By Justin Schwarze
Dandenong City’s high-powered offensive attack ran rampant against Green Gully, sending Dandenong into the winner’s list for the first time this season.
The match was played at Green Gully Reserve in Keilor Downs.
Scoring was opened when Jamie Latham played a brilliant through-ball in behind the Gully defenders.
Will Bower ran onto the ball in full stride, took one dribble before carefully placing his shot past the keeper and into the back of the net.
The goal gave City the lead inside six minutes.
Just 15 minutes later, Bower was on the receiving end of a long ball, where he fired a cross into the box.
The cross found the head of Kenjok Athiu, who flicked it in off the post to double City’s advantage.
Just before halftime, a turnover in midfield and some quick passing found Athiu in a dangerous position, where he launched an aerial pass to a streaking Latham.
Latham blazed away from the Gully defence with pace with just the keeper to beat.
With plenty of time, he fired his shot into the bottom corner beating the outstretched arm of the keeper.
Dandenong had converted all three of their shots on target in the first half, comfortably cruising at the break.
Midway through the second half, a stroke of luck led to yet another City goal.
A sliding effort from a Gully defender on Timothy Atherinos deflected the ball high in the air, looping it towards the box.
Athiu was the first to react, and after one bounce he used a high kick to find his second goal of the night.
It was a day out for Athiu, managing a brace and an assist.
City led 4-0 at that point.
The icing on the cake came in the 90th minute, where Latham found plenty of space as the Gully defence pressed up high.
Latham dribbled the ball from the halfway line to inside the box before placing his shot into the very bottom left corner, ending the game as a dominant 5-0 win for City.
Latham joined Athiu with a pair of goals of his own.
The result was City’s first victory for the campaign, with a visit to Altona Magic awaiting in Round 6.
