By ROY WARD
DON’T call it a statement win but Dandenong Thunder did have a 3-0 victory over two-time Victorian Premier League soccer champion Green Gully at George Andrews Reserve on Saturday.
The ladder-leading Thunder battled in the opening 30 minutes before Gully’s Mile Medjedovic brought down Thunder star Nate Foster in the box, which left Medjedovic with a red card and allowed Thunder midfielder Luke Sherbon to smash home the penalty for a 1-0 lead.
Foster put winger Liam Kearney through on goal early in the second half and he converted, taking the lead to 2-0, before substitute forward Sean McIlroy scored just minutes after coming on to make it 3-0.
Thunder coach Chris Taylor said he was happy with the result but wouldn’t call the win a statement game.
“It’s not a statement,” Taylor said. “Overall the result is the main thing and we scored three goals and didn’t concede any.
“But in some matches circumstances dictate how a game goes. We were under the pump for the first 30 minutes, then got a penalty and they had a man sent off. Whether he should have been sent off or not is immaterial. We had a man advantage and capitalised on it.”
Craig Elvin and midfielder Matt Theodore, who limped off with an injured hamstring, are both in doubt for the Thunder’s important visit to Kevin Bartlett Reserve to face Richmond this Friday night.
■ The Thunder has drawn State League 1 side Altona Magic in round 6 of the State Knockout Cup, with the match to be played between July 4 and 11.
VPL club Southern Stars is still to play a round 5 clash against Western Suburbs. The date of both games is yet to be announced.
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