By Marcus Uhe
Dandenong City will be without captain Jack Webster for only one match after not receiving an additional penalty from Football Victoria’s suspension register, following his red card in round 24’s National Premier League (NPL) Victoria clash with Manningham.
The uncompromising defender was banished from the pitch after receiving two yellow cards in the contest, with one coming in each half.
The first was for a dangerous slide tackle late in the opening 45 minutes, and the second for a handball midway through the second half.
The red card will see him serve a mandatory one game suspension, but nothing further.
It means that City will be without one of its most important players for the monumental clash with Port Melbourne at home on Friday night, that could see them stamp a place in finals action.
In doing so, City would become the first team to qualify for the finals in the top flight on the back of receiving a promotion the previous year.
The qualification will be contingent on Dandenong Thunder defeating Melbourne Knights, which would open an unassailable gap between City, Port Melbourne and the Knights in the race for sixth place.
The Knights defeated Thunder 3-0 at George Andrews Reserve in May in what was Thunder’s third clash in seven days, following their midweek Australia Cup tie that went to a penalty shootout.
Thunder will be eager to win to stay away from the relegation picture, sitting vulnerably in 10th, just one point clear of 11th and three of 12th.
