By Peter Kambounias

Bankstown City's first half demolition of Olympic was the major contributor to a 3-0 result at Jensen Park in Round 17 of the TeleChoice Premier League.

A double to Robert Mileski and a third to Tayfun Devrimol at full time were enough to see off Olympic on a very cold Saturday night.

Such was the poor performance of Olympic in the first half that coach Milan Blagojevic tore strips off the paintwork in the Olympic dressing room at half time.

Olympic came out a much improved unit in the second half but the damage had already been done.

Blagojevic had to shuffle his line up due to centre back Michael Cindric being away as he is getting married.  This, combined with the continuing injury to Emmanuel Zunino and the unavailability of Manny Giannaros meant that Blagojevic shifted Paul Wither into the backline to partner Mirko Jurilj.  It was a gamble that didn't pay off.  Wither's slow reaction time and Jurilj's defensive style were not able to cope with the speedy Mileski and Paul Harries up front for the home side.

Back for Olympic was midfielder Milorad Simonovic and he was joined in the engine room by Peter Zorbas and Chris Triantis.

Things got off on the wrong foot for Olympic within 30 seconds after the kick off.  Bankstown's Brett Studman clattered Anthony Doumanis from behind in what should have been a bookable offence, but Studman got off without a yellow card. Doumanis never really shook off the injury and combined with his being over towered by the Bankstown defence, forced Blagojevic to substitute him at half time.

Andre Grumprecht had a run and shot on target after three minutes that was deflected away for a corner.  Grumprect had another shot in the 10th that stung the gloves of Michael Herbet who managed to re-gather the ball.  Bankstown were running Olympic ragged all over the park.

Olympic's James Kovas did have an 11th minute low shot parried away by Zlatko Josevski in the Bankstown goals.  Immediately following this the Bankstown side pressed upfield and Mirko Jurilj picked up on a loose final ball by the home side but got into a big misunderstanding with Herbet - the back pass was intercepted by the home team and a cross from the right fell into the penalty area where four Olympic defenders all managed to allow Mileski to chest the ball down and turn and shoot leaving Herbet no chance while the Olympic defence were caught in a classic case of ball watching. 

Only after the 20 minute mark did Olympic appear to be endeavouring to get into the game, but Bankstown were in full control.  Olympic were a disjointed outfit across all lines.

Bankstown could have doubled their lead when Devrimol shot over the bar with only Herbet to beat in the 26th minute.  A second goal would have wrapped up the game even at that early stage, such was the dominance of the home team.

Olympic's first half chance came in the 31st minute when Iain Ramsay's volley-cross zoomed past Josevski but Kovas was not where he should have been to poke the ball into the net from close range.

Four minutes later Bankstown came close to a second goal again.  Ramsay's sloppy pass allowed Mileski to glide past Wither who gave chase.  As Mileski approached the box Wither looked like he was going to foul but Herbet came off his line to put out the fire and save Olympic's blushes.  Herbet was on hand in the 32nd to save a well hit Richard Luksic volley.

Bankstown beat an Olympic offside trap in the 43rd via Mileski on the right flank.  Mileski jinked his run towards the box and just as Carlo Musumeci was about to close in, Mileski hit a shot with the outside of his right boot to swerve the ball around Herbet and the second killer goal became a reality.

It was a very bitterly dissapointing first half for the travelling Olympic supporters, most of who were suggesting that Matthew Mayora just had to be put on to give Olympic some muscle on the park.  As the players returned to the field for the second stanza their suggestions were realised.  Mayora had come on for Doumanis.

Olympic immediately looked a stack better right from the start of the second half.  Ramsay had a shot in the 50th that forced Josevski to parry for a corner and Josevski parried again in the 57th to deny Musumeci.  The resulting corner was met by the head of substitute Siraj Al Tall but the header went just wide.  Bankstown were sitting back and absorbing Olympic's attacks while they were quick to spurt upfield on counter attacking raids.

Ramsay had another shot on goal that crossed the goalmouth in the 65th but Olympic's best chance came five minutes later.

Anthony Hartshorn had just come on to replace Peter Zorbas.  Hartshorn's first touch was a solid header that bounced off the left end of the crossbar.  It was Olympic's closest opportunity to get back into the contest.  Three minutes later a Ramsay cross was met by Mayora who's header went wide of goal.  Olympic had seized full control of the game. 

In the 80th Mayora was getting into shooting position however the Bankstown defence snuffed the danger out efficiently.  Triantis' 81st minute free kick from front on went over the bar.  Mayora shot over the bar in the 84th and Herbet puled off a great save to deny James Monie in the final minute of normal time.

Bankstown put the cream on the cake right at the death.  Devrimol found himself all alone at the back post on the end of a Bankstown counter and had the simplest of tap-ins to make it 3-0.

The loss closed the gap between 5th placed Olympic and 6th placed Bankstown to 5 points with five rounds remaining.  Olympic will need to gain maximum points from the next two matches against Penrith away and Macarthur at home.  Following these games is the away trip to Manly. 

BANKSTOWN CITY 3 (Mileski 13' 43' Devrimol 93') defeated SYDNEY OLYMPIC 0 at Jensen Park, Sefton.

SYDNEY OLYMPIC: Michael Herbet, Mirko Jurilj, Paul Wither, Carlo Musumeci, Nathan Sherlock, Peter Zorbas (70' Anthony Hartshorn), James Kovas (56' Siraj Al Tall), Chris Triantis, Milorad Simonovic, Anthony Doumanis (46' Matthew Mayora), Iain Ramsay