By Peter Kambounias

Sydney Olympic ran the Macarthur Rams ragged in a 5-0 demolition at Belmore Sports Ground.  The wide goal margin will do the world of good when goal difference is likely to play a major part in splitting the top five contenders in a few weeks time.

The win put Olympic six points inside the top five on 34 points and in fourth spot, just one point behind second placed Manly United who are Olympic's next opponent. 

Conversely, Macarthur Rams now prop up the league following Blacktown's surprise win over Sutherland Sharks.

Upon arriving at the ground one would have been quite confused to see a lot of sand on the field.  It wasn't the transformation of Belmore Sports Ground into Bondi Beach, but the amount of sand on the pitch would have both a visual and, more importantly of course, a physical impact on the game.

It didn't take long for Olympic to set up camp in the Rams half.  The first half an hour was spent gathering the firewood, pitching the tent and laying out all the camping gear.

Setting up was hindered somewhat by the sandy conditions.  Passing on the ground was turned into a tricky affair, while the unstable ground played havoc with mid range passing accuracy.

The fire looked to have started in the 28th by Jordanian international Siraj Al Tall with a slight volley touch off the ground following a well placed low cross by Chris Triantis.

A minute later Sydney Olympic was alight and the game was over for the Rams.  Mirko Jurilj played out a perfectly weighted pass to Triantis on the right flank.  He crossed over towards the far end where Emmanuel Zunino ended up with the ball in space to burn.  Zunino turned back and passed to Anthony Hartshorn free in a closer position and he delivered a pinpoint cross for Al Tall to delicately direct a header past Rams keeper Brody Crane and into the bottom right corner of the net.

Al Tall played a big part in Olympic's second just five minutes before the break.  It was a cross again from the left in what was a near repeat move to goal number one.  This time Rams defender Josh Ford tried to stop Al Tall from connecting but in doing so sent a header past Crane in exactly the same manner as the first goal.

Macarthur Rams would have wished it was they who put out a flame at half time but that honour fell to two Sydney Olympic officials who blew out the candles on a cake to celebrate their birthday on the day.  At 2-0 up it was looking like a good present from Sydney Olympic to the guys.

After the break the accelerants were called into play and the bonfire amongst the sand lit up the sky.  In the 53rd Hartshorn made easy work of a Rams defence that was at sixes and sevens, with 'H' poking home from close range.  Hartshorn could have made it four but Crane tipped a well directed header over the bar just a minute later.

Zunino joined in the dance around the bonfire seconds later.  His deep cross from the left ended up being tipped over the bar by Crane who was working overtime in the Rams goalmouth.

In the 57th Hartshorn delivered a well hit volley that Crane saved satisfactorily.  It was turning into a training session for Olympic.

Goal number four duly arrived in the 62nd.  Hartshorn picked off a Shannon Cole cross from the right, and the header left Crane with no chance of saving from close range again.

Matthew Mayora had done a truckload of work in carting the firewood in the first half, despite being ill as he revealed after the game, and could have got on the scorer's list in the 65th with his turn-and-volley that clipped the top of the crossbar, bringing a moment of near brilliance to the fore. 

Mayora did deservedly get on the list in the 72nd.  Cole's deep cross from the right was expertly headed by Al Tall only for the ball to cannon off the left upright and into the path of the rampaging Mayora who wasted no time in slamming the ball home. 

Olympic then searched for number six and came close through Matthew Jurman's header that went just wide with minutes to go in the game.  Jurman was involved in Olympic's final fling in the 90th - he sent a cross from the left that Al Tall headed towards goal but Crane was in the way, but the fire had all but burned out the Rams from the game. 

SYDNEY OLYMPIC 5 (Al Tall 29' Ford og 40' Hartshorn 53' 62' Mayora 72') defeated MACARTHUR RAMS 0 at Belmore Sports Ground

SYDNEY OLYMPIC: Michael Herbet, Emmanuel Zunino, Mirko Jurilj, Matthew Jurman, Shannon Cole, Milorad Simonovic, Roger Galayini, Chris Triantis (79' Marino Musumeci), Matthew Mayora (83' James Kovas), Anthony Hartshorn (66' Iain Ramsay), Siraj Al Tall