Dandenong Thunder got back onto the winner’s list after handling business 0-2 away at Port Melbourne in round 22 of the NPL.
Not many scoring chances presented for either side in the first half, with Dandenong managing just two shots for the half and one on target.
The hosts had three total shots and two were on target, but neither team troubled the scorers when the whistle was blown for the main intermission.
In the second half, Thunder struck first through a set piece after they were awarded a corner in the 59th minute.
Mersim Memeti sent in the ball long and onto the forehead of Daniel Alessi.
Alessi brought the ball down, where Hassan Jalloh was waiting on the goal line to turn it in and give the visitors a 0-1 lead.
The goal is Jalloh’s 11th of the season, leaving him in fourth place for the league goalscoring tally.
Just a minute later, things went from bad to worse for the Sharks when defender Will Gillingham was shown red after pushing Jalloh off the ball following an aerial duel in Dandenong’s attacking half.
It didn’t take long for Thunder to capitalise on the man advantage when they found a second off yet another set piece.
A long corner whipped in found its way to Memeti at the back post, who calmly guided his header into the back of the net to double Dandenong’s lead.
From there, Thunder coasted to the result and convincingly took the four points.
Dandenong had five shots on target for the match, scoring two from 11 shots total while Port Melbourne only managed four shots and two on target in the contest.
Thunder sit third in the NPL table with 13 wins, five draws and four losses, drawing two points closer to Avondale after the Avengers drew with Dandenong City.
Dandenong will be looking to get another three points in round 23 when bottom-of-the-table Melbourne Knights visit George Andrews Reserve.
