By Julian Trantino (@jtrantino16)

Kingston City coach Nick Tolios described it as “probably my finest result”.

His side had been hit with rotten luck before the match and was supposed to crumble, but it dug deep and put a wasteful Dandenong City to the sword with goals from Deniz Sabanovski, Anthony Stavridis and Gino Defeo powering the visitors to a 3-1 victory – their third in a row – on Saturday.

Captain Peter Lord and striker Max Etheridge had pulled out the night before with illness, Defeo somehow lost his bearings on the way to Frank Holohan Soccer Complex and George Stavridis was also another late withdrawal from the starting squad.

Stand-in captain Nick Stamatiou had also succumbed to a fever but still took his place in the line-up.

Amazingly, Kingston was forced to submit its team sheet several times and had to even call up some of its U20 players, with eight players below the age of 20 taking their positions in the starting 11. 

Undermanned but undeterred, Kingston dominated the opening 15 minutes with the likes of Michael Gerace, Sabanovski and makeshift striker Velibor Mitrovic running the show.

Gerace flashed a good chance wide in the third minute before Sabanovski and Mitrovic couldn’t beat ‘keeper Dennys Martin in one-on-one situations minutes later.

Sabanovski, who looks and runs like Eden Hazard and even shares the same shirt number as Chelsea’s superstar, lived up to his doppelganger in the 16th minute when he pounced on a diagonal through ball from Mitrovic and fired home on the outside of his right boot.

Dandenong settled immediately after Sabanovski’s opener however and was led brilliantly by creative midfielders Sean Seavill and Keegan Ziada.

Ziada exploited Kingston’s left flank on numerous occasions and in the 30th minute delivered a sumptuous low cross to Goran Jozeljic, who only had to tap in past ‘keeper George Malliaris from close range but couldn’t adjust his feet in time.

Kingston had appeals for a penalty turned down soon after when Arthur Papadopoulos was played through on goal before appearing to be clipped from behind by Halil Gur.

Not happy with the referee’s decision, Papadopoulos sprung to his feet and was played through for another one-on-one chance just seconds later, but his low shot past Martin was agonisingly denied by the post.

Both sides entered the rooms in what had been an even first half which should have delivered more goals.

Dandenong emerged the better side after the break, holding a higher defensive line as it chased an equaliser which just refused to come.

Seavill, who was arguably best afield in a losing side, saw his cross-cum-shot rattle the crossbar in the 65th minute before Gur had to just convert a header into an open net from a Dario Matkovic corner but somehow headed backwards.

It just wasn’t to be for Dandenong, and it was made to pay in the 72nd minute when a rapid counter attack saw Mitrovic set up substitute Anthony Stavridis, who tucked his shot underneath Martin to make it 2-0.

Dandenong refused to yield and continued to whip in dangerous crosses, one which found Steven Topalovic at the back post whose header was miraculously saved by Malliaris.

The breakthrough finally came in the 90th minute via captain John Carroll.

Damien Miskulin squared a lovely ball to ex-Northcote City premiership player Alex Rojas, whose rebounded shot fell to the feet of Carroll and was then smashed into the back of the net.

The home fans’ hopes of a stunning comeback were short-lived however, with Kingston sealing the points in the final minute of injury time.

Defeo may have lost his way on the way to the ground but knew how to find the back of the net, receiving a pass on the edge of the 18-yard box and firing truly on his left foot to cap off a memorable win for the away side.

An ecstatic Tolios, who even had a beer in his hand in the post-match interview, said he was a “very proud coach”.

“We had to put in our team sheet two or three times because we just didn’t have the numbers,” Tolios said.

“This is probably my finest result as a coach, just collectively because this is the youngest team I have put on the park and the work ethic from every single one of them was phenomenal.

“These boys are very close...Up to the last minute they kept trying. They played well and they deserve every accolade today.”

A visibly angry Dandenong coach Ivan Duzel refused to speak to the media, with assistant coach Joe Rajher taking to the microphone.

“I thought we created more clear-cut chances than what they did,” Rajher said.

“It’s a simple game and (there are) simple things we’re making mistakes with. They’re clear-cut chances and we’re just not putting them away. It just puts pressure on our defence later on when we’re missing our chances.

“(We need) more hunger in the box.”

Kingston City returns home in Round 8 with a Monday night derby against Box Hill United, while Dandenong will visit Bendigo and could be without Ziada, who succumbed to a hamstring strain in the dying stages today.

MATCH DETAILS

Dandenong City 1 (Carroll 90’) lost to Kingston City 3 (Sabanovski 16’, A. Stavridis 72’, Defeo 90’+3) at Frank Holohan Soccer Complex [HT: 0-1]

DANDENONG CITY: 1. Dennys MARTIN (GK), 6. John CARROLL, 3. Halil GUR, 10. Sean SEAVILL, 7. Keegan ZIADA, 9. Damien MISKULIN, 8. Dario MATKOVIC, 19. Nicholas GLAVAN (15. Ivica BAHA 76’), 4. Steven TOPALOVIC, 23. Goran JOZELJIC (12. Shaun FILIPOVIC 72’), 11. Raymond LAY (5. Alex ROJAS 60’)

Unused substitutes: 31. Marko STEVANJA (GK)

Yellow cards: None

Red cards: None

KINGSTON CITY: 13. George MALLIARAS (GK), 4. James KARVELIS, 5. Kemal CURAN, 3. Stacy TSALKOS, 20. Michael GERACE, 7. Velibor MITROVIC, 10. John MACLEAN, 14. Arthur PAPADOPOULOS (8. Anthony STAVRIDIS 65’), 16. Nick STAMATIOU, 17. Deniz SABANOVSKI (15. Gino DEFEO 79’), 12. Stefan SOLER (6. Josh COLOSIMO 60’)

Unused substitutes: 1. Sermin SADIKOVSKI (GK), 21. Johnny ANDRINOPOULOS

Yellow cards: None

Red cards: None

Image credit: Dandenong City SC