater cutting edge to their play and chances came and went for Chris McNamara and Ryan Molloy inside the first eight minutes.

Molloy, who is developing into one of the brightest prospects in local football for a long time, then combined with Jones down the left, but shot wide after an exciting move.

With 15 minutes gone Olympic took the lead after McNamara intelligently played a through ball on the deck to Jones and he scampered away with two markers left for dead before planting the ball in the back of Michael Davidson’s net.

Grove were far from out of it and saw plenty of the ball, but they were not allowed to do a lot with it as they were closed down quickly by Sloan’s rangers. With 25 minutes gone Grove were awarded a free kick about 35 yards from goal, but Lewis Roy headed Joel Dalzell’s perfectly flighted ball wide.

Five minutes later Robert Bond chanced his arm from distance, but his effort flew well over the top of Ryan Walsh’s goal. At the other end a sizzling run and pass from Molloy saw him pick out Stevie Noade, but he was denied by an alert Davidson.

With 35 minutes gone Grove’s Scott Cosgrove looked suspiciously offside when he ran on to Dalzell’s pass, but he shot wide with the goal at his mercy.

Olympic were playing well within themselves and eventually made it 2-0 in the 37th minute when Lewis headed in a delightful free kick from Jones.

Grove were now on the ropes, but McNamara and Jones both wasted superb opportunities to increase Olympic’s lead before the break.

Jones went close again minutes after the break following a patient build-up and Davidson saved well from McNamara after Jones carved out the opening. However, Grove refused to capitulate and Walsh saved from Jordyn Bright and Cosgrove in quick succession.

Davidson was back in action at the other end a few minutes later when the dazzling Molloy put him through.

Davidson denied McNamara a second time minutes later and also saved from Sloan as Olympic looked to kill the game off, but Grove were nor for rolling over just yet.

They dominated the closing stages and Walsh saved twice from Roy and substitute Miguel Cerezo as Olympic held on for another three invaluable points.

It seems now that only a plague of locusts or an Act of Parliament can stop them from lifting the Division 1B trophy.

Ballynahinch Olympic: R Walsh, P Flanagan, A McLean, L Sloan, J Noade, S Noade, K Lewis, R Noade, N Jones, C McNamara, R Molloy. Subs: D Lyons, N Walsh, S McGoran.

Grove United: M Davidson, A Hunter, L Roy, R Bond, P Montgomery, R Dickey, J Dalzell, A McKinley, S Adams, S Cosgrove, J Bright. Subs: M Beggs, M Cerezo, S Reys.

Ballynahinch Olympic 2

Grove United 0

AMATEUR LEAGUE DIVISION 1B

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