Clinching the 2-1 victory with just four minutes remaining, the cheer from the away supporters seemed loud enough to be heard from Windsor Park.

City appeared to have rescued a point with 11 minutes left when Noah Mies' third goal in as many games cancelled out Mitch Roberts' first-half opener.

But a pivotal tackle from inspirational youngster Liam Gilmore presented the ball to Rhys Kinslow and the striker kept his composure to claim the points and cement Olympic's return to the state's top flight.

Asked his emotions on the final whistle, Olympic coach Alex Gaetani - whose father, Mark, was playing the last times the teams met in statewide competition - said: "Mainly relief."

He added: "I knew we had that performance in us because I know we are going to be a good side.

"I thought we deserved to win and were the better team and three points are very important.

"We had a very good first half. They got back in it second half and we conceded off a set piece which is disappointing but we showed real character and deserved it."

Fielding a side containing four players aged 18 or under, Gaetani reserved special praise for Gilmore.

"He had a real standout game. He's 17 playing on an experienced semi-pro and beating him and set up our winning goal."

With the teams pointless from their opening two fixtures and locked together on a -5 goal difference, both were desperate to kickstart their campaigns but City coach Lino Sciulli - a veteran of the previous statewide rivalry - conceded the better side won.

"We got what we deserved," he said.

"Really poor first half. We could not hold onto the ball and just kept giving it away. Second half much better but they got the late goal and deserved it. We gave it away and got punished.

"I just don't think we turn up ready to play half the time and you can't give sides a head start and expect to get results."

With Argentine import Luca Vigilante marshalling the area in front of their defence, and keeper Jarrod Hill producing a fingertip save to deny Greg Roller, Olympic grew in confidence as the first half wore on and stole the lead three minutes before the interval.

The match may have been all about the City-Olympic rivalry but the goal had Northern Rangers written all over it, set up and scored by two off-season signings from the NTCA Ground.

Will Humphrey, a long time Northern junior representative teammate of Gilmore, Hill and Jasper King, created the chance with a delightful throughball and although Roberts' first touch was a tad heavy, it gave him the momentum to drive in on goal and smash the ball past Lachlan Clark.

City were a different proposition after the break, laying siege to the visitors' goal in which Hill was as athletic as he was vocal.

His best save came low down from substitute Aaron Mattarozzi while Alex Turner's goalbound effort defelected over and Roller's radar was off for most of the night.

The pressure eventually paid off when Mies nodded home a Shane Cartwright corner but Olympic had to wait just seven more minutes before the bravery of Gilmore and bravado of Rinslow had them back in front.

The scorer led the celebrations with supporters behind the goal while Humphrey and King were first to jump on the creator.

No cross-town derby would be complete without some obligatory late yellow cards and Cartwright and Mattarozzi obliged as Olympic attempted to run down the clock.

Both teams will be at home on Saturday with Riverside facing reigning champions Devonport at Windsor Park at 1.30pm three hours before City host Glenorchy Knights at Prospect.

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