Image courtesy: Anita Milas
By George Stogiannou
Dandenong Thunder continued its resurgence towards a final five spot with its fifth win on the trot on Saturday evening.
Dandenong got over the line against 2009 Grand Final foes, Altona Magic, with a 1-0 win at George Andrews Reserve.
The match was in stark contrast to the goal fests of Magic’s last four games, which yielded an astonishing 31 goals at an average of just under eight goals a game.
Saturday’s solitary goal came on the stroke of half time from Thunder’s Ibraim Ibraimi.
Both teams set themselves up with a 4-5-1 formation, and on a dead track with a blustery wind, a scrappy, tight contest ensued with neither team able to maintain a passing rhythm.
Thunder tried to impose itself early with the lively Geoff Kellaway firing a shot straight at Magic keeper Tomislav Tomic, in the first minute. The dangerous Kellaway then struck a thumping drive against the crossbar following a Jamie Reed cross.
Defender Aaron Wilford also found the woodwork with a looping header from a corner kick, whilst down the other end, keeper Stuart Webster enjoyed a quiet half apart from a couple of easy saves from weak headers directed straight at him.
Apart from these attacks, the Magic defence, led by veteran Doug Mladenovic, looked to be coping well enough until it came unstuck on the stroke of half time when a poor clearance at the near post went straight to Thunder midfielder Ibraimi, who tapped home from close range.
The Magic tried to push forward in the second half with a strong wind at their backs, but it was Thunder who had the best chances to score when striker Reed headed wide on a couple of occasions then found the upright from a Kellaway cross.
Down the other end, Thunder keeper Webster made a crucial save when he pushed a shot from Magic striker John Thornley, onto the post. It was the closest Magic would get to scoring all game.
Altona Magic coach, Sash Becvinovski said he was “extremely disappointed” with the result.
“We really fought hard today and worked extremely hard,” he said.
“Overall it’s a big improvement over the last couple of weeks where we’ve conceded a few goals.”
Thunder coach Stuart Munro said the team’s hard work was paying off.
“We’ve worked very hard in the last few weeks playing against top teams and we knew this week was a different type of thing.
“I thought it was more about us not playing well today. I thought we never got going as such…our defence and our goalkeeper did very well, but I thought the rest of the team was very flat especially in the first half.”
Dandenong Thunder: Stuart Webster, Levent Osman, Jeff Bright, Aron Wilford, Ben Starosta, Shane Rexhepi, Ryan. Davidson, Ibraim Ibraimi, (V. Korcari, 73’), G. Kellaway, (Dennis Ukalovski, 81’), Scott Bulloch, Jamie Reed.
Scorer: Ibraimi 44’
Altona Magic: Tomislav Tomic, Doug Mladenovic, Dejan Radojicic, Koce Delev, Pece Siveski, Mathew Theodore, Pece Cergovski, (Kole Delev, 46’), James Duvcecski, John Thornley, Slave Bozinovski, Goran Talevski, (George Papadopoulos, 84’)
Last updated: Monday July 12, 2010 2:55PM
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