By JARROD POTTER
FOOTBALL FEDERATION VICTORIA – National Premier Leagues
NOTHING much eventuated on the scoreboards around Greater Dandenong as all three NPL and NPL1 teams failed to fire.
The Thunder could not hold off the faster finishing Port Melbourne Sharks as the home side conceded a 1-3 loss at George Andrews Reserve.
It wasn’t the Dandenong Thunder debut that mid-year transfer Carl Lamb, from the Goulburn Valley Suns, would have hoped for as he earned a yellow card in the 26th minute for a late tackle on Port Melbourne goalkeeper Stepjan Gal.
On the plus side, Lamb created a definitive target up forward for Dandenong’s stellar midfielders to spot, a rarity this season with first-choice striker Jake Nakic regularly sidelined with injury.
The visitors opened with the first goal in the 36th minute as Andrew Milicevic crossed beautifully to the box, which carried on and hit the top corner of the net.
The next half-hour of match time ebbed back and forth before Dandenong’s Jarryd Barnes equalised in the 70th minute to leave the final 20 a true dogfight.
The deadlock was broken in the 80th minute as Sharks’ Luka Prelevic’s mistimed shot still did the job before Lambros Honos iced the game in injury time with a chip over Thunder goalkeeper Frazer Siddall.
An always tough road trip to Green Gully awaits Dandenong, which would hope to push back up the ladder after slipping to sixth.
In other results, Springvale White Eagles were obliterated by Moreland Zebras 1-5 as Ryan Don Paul slotted the only goal for the home side, while Dandenong City was bested 0-2 on Friday night by Richmond SC.
