By JARROD POTTER
NPL – Round 4
THUNDER-struck by a five-goal Green Gully haul, Dandenong was left to lick its wounds after its second home-ground NPL loss in as many weeks.
Dandenong pushed frantically to start the match, with chances for Yusuf Ahmed, Veton Korcari and Alan Mulcahy going begging as Kieran Gonzalez held strong in the Gully goals.
Mulcahy was exceptional through the midfield – generating chance after chance for the Thunder forwards – as he streamed from goal-line to goal-line.
The Thunder failed to make the most of its chances, but it wasn’t the case for Green Gully, striking late in the half through a penalty from Rinor Muriqi the first of the evening, before seconds later Green Gully’s second would fly through for Omar Abdigafar.
Thunder’s forward maestro Veton Korcari finally latched onto a goal-bound strike – drawing the Thunder to 1-3 down. South Springvale’s FFA Cup goalkeeping hero Rani Dowisha was brought into the match for Green Gully – replacing Gonzalez in the goals – and was superb in his half-an-hour in the match as he held out Dandenong’s advances.
Dandenong would be reduced to 10 men and from there Green Gully capitalised.
Goals flew through for Matthew Sanders, Alan Blumgart and the icing on the cake from Liam Scott to round out the victory.
Faisal Sakhi Zada came off the bench to score a consolation goal for the Thunder to finish the three-goal rout on a somewhat high note.
Thunder face Kingston City in an FFA Cup match on Saturday from 7pm at The Grange Reserve.
