Bay United are on nine points, four points behind fourth-placed Canterbury United and another point adrift of third-placed Waitakere United in third place.
The Wanderers are the flogging boys this summer, sitting on just one point after a stalemate from nine games.
But yesterday Bay United fumbled, stumbled and tumbled in 12 minutes of madness that cost them three goals, including a penalty kick.
"In the first 20 minutes or so we had the ascendancy but in the three minutes of switching off and the game's gone," he lamented as the Bill Robertson-captained side clocked four losses and a draw in their last five outings.
"It was just two minutes of madness, really," he said, emphasising the visitors felt they had control of the game but when the gremlins crept in and they conceded goals, the pressure became insurmountable.
Former Conroy Removals Napier City Rovers English import striker Stephen Hoyle put the ball in the bottom, left corner, past Bay United goalkeeper Ruben Parker Hanks, in the 18th minute for a 1-0 lead after the visitors lost the ball halfway in their own half before James Pendrigh deftly found Hoyle unmarked.
Reeling from the impact of the first goal, Bay United were still licking their wounds when they felt the Dragons' breath again two minutes later on a sweltering 29C park.
This time Travis Nicklaw went on the scorecard, 2-0, from 6m out after some smart foot work from Gary Ogilvie to thread the ball to him.
It was Ogilvie's turn to step up after he was brought down in the penalty box in the 29th minute. He coolly slotted the ball past Hanks, 3-0, from the spot.
Dunning said the Bay United players hadn't dropped their shoulders in that 12-minute spell.
"They kept battling and kept trying to play."
After halftime the Dragons got behind the ball and Bay United were unable to break them down.
"The forwards had a bit of a dry spell again, especially Gavin [Hoy] and Wes [Wesley Cain] gave us 100 per cent."
Dunning said they were banking on American/Ghanaian import Samuel Adjei to come right during the festive season to break that goal drought.
"If we weren't creating chances then we'd probably worry but we are and if we get one [goal] then somebody will be at the end of a hiding."
The Dragons were on a similar bad run but had bounced back with wins to sit at No4 yesterday.
"If we can get some momentum after Christmas I'm sure we'll be able to be there in the top four."
In other premiership games at the weekend, Auckland City FC beat Tasman United 3-1, Eastern Suburbs had Waitakere United's number, 2-0, Southern United held Team Wellington scoreless and Wellington Phoenix Reserves were too good for Wanderers, 3-1.
Earlier, Dunning's youth side lost 4-2 to their Canterbury counterparts.
Captain/centreback Jackson Durrington equalised 1-1 from a cornerkick and right winger Taylor Monk nudged them ahead 2-1 but the hosts, who finished the league behind champions Auckland City on countback, found the net twice again.
