By JARROD POTTER
THREE losses on the trot.
The streak has dried up at Dandenong Thunder, with a 0-1 loss to league leaders Northcote City, leaving last year’s treble premiers to find some answers quickly.
Unchecked and undermanned.
Northcote’s Milos Lujic got free and cannoned the match-winning strike past Zaim Zeneli in the 65th minute.
Dandenong was engaged in the arm-wrestle until that point, but couldn’t finish the job – with a number of strikes fading late past the post or going straight into the keeper’s arms.
Northcote failed to capitalise on its one-goal lead, conceding a number of offside penalties late in the second half.
“One mistake was going to lead to whoever won the game – we didn’t want to make the mistake, but in the end, it was us who made it,” Dandenong Thunder coach Chris Taylor said.
“Straight up to the goal we were controlling it – with Timmy coming on and suring up the midfield – I thought we looked well on top.
“I don’t think we’ve been playing really bad – that wasn’t our best game but a long way, but I didn’t think there was much in the game and it came down to that one error.”
From bad to worse, Dandenong will lose Bryan Bran next week after he got his second yellow in the 85th minute and Steven Topalovic will be assessed this week after coming off injured in the first half.
“We’ve got numbers – (Andrew) Mullet missed out today and that was a bit of bad luck for him – it’s a case of resting him,” Taylor said.
“He comes straight back into the line-up and we reshuffle things.”
The coach praised the efforts of Bran, Craig Elvin and Safa Faisal at the back – with the defenders well on top and repelling a number of Northcote advances.
Without a goal at home since the 4-0 win against Hume City a month ago and winless since that match as well, Dandenong will need to turn around their form slump this weekend as the seventh-placed Thunder travel to face Port Melbourne Sharks.
