Several questions were asked after tonightıs result. Among them were:
Was the result a set up to make the final rounds of the finals series more interesting?
Is Con Diomis the worst referee in the NSL?
Was Phil Gould the guest half time pep talker in the Olympic change rooms (hence the poor result)?
Now these arenıt my usual questions from the mob in the stands (though they were wondering similar things, if in coarser terms). I again had to flee my spot in the stands to prevent rain diluting my beer.
These questions came from the press box and the post match media conference.
Even Newcastle coach Ian Crook thought his team won through a penalty that wasnıt really a penalty.
And even then Olympic might have come back if Jeromy Harris hadnıt been controversially red carded. And after that, even though Olympic still looked likely to get an equaliser, coach Lee Sterrey made a defensive change to protect his teamıs goal difference.
And Sterrey didnıt deny that Gould was in the neighbourhood.
So why did Olympic lose?
The game started late in cool, damp conditions.
Newcastle danger man Ryan Griffiths was first to get the ball to a by-line and pull back a cross. Newcastle then had free kick which Travis Dodd hit firmly straight to Olympic keeper Clint Bolton.
Olympic started with Jade North, Ante Juric and Paul Kohler at the back. Newcastle had Scott Thomas, Matthew Bingley and Scott Baillie.
Hiro Ishida had a start, running down Olympicıs right flank. But Adam Hughes showed him it wasnıt going to be easy running.
In the fifth minute Jeromy Harris mishit a shot just wide of the left post after a neat backheel by Troy Halpin to Wayne Srhoj and two attempts by Tom Pondeljak to get the ball in from the left.
Srhoj neatly dispossessed Robbie Middleby. But Olympic also gave away much possession, trying to be too clever with the ball.
Srhoj was again good beating Middleby, this time with a header.
Ishida caused trouble for his own defence, heading down a Hughes cross in the path of Dodd who, thankfully for Olympic, was shut down in time.
Ishida, always keen to make up for his own blunders, cut in from the right to collect a square ball, ran at goal and had a shot deflected. Thomas Willis held the corner.
Ryan Griffiths put in a good tackle to stop Ishida heading down the right line.
In the 16th minute Ryan Griffiths scored on a break from half way after Pondeljak lost the ball after being fed by Srhoj. Griffiths was clear and only had to round Bolton. Olympic were down, but certainly didnıt look out.
Halpin put in a good tackle on the hapless Middleby.
In the 20th minute Ryan Griffiths again had a clean break, and headed off to duplicate his first goal. But he took the ball too close to Bolton trying to round him again on the left. Bolton might well have been able to save, but Ishida arrived in time to take the ball from Griffithsı feet. As all three players collided.
Newcastle were awarded a penalty which Dodd converted. Olympic were a couple down. And even though Newcastle seemed to be keeping them under control, there was still the suggestion that Olympic could crank it up a little and pull a couple of goals back.
But not in the first half.
Olympic attacked with renewed energy. Ishida, again keen to make amends, put in a cross which Ryan Griffiths cut out at the right post.
Kohler tackled Middleby well as Newcastle put pressure on Olympicıs penalty area, thanks initially to a fine ball by Dodd to Ryan Griffiths running into the left corner.
A great ball from Pondeljak to Joel Porter in the opposite left corner was foiled by Thomas.
A poor ball by Srhoj almost set Middleby free, but Middleby fell over.
Pondeljak messed up a couple of deliveries forward but then showed some nice skill to send Porter on a run. But Porter again was quickly shut down.
At this stage I was thinking Olympic could retake this game; but there was no way they could play this badly against Perth and get away with it.
Middleby, still with nothing to offer, was beaten by North.
A Newcastle defensive blunder gave Ante Milicic a chance from a very fine angle on the right, but Milicic wasnıt on target.
Pondeljak shot from 25 metres to Willis.
Olympic looked dangerous in their build up, but Newcastle still dominated the physical contests and threatened on the counter.
Porter, having switched to the right, was caught by Adam Griffiths who broke forward and almost successfully fed Ryan Griffiths.
