By JARROD POTTER
HUME City was meant to be a test.
Sixth (Hume) versus seventh (Dandenong Thunder) showdown to see which side of the fold in the Victorian Premier League the Dandenong boys would find themselves on.
Emphatically, Dandenong emerged without a scratch in a 4-0 thumping.
Steven Topalovic, proving himself one of the best recruits in the league this season, opened the ledger for the Thunder – dancing through the midfield and slotting an easy one-on-one goal past the keeper in the 36th minute.
A flurry of opportunity in and around half-time almost saw the Thunder double the lead, with chances from a Bryan Bran free kick and a Nate Foster through ball to Luke Hopper not seized upon.
Thunder import Luke Hopper made his mark on the game with a stellar brace, set up by fresh to the field Liam Kearney, and tripled the lead five minutes after that as Hopper muscled his way through the defence to strike cleanly, low and past Martin John.
Hopper would be denied his hat-trick, despite a few more chances late in the game, but the Thunder, never content without going for the jugular, made it 4-0 via a textbook chip over the keeper from the maestro – Foster – getting his third goal of the season.
“It was a tough first half and we had the ascendency with the goal, but I felt as soon as we settled and made the changes in the second half, we showed our class,” Thunder coach Chris Taylor said.
“One thing we did pride ourselves on last year was our clean-sheets and that’s what we’re focusing on addressing and that’s what we wanted to happen this year.”
In their last three outings, Dandenong has barely let an opponent into scoring territory – conceding only one goal against Richmond three weeks ago.
On the other hand, they’ve drilled 10 goals of their own to thump home a plus-six goal difference on the back of their winning ways.
All of which Taylor attests to the Bentleigh Greens 0-3 lashing his charges received in round two.
“I’m glad we had a drubbing by Bentleigh,” Taylor said.
“It wasn’t a game we lost 2-1 or one-nil to a penalty – that kind of woke us up and what was pleasing for me today was our work-rate
“It was phenomenal for this level and when we get the ball I know we can play as well, so it makes it difficult for opponents to stay at the same tempo that we play.”
With captain Shane Rexhepi and vice-captain Liam Kearney both subbed on late in the game and midfield speedster Matt Theodore on the cusp of a return, Taylor has a luxury of choice leading into the next few rounds.
The Thunder has risen up the VPL ladder rapidly in the last few weeks – shifting from last place in round two on – two points with its sanctions to fifth following its winning streak.
Dandenong travels to Jack Edwards Reserve tomorrow night (Friday) in a VPL grand final rematch against the Oakleigh Cannons.
The Cannons have has just signed former A-League coach Miron Bleiberg after the resignation of Bill Theodoropoulos this week.
