Dandenong Thunder goalkeeper Pierce Clark scores one of the NPL goals of the year

Dandenong Thunder goalkeeper Pierce Clark scored one of the goals of the NPL Victoria season, a 95th minute equaliser for added drama.

Pierce Clark in action for Dandenong Thunder. Picture: Dandenong Thunder Facebook

Dandenong Thunder goalkeeper Pierce Clark sent Melbourne Sokkah Twitter into meltdown on Saturday night.

Not for his heroics between the sticks but at the opposite end of the ground, slotting one of the goals of the NPL Victoria season.

For added drama, the former Newcastle Jets and Perth Glory A-League gloveman made it a 95th minute equaliser to rescue a point in a 1-1 draw with Green Gully at George Andrews Reserve.

In torrential rain and with time running out, Daniel Alessi put one last cross into the box and a Josh Karantz flick on fell perfectly to Clark.

With the outside of his foot he curled it top bins into the left corner.

94:32: GOAL! Dandenong Thunder score to make it DTFC 1 : GGSC 1.

Watch live and free at https://t.co/h6s3fuVIqL#NPLMVICpic.twitter.com/JQu7Ae6to3

— NPL Victoria (@nplvictoria) June 29, 2024

Prominent NPL follower SMFC Mike wondered when Clark had turned into Dutch legend Marco van Basten.

“There was pretty torrential rain, the water was like ankle deep and everyone was sloshing around,” Clark said.

“The ball came to me and I just tried to whip it, I sort of slipped and I think that actually helped me generate more power to be honest.

“I was ecstatic, most goalkeepers dream of popping up for a 95th minute equaliser so it’s nice to have that crossed off.

“I don’t know about Marco van Basten, I didn’t know what was going on, I didn’t have any celebration planned.

“The one at the end is meant to be a kangaroo, which is an inside joke with one of my mates.

“I said to him if I ever score, I’ll make sure to do the kangaroo and as soon as I got off the pitch and on to my phone he was calling me.”

While most goalkeepers dream of scoring one goal, it’s actually Clark’s second of his career.

His first came in 2019 while with Cairns FC in NPL Queensland.

Pierce Clark in action for Dandenong Thunder. Picture: Dandenong Thunder Facebook

The goal salvaged a draw with a red-hot Green Gully outfit.

The result sees Dandenong Thunder remain in 11th place but the club is just eight points outside the NPL top-six in a razor tight mid-table pack.

Thunder coach Adam Piddick only arrived a week before Round 1 and it has taken the team much of the season to gel.

A dominant win over premiership contender Oakleigh Cannons and another Dandenong Derby win, 1-0 over cross-town rival City, has Clark feeling confident the club is on the right track.

“We’ve had an up-and-down season and the last three weeks we’re starting to form a bit more of an identity,” he said.

“If you look at earlier rounds, if we’d copped a goal in the 70th minute mark we might have rolled over.

“We showed a fair bit of fight and created enough opportunities to win the game to be honest but it was probably a fair result in the conditions.

“We’re starting to understand each other and create a lot more chances at goal and our defending has gone from leaking plenty to conceding not many in the last month.

LEADER: GET YOUR NPL VICTORIA NEWS HERE

“I was saying to Adam the other day if we’d picked up a couple of results we should have won earlier in the season we’d be just about there (contending for finals).

“Adam came in with a week before the season and if you look at the line-up at least six or seven have had season-ending injuries or have gone overseas or left.

“To see how far we’ve progressed as a group, it’s really admirable.”

Clark will hope his heroics extend to his goalkeeping duties in the next month with a difficult stretch against former club South Melbourne, Avondale and Port Melbourne.