Image: Smile for Peter
An 84th minute strike from Rowan McNamee has given Kingston City a dramatic 4-3 win over Dandenong Thunder to leave the automatic promotion race in NPL2 East wide open heading into the final two rounds of the season.
In a season often characterised by numerous blowouts and one-sided scorelines, it came as no surprise that the second tier’s game of the season came between its two standout teams in front of a crowd in excess of 1,500 at George Andrews Reserve.
The home side came into the contest on the back of a hard-fought 1-0 triumph away to Werribee City which had seen them race three points clear of Kingston at the top of the table, after their opponents lost ground following a 3-1 home defeat to NPL2 West leader St Albans Saints.
Both teams were depleted heading into the blockbuster, with the Thunder losing Afghan international defender Faisal Sakhizada to a shoulder injury, while City were missing injured forward Damian Iaconis and midfielder Slaven Vranesevic was absent, as was Jerry Karpeh – the veteran departing the club mid-week to pursue an offer in Jordan.
Huss Skenderovic’s side were boosted by the return of club stalwart Veton Korcari, with the forward starting his first fixture since breaking his foot against the North Geelong Warriors in Round 18 and making an immediate impact.
A foul on Brandon Barnes by George Stavridis inside the penalty area presented the 30-year-old the chance to open the scoring and he made no mistake by stroking the ball past former teammate Sermin Sadikovski for an early 7th minute lead.
The visitors would find a leveller mid-way through the first half in spectacular fashion when their very own stalwart Nick Stamatiou opened his account for the season when his volley from long range bounced into the back of the net past former City shot-stopper Fraser Maclaren.
Dandenong re-gained the lead eight minutes later when a clearance from defence found Barnes in space, with the Englishman’s delicate lob getting the better of Sadikovski as the former Waitakere United forward netted his 41st league goal in just 24 matches.
Kingston returned fire with an instant response as Czech midfielder Zdenek Koukal rounded off an action packed first half when Velibor Mitrovic’s ball into the box was flicked on by the midfielder – his shot bouncing in off the post for the equaliser.
An end-to-end second half saw both teams exchange opportunities at goal, before Koukal edged Kingston in front in the 70th minute as he latched onto a long ball to lob the ball over Maclaren for his seventh league goal of the campaign.
However, the Thunder responded shortly afterwards as their deadly strike duo combined once more with Barnes playing through Korcari as the former Oakleigh Cannons forward slid in to score in 10th of the season in game number 19.
Undeterred by the setback, City pushed on in search of a winner and found it with six minutes on the clock remaining when a Mitrovic free-kick was flicked on into the bottom corner of the net by McNamee, with the teenager netting his 6th strike in 18 appearances as Nick Tolios’ men hung on for all three points.
Despite the result, Thunder are still in pole position to earn automatic promotion, although a slip up in any of their final two fixtures against either Eastern Lions (away) or Springvale White Eagles (home) could see Kingston benefit, with City due to host the Goulburn Valley Suns next weekend before rounding out their season against the in-form Brunswick City away from home.
Dandenong’s superior 30 goal difference over their rivals appears to have given them the edge ahead of two winnable games although how much of a psychological effect last night’s result will have on both teams is to be determined.
Whatever the case, it is certain that the four figure crowd that packed out the Dandenong South-based venue witnessed a classic in what was arguably the NPL2 match of the season.
In the day’s other results, the Springvale White Eagles trumped rivals Dandenong City 3-0 away from home with Englishman John Pykett netting a brace while teenage forward Damir Stoilovic took his season goals tally to 15 as Nik Kovacevic’s side closed the gap on Hajduk in third place to just two points.
Murray United secured just their second three points of the season – and their first at home – after two second half goals from substitute Lewis Greenwood and a penalty from Sean Pye saw them defeat the Eastern Lions 2-0, while goals early in the second half from defender Thomas Simos and Kobbie Boahene helped Box Hill United earn a narrow 2-1 derby win over Nunawading City.
Over in West, North Geelong’s automatic promotion hopes took a massive dint following a scoreless home draw against Moreland City, although Whittlesea’s 1-0 defeat away to the Moreland Zebras on Friday night means the Warriors will remain in second place on the ladder, even if St Albans claim all three points against Sunshine George Cross today.
In the day’s remaining match, Bendigo City collected their fourth win of the campaign thanks to a 2-1 defeat of the Ballarat Red Devils at Morshead Park as goals to Godwill Basha and Matt Sporle saw the West cellar-dwellers earn an upset three points, with right-back Patrick Karras grabbing a consolation for the hosts.