A superb performance from Alex Gaetani's men, epitomised by another starring role and penalty save from keeper Jarrod Hill, kept reigning champions Devonport to a single Joel Stone goal advantage until deep into the second half.

Cheered on by a bumper crowd at Windsor Park, Olympic always felt their chance would come and it eventually arrived four minutes into stoppage time.

Keen to make up for conceding the first-half penalty, Tom Prince threw his head at Aaron Campbell's cross only for Pitchford to produce a superb diving save to confirm the 1-0 win.

On the balance of play Strikers deserved it, but having come so close to a draw it was tough for Gaetani and his men to take.

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"I cannot be happy with the result but I can be with the performance," he told his side.

"If that game went on a few more minutes, the result could have been ours.

"But I want to start turning these results into victories.

"I know that's the ability of these players and I don't think we're far off turning these around.

"We're a good side and I'm proud of these boys I've got here. But someone like Jarrod deserves to be on a winning side."

Keen to banish memories of last week's 4-0 Lakoseljac Cup loss to Southern Championship side University, Gaetani deployed Matt Spanos as a lone striker and gave a debut to Fletcher Fulton, the Launceston United product who did not look out of place at statewide level.

"That's as good a debut as I've seen at this level. He's such a good footballer.

"We're focusing on young Tasmanian talent and he has been forgotten for some reason but he's a champion."

Hill proved the difference between the sides for most of the match, keeping out Miles Barnard, Brody Denehey and Connor Parke while saving his best for Eddie Bidwell's 11th-minute spot-kick after Prince had upended Daniel Syson.

Having saved penalties against Devonport in a pre-season friendly and University in the cup, the teenage keeper completed a personal hat-trick diving full stretch low to his right.

Stone's excellent strike seven minutes before the break finally found a way past Hill and ultimately proved the match-winner.

But as the second half wore on and Devonport chances decreased, the hosts grew in confidence and always looked capable of creating a chance that might snatch a point.

Left-back Will Humphrey waged a 90-minute war with the tricky Bidwell while centre-back Ethan Olner kept the dangerous Barnard at bay as captain Taylor Neilson and the bustling Luca Vigilante set about turning defensive resilience into attacking opportunity.

With Spanos and sub Campbell finding more support from Fulton and Nil Sanz on the flanks, Olympic achieved the moral victory of having the champions hanging on at the death.