Wollongong Olympic’s experienced stars guided the side to a professional 3-0 win over a nine-man Helensburgh Thistle at Rex Jackson.
Guy Knight put Olympic in front early before Izaak Clarke added a second from the spot soon after halftime.
Rick Goodchild scored Olympic’s third later on, and from there, Helensburgh lost their composure as Vaughan Patterson and Joshua Hanlon were shown red cards.
Olympic took control of the ball in the early stages, but set pieces were providing the most threat for the visitors.
Four minutes in, Harry Callahan whipped in an early free-kick from the right that Nick Litler attacked and nodded onto the left post.
Callahan put in another dangerous cross eight minutes later – this time from a corner – that Knight got on the end of at the far post, heading wide.
However, in the 15th minute, Callahan and Knight combined for Olympic’s opener. Callahan got the ball back from a short corner and curled it towards the back post for Knight who side-footed an accurate volley past Helensburgh goalkeeper Luke Morgan.
Helensburgh had been struggling to get any consistent possession in the match, but half an hour in, they began to move the ball further up the pitch.
In the 31st minute, Hanlon turned in the middle of the pitch and picked out Liam Unicomb in behind down the right. The winger managed to get a first-time shot off from a tight angle, but Olympic goalkeeper Ben McGuinnes repelled the ball.
Two minutes later, the Thistle put together several passes high up in the Olympic half before Dylan Caton took aim with his left foot, narrowly missing the left post.
The hosts maintained the pressure up until the break but went into the sheds still a goal down after Knight’s early strike.
Olympic had made the most of their fast start, utilising set pieces and grabbing the opening goal.
Helensburgh had grown into the game as Hanlon began to get on the ball more as the half progressed.
They failed to carry this on in the second half though and conceded a penalty two minutes in.
Clarke – on as a substitute at halftime – took responsibility and placed the ball into the right of the goal, with Morgan diving the other way. The penalty was Clarke’s first goal in Olympic colours.
Olympic’s second goal stretched the game as Helensburgh committed more forward. The visitors found more space on the break, using Brad Watts’ and Jarvis Paterson’s speed.
Helensburgh had a big chance to score 55 minutes in when Hanlon raced in behind, through on goal. The forward, however, blazed the shot well wide.
Olympic continued to create chances with Jason Madonis and Lucas Stergiou dictating proceedings from deep.
Midway through the half, Madonis clipped a clever pass to Clarke for the attacker to get into a shooting position in the right of the box but he dragged the ball across the face of goal.
From the resulting goal kick for Helensburgh, the away side found their second goal. Rick Goodchild squeezed a shot in from a tight angle in the left side of the box.
Helensburgh’s task went from bad to worse in the 77th minute when Patterson was shown his second yellow card and sent off, leaving the hosts down a defender.
The Thistle struggled to keep their heads in the game as they lost another player with four minutes to go when Hanlon was shown a straight red card.
Olympic could have had more goals late on, but they did not find the finishing touches to blow out the score.
Wollongong Olympic host South Coast United on Saturday, while Helensburgh are also at home against Coniston on Sunday.
Report by Tim Gibson
File Photo
