Two men have been charged with match fixing offences after an 18-month investigation into an allegedly crooked game in the third tier of Australian football.

Key points: The Thunder coughed up a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 in the match under scrutiny

The Thunder coughed up a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 in the match under scrutiny A 54-year-old from Essendon North and a 52-year-old from the Gold Coast have been charged

A 54-year-old from Essendon North and a 52-year-old from the Gold Coast have been charged People with knowledge of the investigation described it as "not clear cut"

Police will allege the men attempted to fix the match between Dandenong Thunder and Melbourne City's under-20 team in the National Premier Leagues second division on August 19, 2017.

The match at Bundoora — City's home ground in Melbourne's north — finished 2-2.

Within days, a police investigation was launched which resulted in players, officials and referees being interviewed. The focus of the investigation was the conduct of Dandenong Thunder.

Officials from the club declined multiple requests to speak with the ABC, which has been aware of the police investigation since late 2017.

Former coaches who were employed by the club during the 2017 season were either shocked that the Thunder was being investigated, or declined to comment.

Gianfranco Impellizzeri, the coach during the season, which ended with the club being promoted to the National Premier Leagues Victoria, denied all knowledge of the match fixing investigation when contacted by the ABC in May last year.

The club won the NPL Victoria East title in the same season as the alleged match fixing.

The Victoria Police Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit, Purana Taskforce and Queensland Police Major and Organised Crime Squad, were involved in the investigation.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said a 54-year-old from Essendon North has been charged on summons with engaging in conduct that corrupts or would corrupt a betting outcome, and facilitating conduct that corrupts or would corrupt a betting outcome.

He will appear at Melbourne Magistrates' Court on March 29.

A 52-year-old from the Gold Coast has also been charged by Queensland Police with facilitating match fixing conduct.

He will appear at Southport Magistrates' Court, also on March 29.

No suggestion of crime syndicate involvement

It is believed to be only the second time match fixing charges have been laid in relation to a football league in Australia.

In 2013, multiple players and a coach at the Southern Stars, based in Melbourne's outer south-east, were charged with sports corruption offences.

Those offences in the Victorian Premier League were linked to Wilson Raj Perumal, one of the world's most notorious match fixers.

There is no suggestion the alleged offenders in the Thunder-City match are linked to similar international crime syndicates.

Social media is awash with allegations regarding the lower tiers of Australian soccer, including dozens of accounts which claim to have prior knowledge of thrown matches.

But many of these accounts are suspected of being scams, designed to ensnare those keen to make a quick buck by offering a seemingly irresistible bet: gambling on a fixed match.

People with knowledge of the Dandenong Thunder investigation, who spoke to the ABC on condition of anonymity, described the alleged conduct as not "clear cut" match fixing, and said the complicated police probe involved a huge number of potential witnesses.

The Thunder were 2-0 up after 12 minutes in the alleged fixed match, but City scored in the 27th and 55th minutes to draw 2-2.

It was the second last match of the season, with the Thunder finishing on top of the table that season 20 points clear of City in third.

As the Thunder has been assured of the title, given they were seven points clear of the second placed team before the match, there was no incentive for them to win.

The match featured several big names in Australian soccer, including Melbourne City striker Daniel Arzani, and former Socceroo and then-Thunder defender Simon Colosimo.

There is no suggestion any players involved in the match are alleged to have committed a sports corruption offence.