By Peter Kambounias

Sydney Olympic went on a first half rampage and smashed four goals past a dejected Wollongong Wolves in their round 2 TeleChoice Premier League game.

Star of the show was Shannon Cole who scored two world class free kicks that would not be out of place in the finest and biggest stadia around the world.

His first from all of 30 metres was amazing and he bettered it soon after.

Olympic coach Milan Blagojevic made several changes to the line up by starting Peter Zorbas (captain), Anthony Hartshorn and Emmanuel Zunino who returned from injury.

All three had very solid games.  Zorbas marshalled the midfield and controlled the accelerator pedal, Hartshorn did a tonne of work in attack and was rewarded with a goal, and Zunino helped shore up the defence and complemented Mirko Jurilj and Michael Cindric in the back line.

The first day of autumn felt like the middle of winter with a very chilly and at times blustery wind blowing behind Olympic in the first half.  Wollongong would feel the full force of Cyclone Cole and his wonder-free kicks.

Wollongong started the game in a positive way by getting stuck into the physical battles that they felt were required to temper Olympic's expected attacking style, but it didn't take long for the home side to get into the groove.  There were several strong tackles by both sides that referee Srbre Delovski allowed to go unpunished - a gamble that paid off very well for him and full credit to him as the players soon got the 'feeling out period' out of the way.

Paul Wither was the first to enjoy a chance at goal thanks to a ninth minute shot that just scooted wide left of goal after great build up work from Roger Galayini.

Olympic took up more and more possession away from the Wolves and were ominously turning the match into a training session with a killer sting in the tail.

One such keep-ball drill around the Wolves penalty area led to the opening goal in the 18th.  A deep cross from the right flank was met at the far post by the chest of Hartshorn, leaving Wolves keeper Matthew Nash with no hope of stopping the start of the scoring spree.

"They dropped their heads after the first goal", Olympic defender Michael Cindric revealed after the game.

Olympic were in full control and comfortably directing the course of events.  One touch moves, both through the middle and up the flanks, were a highlight with everyone wearing the blue and white eager to be part of the action.  Olympic displayed great enthusiasm to put on a show for the fans and for themselves, even though the Wolves were not happy spectators.

In the 29th minute Shannon Cole unleashed the first of his free kick gems.  From front on and at midway between the centre circle and the penalty area 'D' Cole hit a wicked dipping shot that even the back-tracking Nash could not stop.  Cole ran to the sideline in front of the Olympic bench, looked at the crowd, raised his arms and took in the applause and the celebrations from his team.

Shannon Cole after his first wonder goal. (photo courtesy of Football NSW)

A minute later Matthew Mayora missed a chance that he would still be wondering how he didn't score.  With only a Wolves defender on the goal line and the keeper out of play, Mayora managed to find the feet of the defender rather than hit the large gaps on either side from close range.  It turned out to be a chance that would not come back to haunt Olympic, unlike last week's misses against the Berries.

Hartshorn turned provider for Olympic's third in the 36th.  His low cross from just outside the right corner of the penalty area was brilliantly met by Mayora who drove his header past Nash and into the left side of the net.  The game was effectively over at that point, but there was more.

Matthew Mayora celebrates his goal (photo courtesy of Football NSW)

When Olympic got a free kick on the left flank in the 37th no one at Belmore Sports Ground expected that Shannon Cole would have a go from where the free kick would be taken.  No one except Cole himself.  He sized up the distance, took the wind into account, and let rip with a dipping and curving right foot free kick that went straight into the top right corner where the spiders live.

Cole again ran to the sideline and soaked in the applause and amazement of everyone before being swamped by his team-mates who all converged into the coaching technical area and risked being booked - but sense prevailed again from referee Delovski who quickly dispersed the players and got them back onto the field. 

At half time many Olympic fans were asking where the scoreline was heading, with talk of seven or eight goals a strong possibility.

Lucky for the Wolves it didn't happen.

"Our second half was a natural response to the scoreline and we asked the boys to try to keep the ball.  There was no need for us to go forward whereas they had to come at us", Olympic coach Milan Blagojevic said after the game.

The second half didn't reach the heights of excitement as the first, even though Olympic had several chances to add to their goal tally. 

In the 52nd Cole hit a free kick from wide left to the far post where Cindric climbed aussie rules-style to header the ball - of course Delovski rightfully gave the Wolves a free kick.

Wolves striker Ederaro forced Michael Herbet into a rare save in the 53rd with a shot that was tipped over the bar, and his counterpart saved well to deny a downward driven header from Wither two minutes later.

Wither had two more opportunities in the 77th - his first was just wide and his second was just over.  Zunino pulled off a volley that sailed over in the 80th, and Chris Triantis had his shot well kept by Nash in the 39th.  Olympic were always the masters of the destiny of the game and settled with the four goal advantage.

"We dominated in the first half but I felt that we were still playing within ourselves.  It's good to bounce back from last week and we exposed some of the Wolves weaknesses", Blagojevic said.

"Shannon practiced his free kicks last night and he was more confident, hitting them right.  What can you say about the free kicks.. they were awesome!"

"We are away at Marconi next week so we'll have to adjust again, but we'll go into that match with a lot of confidence", Blagojevic added.

SYDNEY OLYMPIC 4 (Hartshorn 18', Cole 29' 37', Mayora 36') defeated WOLLONGONG WOLVES 0 at Belmore Sports Ground

SYDNEY OLYMPIC: Michael Herbet, Emmanuel Zunino, Mirko Jurilj, Michael Cindric, Shannon Cole, Peter Zorbas, Matthew Mayora (73' Anthony Doumanis), Anthony Hartshorn (82' Iain Ramsay), Chris Triantis, Roger Galayini (80' Milorad Simonovic), Paul Wither.