While all five fixtures were played yesterday across NPL2 East, one game – and one player in particular – will continue to be the week’s main talking point. Brandon Barnes’ haul helped Dandenong Thunder to a massive 10-1 over Nunawading City, breaking a record or two in the process. Elsewhere, wins to Kingston, Dandenong City and Goulburn Valley Suns helped shape the chasing pack.
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Thunder consolidate first place as Barnes runs riot with eight
It’s hard to believe that nine of Thunder’s 10 goals came in one half (the second), but perhaps not surprising was that eight of those came to power forward Brandon Barnes. It takes his tally to 26 for the season, and it breaks an NPL record for most goals in a game, overtaking Craig Carley’s seven against the same opponent. His most devastating spell came in a seven-minute salvo between the 59th and 66th minutes, adding four goals in quick succession.
He benefited from assists from the likes of Kristian Sarkies, Nick Modaffari and Daniel Bennett, while Veton Korcari and Patrick Avice also added to the scoreboard. Nuawading’s only cheer came in the 85th minute – between the visitors’ ninth and 10th goals – via Sam Antoniadis, who scored directly from a set-piece with a well-taken free kick.
Mitrovic brace sees Kingston keep up the pace
Velibor Mitrovic ticked over double figures in goals with a brace as Kingston kept in touch with Thunder – while kicking clear of their opponents in third place by nine points – via a hard fought 3-2 win over Box Hill.
Mitrovic got proceedings underway with an early opener, before poor defending from a goalmouth scramble allowed Rinor Muriqi to equalise in the 12th minute. Damian Iaconis continued his productive month by scoring again to take his tally to five for the season, but it was Box Hill captain Michael Godfrey who again equalised on the stroke of half time to see the sides enter the break on level terms. However there would be no denying Mitrovic his brace and another win for Kingston as his strike proved to be the winner and the only goal of the second half to seal the 3-2 result.
Three late goals sees Dandy City close in on third
This win for Dandenong City saw them close in on third placed Box Hill following their defeat to Kingston, with City now only three points behind the Pythagoras. However they didn’t have it all their own way early.
Geoffrey Lino was dangerous for the visitors early, and broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute. While Murray may have felt like a drought-breaking win was on the horizon, City had other ideas late in the second half. That wasn’t before the game was interrupted by a bizarre incident:
65′ PLAY STOPPED | to find a DC players tooth! Yes it’s true! #PS4NPLVIC #DCvMU @FFV365 pic.twitter.com/fQaXhf1FJ3
— Murray United FC (@murrayunitedfc) May 28, 2016
And yet it was Murray who put in a toothless showing thereafter, as Halil Gur equalised in the 67th minute following a corner kick, while Gonzalo Freddi made a massive impact late, scoring a brace in the 84th and 87th minutes to sink Murray and take his season tally to seven.
Four games undefeated for Suns as they beat Springvale
Goulburn Valley Suns have emerged as a promotion dark horse after propelling themselves to fifth on the ladder with a 1-0 win over Springvale White Eagles at home. While the talk of late has been about the high-profile addition of striker Dan Heffernan to the Suns’ outfit, it was Bahrain international midfielder Hakeem Aloraibi who continued his fine season by netting in the first half, with the hosts able to hold onto the lead for the remainder of the contest. It marks an effective end of the honeymoon to Nik Kovacevic’s tenure at Springvale, who returns to the drawing board with two consecutive defeats now, following the five straight wins to his tenure at the club.
Five without a win for Lions, City in frustrating 2-2 draw
Both Brunswick City and Eastern Lions continued their frustrating spell by splitting a point each in this contest. A surging run from the centre of the back by Cameron Neales saw the midfielder square the ball off to Munyaradzi Nyadzayo, who looped the ball over Wesley Coles for the opener in the fourth minute. However, Neales turned from hero to villian when he fouled Jose Portillo, with Welshman Adam Wright slotting in his seventh of the season. Dimitri Vithoulkas then struck the crossbar with a header just before the break, before getting a slice of luck in the opening minutes of the second half when Lions goalkeeper Chris van Corler struck the ball as it bounced back into the net.
Parity was restored just shy of the hour mark when Lions capatain Andrew Williams sent in a long punt up forward, which was misjudged by Coles, with the ball bouncing over him and into the back of the net. City had a goal ruled out for offside later on while Wright missed a glorious chance to grab the winner, only to place his shot just outside the far post as the sides settled for a point a piece in wet conditions at Gardiners Greek Reserve.
Image: The Sporting WALL