With the only multiple league goal-scorer injured, coach Roger Hardwicke turned to the club's reliable stock of young talent with instant results.

Having scored five goals in eight Northern Championship games this season, Josh Bula came off the bench after 66 minutes against South Hobart on Saturday and scored just two minutes later, tidily beating the offside trap and stabbing the ball past keeper Nathan Reid.

"It was his first senior goal and was well taken," Hardwicke said.

"He's another one that's come from our under-18 side and has got a lot of talent. He's got a bit of everything - pace, power, holds the ball up well and has a real nuggetiness chasing the ball down.

"That exposure should bode well for the next year and onwards."

Captain Sam Ridgard has scored four of City's nine goals in the league but has since joined keeper Lachy Clark and midfielder Gedi Krusa on the injury list.

With strikers Noah Mies and Jarrod Linger yet to register on the scoresheet, it has been left to Alex Rossetto, Yasin Mohammadi, Matty Oh and James Hawes to chip in with a goal each.

Adding to their injury woes, City's reliable centre-back Lindsay Millington was unable to extinguish South Hobart sparks due to his work as a firefighter.

Without him, City continued their record of conceding at least two goals in every league game this season.

Hardwicke had no complaints about the 3-1 loss to Ken Morton's men and remains optimistic his side can regain some home comforts.

City are in the midst of a run of five straight games in Launceston before they finish their league campaign with trips to Devonport and Clarence and then turn their thoughts to a Lakoseljac Cup semi-final against Olympia.

"We battled really hard but were not good enough," Hardwicke added.

Riverside coach Alex Gaetani's baby Roos are exceeding his expectations.

Including a pre-season friendly, three times this year Olympic have pushed champions Devonport all the way before going down 0-1.

Having only joined the statewide competition last season, Gaetani said it is an admirable achievement.

"I'm really proud of what we're doing," he said.

"To push Devonport all the way within two years of joining - we are a lot closer than I thought we would be at this stage.

"We were taking a social club into a semi-professional competition, that's the most difficult job in the state league and plenty of people have been involved with it."

At Valley Road on Saturday, every Olympic player was 20 or under except Macka Hancox, who turned 21 in August, Nil Sanz, 23, and the league's appearance record-holder Aaron Campbell, 30.

Teenagers Jarrod Hill, Will Humphrey and Max Reissig were the standout performers in a contest decided by a highly-contentious late penalty.

"Over time, we will close the gap and it should have been with a result on Saturday," Gaetani added.

"We've got half a dozen players in our squad that I believe are among the most talented teenagers in the state."

Experienced trio Jono O'Neill, Ethan Olner and Luca Vigilante have been long-term injuries with the club's Sam Davis and Caleb Smith also breaking bones in recent weeks.

Olympic have the chance to leapfrog Clarence into sixth with a victory at Wentworth Park on Saturday.

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