Cook sizzles

By Gavin Staindl
DANDENONG Thunder’s newest recruit, Steve Cook, wasted no time in impressing his new side as he completed the year’s first hat-trick in 10 minutes during the Thunder’s 5-2 win over St Albans.
Cook, a team-mate of Chris Taylor at the Welsh-based club Swindon, scored three goals in 10 minutes on debut as Dandenong rolled out convincing winners in the first home game for the year.
Dandenong controlled the bulk of the play in the opening 10 minutes but it was the visitors who goaled first through Tomislav Uskok.
But up stepped Cook and Matt Theodore who thrilled the 2,500-strong crowd with an array of goals.
Cook scored his maiden goal in the 41st minute from a well-timed pass from midfielder Theodore that Cook controlled on his chest and slung into the net from the edge of the box.
Theodore then had the crowd in a frenzy when he scored Dandenong’s second goal with a bicycle kick at the top of the box.
In one of the better goals seen for the year, Theodore rose to meet the ball in the same area where Cook scored, and sent it flying to the opposite side of the net.
Cook rounded out the frenetic finish to the half by putting away a penalty to give Thunder a 3-1 lead.
The Saints came marching back in the second half, scoring their second goal in the opening five minutes.
But just like he had done in the first half, Cook replied.
In the 51st minute, Luke Sherbon laid in a cross to the unmarked Cook who headed home his third goal for the match.
The goal became Cook’s third goal in 10 minutes and registered the Premier League’s first hat-trick for the year.
As cries of “Cookie” filled the George Andrews Stadium, fellow Swindon team-mate, Chris Taylor sealed the match with Thunder’s fifth goal in the 78th minute.
The Thunder continued to press and composed goalkeeping by the Saints shot-blocker was the only thing stopping a blow out.
Earlier this year Thunder coach Stuart Munro expressed concerns over his side’s ability to score goals.
With a reliable defence and a mobile midfield Dandenong had everything but extra firepower up front but they may have found an answer to the issue by signing Cook.
MEANWHILE, the Springvale White Eagles slumped to a third consecutive loss after going down to South Melbourne United 6-4 in a topsy-turvy match at White Eagles Stadium.
Former South’s forward Goran Zoric scored the two openers as the Eagles went ahead 2-0 after half an hour of play but United returned fire in the second half adding three goals of their own.
Zoran Vukas provided the equaliser for Eagles as he snuck home a penalty in the 65th minute.
But the South’s continued their resurgent second half, scoring two goals to give them a 5-3 lead before Eagle’s captain Tome Racunica pulled his team back to within one in the 87th minute.
The nervous energy that floated around the Serbian Sport Centre quickly fizzled when South Melbourne’s Jesse Krncevic chipped the final goal over goalkeeper Scott Agustin to secure the 6-4 win.