The pre-season departures of former NPL Tasmania young player of the season Jarrod Hill and Reef Murfet to pursue their careers on the mainland left the Windsor Park outfit short of goalkeeping cover.

Nash appeared to fill the void when he was lured down from Prospect Park, but a seven-week ban resulting from an altercation after the round-seven draw with Clarence left coach Alex Gaetani needing to promote from the club's junior sides.

Thrown in the deep end, 17-year-old Will Ferrall has done a commendable job, proving himself a genuine shot-stopper.

But having not conceded more than three goals in their opening seven fixtures, the floodgates opened with 32 in the next six, culminating in Tuesday's ruthless 8-0 thrashing by ladder leader Devonport.

Having stuck with the reigning champions for an hour, Olympic folded when they lost influential centre-back Ryan McCarragher to a head injury.

"We cannot take a trick," lamented Gaetani. "We put so much effort in and I'm sure Devonport were very happy with 8-0 but we've got a 17-year-old keeper with a disorganised backline in front of him.

"Friday night is certainly a game where we think we can get points but we really didn't want to be going into it having lost 8-0."

Gaetani was delighted with the performance of returning skipper Taylor Neilson, but said influential holding midfielder Luca Vigilante remains a week or two away after another injury setback.

Olympic's trip to Prospect comes in the middle of six straight home games with Clarence, South Hobart and Glenorchy all due at Windsor Park over the next three Saturdays.

City are also in the midst of a run of 12 fixtures featuring only two trips down South.

Saturday's 4-1 loss at South Hobart was the side's only excursion outside Launceston in seven matches.

Riverside hopes to play the NC1 and under-16 games against Devonport which were postponed on Saturday, on the neighbouring Launceston Christian School ground as midweek fixtures.