Thunder drawn but still on top

Sam Bayley’s Dandenong Thunder played out a 2-2 draw with Oakleigh on Saturday night. 30293 Picture: Meagan Rogers

By Stuart Teather
AT least the supporters got some excitement.
That’s the message from Dandenong Thunder coach Stuart Munro after his side registered its second 2-2 result in as many weeks, this time against Oakleigh Cannons in their Victorian Premier League clash on Saturday night.
In the last three games at George Andrews Reserve, 11 goals have been scored for two draws and one Thunder win, leading Munro to declare it “entertainment”.
“It’s entertainment, people were complaining early in the year there were too many 1-0 wins so now we’re entertaining people,” he said with a laugh.
“It’s a bit different for the coaches but it’s good for the supporters.”
Dandenong had a poor start against Oakleigh, conceding two goals in the first half to Jerry Karpeh and Ivan Franjic.
At half-time, Munro said his side was staring down the barrel at its first loss of the season.
“I said to the players ‘if we’re going to lose this game, let’s at least go down fighting. Let’s not have a lack of effort in the second half. I don’t care if we lose the game 5-4, as long as we really have a go’.”
His charges responded, first through Joseph Di Iorio and then through debutant and substitute Alex Tabor, who nailed the equaliser in the 85th minute.
Dandenong could have stolen the game, with the Oakleigh keeper saving a Ryan Davidson penalty kick with his feet late in the game.
Still, Dandenong was happy to take a point from the game and breathed a sigh of relief as results from other clashes around the league fell its way.
The club held on to its eight-point lead over the rest of the pack with South Melbourne going down to Heidelberg, though Altona moved into third place with a magnificent comeback from 2-0 down against Preston to take the game 4-2.
But Munro said the game against Oakleigh reinforced the idea that Dandenong is not invincible.
“There’ll be a time where we lose a game or two but the main thing is we keep going on and performing until the end.”
With the VPL taking a break over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend, Dandenong is playing a friendly against Bentleigh Greens on Thursday, and will resume league action on 13 June, when it hosts Green Gully.