Rockdale must win next week to keep in touch

After two losses Rockdale FC has now slipped down the ladder and Marconi Stallions has climbed into the top spot.

Sydney Olympic secured a 3-1 victory over rivals Rockdale Ilinden in Round 13 at Rockdale Ilinden Sports Centre on Sunday evening.

Ilinden were down to the bare minimum on the playing roster through injuries to the squad, including inspirational skipper Danny Petkovski, but it wasn't used as an excuse in a full blooded game that promised and delivered plenty.

The visitors got off to a flyer after Irish striker Roy O'Donovan netted two goals by the 11th minute of the game before Rockdales Alec Urosevski reduced the deficit with a thumping left-footed drive in the 20th.

The goals kept coming in the opening half when Olympics Oliver Puflett found the net from the edge of the box.

It proved to be the final goal of an end-to-end fixture and a vital three points in the chase for finals football.

Despite the fast start from the visitors, Rockdale didn't give up and grew into the match, causing Olympic problems. Both Urosevski and Tomoki Wada fired free kicks into the wall in quick succession as Rockdale applied the pressure without being able to restore parity.

Rockdale coach, Steve Zoric, replaced Antoniou and Mo Ahmed with Peter Kekeris and James Percevski in an attempt to change the point of attack and rest members of his depleted squad whilst reinvigorating the attack.

Zoric said he wouldn't use the playing roster as an excuse after the loss.

"I told the guys just then that what killed us was the early goals in the game.

"I wanted that start from our team but we were on the receiving end and then we switched on after that and got into the game and started to dominate, but we were chasing at that stage and the third goal killed us.

"It was disappointing to concede the third goal when we were basically ball watching and not closing the player down allowing his time and space to pick his spot.

"We need to take a long hard look at ourselves this week and bounce back next week at Lambert Park in what will be a very crucial game for us now and we have to be thankful that some of the results have gone our way this week."