Melbourne Knights FC Official Website Melbourne Knights solidified their position inside the NPL Victoria top four with a hard fought 1-0 away win over Dandenong Thunder at George Andrews Reserve on Saturday night.
Gevaro Nepomuceno’s third league goal of the season proved decisive as Ben Cahn’s side picked up their seventh win of the campaign.
Neither side was able to break the deadlock in the opening 45 minutes with Knights coming closest through Gian Albano and Ciaran Bramwell efforts.
The matchwinner came in the 53rd minute when Nepomuceno snuck a first-time finish through a sea of legs and into the back of the net from the top of the box after Albano’s initial cross was parried into his path by Thunder keeper Majak Mawith.
From there the Knights rear guard held firm to keep their second clean sheet of the season and secure an all important three points with a 1-0 triumph on the road.
Saturday’s win leaves Knights, who seek a return to finals football for the first time since 2015 in fourth position on 24 points after 12 rounds of action, six clear of fifth placed Green Gully.
Speaking post-match, Melbourne Knights Head Coach Ben Cahn said he was pleased to take three points from a difficult away trip.
“It was a really tough battle, the conditions made it difficult and Thunder are a good team. It’s not an easy place to go and get three points” Cahn said.
“We didn’t have as much control as we would have liked, but we adapted really well in terms of defending and being hard to break down.
“The boys stood up in the second half and played our way into the game and deserved the goal at that moment.
“It was a full squad effort to see it out, the boys that came in were fantastic.
“We need that three points, it keeps us in touch with the top three and keeps a little gap between us and the teams below us.
“We want to do well in the cup so we’ll do what we need to do in the next couple of days to make sure we’re ready to go to Box Hill on Tuesday and give it everything.”
Saturday’s win kicked off a busy week for the Knights who face Box Hill United at Wembley Park in Australia Cup Preliminary Round 5 action on Tuesday night before hosting Heidelberg United at Somers Street in league action on Friday.
