Top draw for rolling Thunder

By Stuart Teather
DANDENONG Thunder continued its blistering start to the Victorian Premier League season, earning a 0-0 draw with the undefeated Green Gully at Green Gully Reserve on Saturday.
The Thunder, newly promoted to the State League this year, had a horror fixture to start the season playing their first three games away from home, but the team managed two wins and a draw in an impressive stretch.
Heading into Saturday’s game against the Cavaliers, coach Stuart Munro said he considered the opposition to be the benchmark team in the competition.
Not surprisingly, Munro was pleased with the efforts of his side, which well and truly matched it with the Cavaliers.
“The first 20 minutes, they had us really under the cosh and we had to sort some things out, which we did and then the second half we started really strongly and I thought we dominated,” he said.
“It’s been a good start for us, three away games to start the season and we came out with seven points.
“We’ve played very well and matched the opposition we’ve come up against, which gives us some confidence going forward, that we can do well in this league.”
There were plenty of promising signs for the Thunder on Saturday, including the form of Hamlet Armenian, who caused no end of trouble with probing runs down the right side.
Ryan Davidson was another stand-out playing in the centre and had possibly the best chance of the game, hitting the crossbar from long range early in the second half.
As the game approached the 90 minute mark, Dandenong’s stellar defence had a brief lapse and Green Gully sensation Kristijan Ivesic worked into a one-on-one with Dandenong keeper Stuart Webster.
Ivesic fired but Webster was up to the task, blocking the ball only to concede a rebound, which he also saved.
Dandenong’s defence has proved impenetrable so far this season, keeping a clean sheet from the first three games.
However it faces another test against reigning premier Altona this Saturday in the club’s first game at George Andrews Reserve this year.
Munro said playing at home brought a whole new aspect to the game.
“It’ll be good to play home but obviously there’s a bit more pressure – we expect to play well there.”