Srhoj completely ruined a slow Olympic build up and gave the ball away to Dodd.
In the 40th minute, Ryan Griffiths played to Middleby on the left. Middlebyıs cross fell to Dodd who completely mishit a perfect scoring opportunity.
A minute later Pondeljak made a trademark searing run through the middle but shot skyward, furious with himself for stuffing what he knew was a good chance.
In the 44th minute Milicic danced back and forth across the edge of the Newcastle box before releasing a shot that was deflected just wide of the right post.
Pondeljak was over-exerting himself, racing all over the pitch but misfiring passes. Kohler was over-exerting himself, but with more success, winning ball and distributing it.
Pondeljak played through to Milicic who was fouled by Hughes. Halpinıs chip won Olympic a corner. And Srhoj sprayed a shot so wide it didnıt even cross the goal line.
Which may be why he was replaced at half time. It was sort of a shame not to see him back after the break because I thought he was having one of his better recent games.
Five minutes into the second half, Harris, on a through ball from Pondeljak, had a one-on-one with Willis, which Willis won, conceding a corner.
Middleby was fouled 20 metres from goal but the free kick came to nothing.
Thomas beat Porter, apparently dozing, to an easy ball.
In the 55th minute Ishida had an easy touch in after Willis couldnıt hold a shot from Pondeljak, played through by Milicic in the centre circle.
At 1-2 it seemed Olympic had started the process of dragging themselves out of a pit. But Harris threw his team mates back in it when he made a retaliatory foul on Adam Griffiths and received a red card.
But Olympic lifted another notch.
Kohler very neatly robbed Ryan Griffiths, coming into the Olympic box after an Olympic passing error.
Pondeljak very nearly sent Porter on his way, but a half-lucky, half-good tackle by Bingley stopped him.
In the 63rd minute a soft Newcastle shot trickled past Olympicıs left post.
Juric made a great tackle on Dodd running into the box after Con Diomis played the advantage when Ryan Griffiths was fouled on half way.
Baillie made a good save on a cross from Pondeljak on the right and then, as the rain came down again, Olympic put together a good sequence of one-touch passes to get into the Newcastle penalty area. But no-one shot.
Milicic seemed unable to do anything but appeal for free kicks. Pondeljak hit another through ball, this time too long for Porter, who was replaced by Greg Owens.
Ryan Griffiths robbed Kohler and got the ball to Middleby whose shot was saved by Bolton.
Owens played to Halpin who middled to Milicic who made a great run and cross from the right. Only the Newcastle defence got a touch.
Milicic went down again under pressure from Hughes and again appealed in vain.
In the 81st minute Bolton saved from Middleby on a break into the left of the box with two defenders on his tail.
Five minutes later Willis made a pretty good save from Pondeljak, fed toward the left of the Newcastle box by George Souris. Pondeljak could have done better if heıd hit his shot firmer and kept it down.
The game wound down with the ref flourishing his yellow card. He was fortunate the crowd, quite controlled in the circumstances, was so small.
Sterrey said Olympic couldnıt do much about some crook decisions, only worry about the way they played. ³I was very disappointed with some of the efforts. We turned over far too much possession at times. It certainly wasnıt one of our best performances, but to find yourself two-nil down with a decision like that, well
³At the end of the day itıs one decision. Weıve still got to look at ourselves.²
He said Olympic had been playing consistently until this, their worst game of the series, along with the first game against Adelaide away.
Crook said he was happy with his first win of the series but was disappointed that it was clouded by what had happened. ³Iıd be the first to admit it was never a penalty. And I agree it was a crucial time to make it two-nil. But in saying all of that, weıve had it for seven weeks. Itıs about time we had a little bit fall our way.
³I was really pleased tonight with the boys Weıve got to take a bit of encouragement from this.²
Olympic now must try to secure their position in the final by getting points against Perth in Perth on May 17 or against Parramatta at Toyota Park on May 25. Nearest contenders Parramatta and Adelaide City face each other on May 18. Then Adelaide is up against Northern Spirit on May 23.