Coach Jason Munoz

Race for VPL flag heats up

GREEN Gully’s chances of defending its Victorian Premier League crown improved on Saturday with a 1-0 win over Dandenong.

The home win was Gully’s fourth in five matches and sets up a highly anticipated last month of the season where no less than 10 clubs are still vying for finals honours.

Speaking after the tense and somewhat feisty win, Cavaliers coach Lubo Lapsansky was pleased to put last week’s 4-0 demolition behind him.

“We knew that it was going to be a tough battle and not a pretty game, so what we asked the players for was commitment and professionalism,” he said.

“We’re very happy with the win, especially in the tough conditions.

“We still have 15 points to play for now, so we’re hoping we can pick up at least nine points and hope that will be enough to keep us in the finals.”

Having handed new coach Chris Taylor a 6-0 defeat on debut against Northcote a week earlier, the Thunder and coach hastily parted company midweek in one of football’s shortest coaching tenures.

Central defender Steven Gray assumed the role of caretaker coach and his side almost got off to a perfect start.

Forward Ashley Stott pounced on a bouncing ball in the penalty area and headed it towards goal, but the faintest of touches by Gully keeper Nikola Roganovic diverted it wide for a corner.

With a gale-force wind at their back, the Cavaliers enjoyed possession but failed to produce anything meaningful until the half-hour mark.

Captain Jeff Fleming was fouled on the edge of the penalty area giving Andy Vargas an opportunity to execute a trademark free kick, but his stinging effort sailed harmlessly over the bar.

But within seven minutes, Gully did take the lead, as Matthew Sanders’ initial shot was parried by keeper Stuart Webster into the path of Jason Hayne, who made no mistake from close range.

But Gully’s first half took a turn for the worse on the stroke of half-time, with Jonathan Munoz carried from the field with what appeared a season-ending knee injury.

Chasing the game and badly needing a win to stay in touch with the top five, the Thunder resorted to long-range strikes aided by the strong wind.

After several attempts that whistled past the posts of keeper Roganovic, Mathew Theodore found space just 15m from goal, but his delicate chip cannoned back off the crossbar.

As Dandenong’s desperation increased, its fortunes did not, as Luke Sherbon produced his side’s last meaningful chance of the game but fired just centimetres over with the keeper well-beaten.

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