Olympic travelled to the Gold Coast on Saturday to play it’s first pre season trial game for the 2010 season. All three senior teams played the Gold Coast Knights at Nerang Soccer Club.

Conditions on the coast were very hot and spectators who attended the games were trying to take advantage of the limited shade areas available. Temperatures rose above 30° and players were given drinks breaks every 20 minutes to help them through the blistering playing conditions.

The day began brightly when our Youth team beat an older and more physical Knights team 3-1. Two goals to trialist Vani helped secure a well deserved victory to the boys from Goodwin Park. Coaches, Hagymas and Weerheim continually swapped players throughout the game to give the18 man travelling side an opportunity to impress the coaches and cement a place in our Youth Division 1 team.

The Reserve Grade side played an exciting 3 all draw against their hosts. The coaching staff of Konstantinou and Bellas gave starts to a number of trialist’s who were trying to cement a place in the Olympic Reserve Grade side. Best performers on the day were 16 year old Joseph from Park Ridge.

The first team fielded a squad of 20 players in its game against the Knight’s top team. Bobby Hamilton fielded a first half team that consisted on 3 starters from last years QSL side. The game began at a very fast pace, very physical despite the hot conditions that were still apparent even at 7pm when the game began. Even though a majority of the players were new, they gelled well and played some very entertaining football. The half ended in a scoreless draw, but when the second half began Hamilton made a number of substitutions to give all his players an opportunity to impress. Olympic pressed the Knights at every opportunity and eventually a smart goal was taken by Olympic’s new striker Reggie Davani to give the Goodwin Park side a well deserved lead. From then on Olympic began to dominate their hosts. Goals from John Costello, Daniel Crack, Brad Lacey and Ilka saw the score finish 5-1 to Olympic.

“Considering that we have two teams at our disposal for the game and a few of the boys have never played together, I was very pleased with the general fitness of the players and their commitment. We played some very good football. We made some minor mistakes but that’s to be expected. It was a tough game considering the temperature and time of the year but we did well” said a happy Hamilton.

Olympic take on Mt. Gravatt on Tuesday night at Lions Stadium, when they open the 2010 Silver Boot competition. The game will kick off at 6.30pm.

Joseph Anthony misses a golden opportunity to open the scoring against the Knights Youth team. He makes amends later by scoring Olympic’s second goal of the afternoon.

Youth team keeper Yanakopoulos desperately tries in vain to stop the Knights taking an early lead in their game

17 man Youth squad for the game against the Gold Coast Knights

First injury casualty for the year with Andrew Oar side lined with a sprained ankle during the Reserves game against the Gold Coast Knights

Kleberson Santos receives treatment from the Olympic medical staff after being involved in a heavy clash with a Knights player.

Jon Goupis squanders a shot that flew helplessly over the Knights goal

In a tough physical encounter at Nerang, Olympic trialist Evan Papadopoulos is being heavily marked by a number of Knights players.