By JARROD POTTER
WHILE most coaches would take a draw after trailing 0-2 just after half-time, Dandenong City coach Ivan Duzel was disappointed with his side’s comeback 2-2 effort against Brunswick City.
Duzel was forced to use the majority of his squad’s depth this week as Halil Gur (knee), Simon Storey (calf) and Stephen Topalovic (hamstring) were all sidelined.
Conceding an early goal to wooden-spoon aspirants Brunswick City, the Dandenong City defence could not keep out Rikiya Kitami as he slotted an easy shot past Marko Stevanja in the 19th minute.
That would be the margin at the main break before another Brunswick City goal fired up the visitors in the 50th minute – Baggio Yousif was afforded too much space in front of goals and did not falter as the visitors took the two-goal lead.
From there on the match and all the attacking play belonged to Dandenong City. Sean Seavill, Dario Matkovic and Keegan Ziada ran the wings at breakneck speed to shatter the Brunswick City backline.
Andres Jerez lofted a perfectly weighted cross onto the curly mop top of Matkovic in the 56th minute, to reduce the deficit to a solitary kick.
That margin would stay for the briefest of moments as Matkovic stormed up the field and earned a penalty from a careless Brunswick City tackle.
Matkovic leaned back on his penalty kick and slotted it past the outstretched hands of Mason Interlandi to level the ledger with half an hour to go.
Duzel brought on tall striker Goran Jozeljic to give the short City attack some much needed height and it almost paid dividends as Jozeljic nearly got on the end of two beautiful passes via Ziada.
Dandenong City would have many more chances in the dying minutes but all amounted to nothing as their errant kicking let Brunswick City escape with a draw.
“After last week to this week, totally different character of the team,” Duzel said.
“Not enough movement, not enough getting themselves in the right positions to punish from the wings.
“The one mistake they scored the goal and after half-time I thought we tried to get back.
“Last 25 minutes we had enough to win the game and we didn’t – now we have to work harder and try to get ourselves better and better this half of the season and see what happens.”
Sitting 12th in NPL1, Dandenong City hosts third ranked Box Hill United on Saturday.
WOMEN’S PREMIER LEAGUE AND STATE LEAGUES
NEW Zealand dynamo Brittany Dudley-Smith stole the show for Casey Comets as she plundered a hat-trick in the home side’s Friday night 4-1 win over Cairnlea.
An early match shootout eventuated – with Cairnlea scoring in the 19th minute among two quick Casey goals from Jade Barnden (15’) and Dudley Smith (24’).
Dudley-Smith’s next volley would increase the lead as she worked her way into the goals to cannon the third Comet strike past Cairnlea’s Diana Cartwright.
The icing on the cake came as regulation time elapsed with Dudley-Smith capitalising on a goalmouth scramble following a Barnden shot.
The win moves Casey into eighth before a Friday night clash with Box Hill at Wembley Park.
An Emily Rizkallah goal from Berwick City wasn’t enough to steal the points as Keilor Park took the victory at Sweeney Reserve. Coach Tony Rafferty said losing first choice goalkeeper Erin Hudson to the NTC program was a painful loss, but the side soldiered on as Caitlin Anthony went into the goals.
Best afield in Rafferty’s mind were Kate Wilson, almost scoring the equaliser as she struck the crossbar, Kelsey Minton and Shirley Anthony.
The ninth placed City faces Brighton SC on Sunday.
STATE LEAGUES
Doveton SC smashed four into the net to claim a one-goal victory in a dogfight against Nunawading City. Liam Ryan earned another two goals against his name while Declan Seca and Visilios Natsioulas scored imperative goals as well. Casey fell to FFA Cup participants South Springvale 1-2 while Berwick City – through Nicholas Lasanc and David Di Iorio – eased past Beaumaris 2-0.
