RIVERSIDE OLYMPIC's chances of leap-frogging Clarence were blown away in an Eastern Shore gale.
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Trailing Zebras by three points and two goals going into the contest, the 4-1 home win at least doubled both margins.
Injuries and suspension saw Riverside field a fledgling side with just two players aged over 21.
Will Coert stepped up from the Northern Championship for a rare senior start with Mexican import Jhostan Padron also making the bench.
However, two goals in as many minutes after a quarter of an hour had the hosts in control at Wentworth Park.
Lachlan Burt assisted both for Riley Dillon and Ryan Cook.
More heroics from goalkeeper Jarrod Hill kept Alex Gaetani's men in touch with silky midfielder Liam Gilmore coming closest to reducing the arrears.
Dillon made it 3-0 on 72 minutes but Olympic eventually found the net through the reliable source of Fletcher Fulton soon afterwards.
Will Humphrey also went close with a late free-kick before James Ackerley wrapped up the scoring a minute from time.
Bottom-placed LAUNCESTON CITY's dismal league campaign continued with a frustrating 3-1 loss to second-placed Glenorchy Knights.
Still without injured trio Sam Ridgard, Lachy Clark and Gedi Krusa, coach Roger Hardwicke gave starts to Isaac Degetto and Will Fleming.
But his team made a disastrous start, going behind after just three minutes.
Without a goal to his name up front this season, the luckless Jarrod Linger registered at the wrong end, diverting a Thomas Young cross past Daniel Nash.
The home keeper had better luck against opposition players, and was at his agile best to deny Alex Walter, Daniel Schmidt and Joffrey Nkoso while Young was frustrated by the Prospect Park woodwork.
Centre-back Lindsay Millington and centre-forward Noah Mies had City's best efforts but their headers couldn't stretch Zebras keeper Lachlan Hart.
The competition's leading scorer Walter doubled the Knights' lead 10 minutes after the break, pouncing on a boor back pass from Charlie Dyer, cutting inside Millington before firing home past Nash.
Dyer made amends with 15 minutes remaining, controlling a left-wing cross from Mies to fire the hosts back into the contest from the edge of the box.
However, the pendulum swung back against City when Matty Oh was sent off with nine minutes remaining for picking up a second yellow card.
Ryan Backhouse capitalised with an 87th-minute sealer, skilfully set up by Nick Naden.
The third-versus-fifth clash at Darcy Street turned into a nine-goal thriller, Olympia beating South Hobart 6-3.
Three goals just before half-time swung the contest after Nick Morton had equalised Nick Mearns' early opener.
Mearns' second and goals from Declan Brown and Jake Vandermey gave the visitors a comfortable lead which Callum Brown soon extended.
Brown completed the rout with Morton's second and Gilly Desouza salvaging some home pride.
Runaway leaders Devonport Strikers rolled on towards a seemingly-inevitable title defence with a ninth win from 10 games, racking up a 3-1 victory against fourth-placed Kingborough at Valley Road.
Brody Denehey and Joel Stone had them two-up after half an hour and when a Danny Cowen penalty sparked hopes of a comeback on 55 minutes, Todd Hingston killed them off seven minutes later.