By JOSIP ZILIC
The effects of a heart-breaking FFA Cup loss, followed by a 4-2 capitulation along with key player injuries, have impacted the Warriors’ form, which saw them dip again on the weekend with another loss, this time a 1-2 loss to Dandenong City, the Warriors second home loss in a row.
The mood will need to lift quickly as a rampaging Dandenong Thunder is coming their way on Saturday.
Thunder, who dispatched a normally resolute Ballarat with ease in a 4-0 rout last week, has a near perfect record in 2016. Their target man Brandon Barnes continued his consistent season with another goal on the weekend which takes him to 29.
The Warriors got off to a slow start, which invited Dandenong City to use its advantage of quick, wide play to keep Warriors keeper Daniel Zilic on his toes early.
This continued through the half, and on 34 minutes Gonzalo Freddi beat four North Geelong players to the ball just on halfway to slip down the left flank where the squared was met by Amir Osmancevic to notch up the lead.
The half time break gave the Warriors time for some intrinsic thinking and they lifted somewhat, with Matt Thorne the nucleus of their spark, along with Vito Cihello trying to drive between the lines.
It was enough to get the Warriors an equaliser and on 63 minutes Rudi Saglam pounced on a loose ball at the back post to swiftly spin and snap on target.
Unfortunately, it didn’t continue for the Warriors, and Dandenong City stepped up – looking more comfortable in the slippery conditions, keeping their composure and using their wider players to advantage.
On 71 minutes, a switch in play saw Dandenong spread the Warriors defence, followed by a well-weighted cross into the hotspot which was met by oncoming City players with the initial snapshot beating Zilic, hitting the bar and landing to Ross Frame, put past Zilic, for the lead and the win.
The Warriors will need to shake off the laconic performance and find the fluidity and forward potency that lifted it to top spot earlier in the season if it wants to give Thunder a run for their money.
