By JOSIP ZILIC
NORTH Geelong Warriors’ fight to avoid relegation will intensify further when it hosts Werribee in a derby-like NPL fixture this weekend.
Werribee is coming off its first win of the season in a scrappy match against Oakleigh that included a red-card to winning-goal scorer Ryan Filipovic.
North Geelong claimed a deserved 1-1 draw against Dandenong, although the Warriors could be frustrated after failing to capitalise on their control of the match.
The Warriors got off to a good start but the problems of previous weeks in failing to take chances allowed Dandenong to get into the contest.
As the half wore on Dandenong began to unsettle the Warriors’ midfield, coming out of defence easily and hitting a killer pass to danger man Yusuf Ahmed who took on Darren Lewis in several one-on-ones. Ahmed broke through at times but Daniel Zilic in goals pulled off saves to keep the Warriors in the contest.
The Warriors started the second half with surging runs into the penalty area from Nikola Jurkovic and Juso Julardzija, who opted to lay off balls rather than shoot, letting Dandenong off the hook.
Dandenong’s players had less of the ball at their feet but were more clinical, with Ahmed zippping into the box on 57 minutes when he capitalised on a miscommunication between defence and midfield to strike low and hard past Zilic for the lead.
Dandenong came at the Warriors in waves, with North Geelong having its custodian to thank for keeping the score at 1-0.
Zilic’s worked didn’t go to waste. In the 75th minute Jurkovic, weaving into the box, was upended by Abdirahman Ahmed, earning a clear penalty that was duly dispatched by skipper Matt Townley.
A final opportunity fell the way to the Thunder in injury time but Zilic came out hard to quash the opportunity.
In another step forward for the Warriors, two weeks without a loss will lift their confidence, which will be needed as Werribee visits Elcho Park with a spring in its step.
