Parramatta Power continued Melbourne Knights' poor run at its Somers Street home with a narrow, but convincing, one-nil victory last Sunday.
In a game of few clear chances, Zlatko Aramabasic slid home a John Bonavoglio cross from close-range, five minutes before the break.
"It was a disappointing result (given) our two wins previously. We wanted the win today to claim fourth spot," said assistant coach Luciano Trani after the game.
Parramatta coach David Mitchell was delighted to take the three points, as that meant Power would jump to fourth. "It's a big win for us. Melbourne Knights played attacking football (in the last two games). They're a good side. For us to come here and keep a clean sheet and the win cements us in fourth spot," he said.
Power got off to the better start when Steve Eagleton blasted goalwards from the edge of the area and forced a diving save from Martin John who was able to touch it onto the far-post. Amazingly, the ball then rebounded off John's head as it cannoned off the post, and only then out for a corner.
The danger was still not over as Lupo Lapsanski's corner was driven to the far-post where an unmarked Alex Tobin headed onto the bar and over.
Knights was mounting some effective attacks of its own - perhaps the best opportunity falling for Daniel Vasilevski mid-way through the half.
Xhezair Sulemani, who had otherwise a quiet game, had managed to find space down the left from where he sent in a low ball to the edge of the six-yard box. Vasilevski had spotted the possibilities and ghosted in, meeting the ball with a delicate touch only to send it just wide of the far-post with Power goalkeeper Les Pogliacomi well-beaten.
Steven Fitzsimmons volleyed over after controlling with his chest to complete a fine move begun by Wayne O'Sullivan on Power's left. O'Sullivan squared the ball to Lapsanski who then found Fitzsimmons making a diagonal run to cut out the Knights defence.
Power's goal just before the break was in keeping with the balance of the game. Buonavoglia is both fast, and as a player of short stature, very hard to knock off the ball when in possession. He had shown his qualities throughout the game, but was best rewarded for them when he'd made all the running down the left to the bye-line, and crossing hard and low to where Arambasic only needed to bundle it over the line from close-range.
As the second half proceeded, it became clear that Power was more intent on retaining its lead, than extending it, funnelling players behind the ball whenever possession was lost to the Knights.
Try as they might, the Knights players could not find their way through the cluttered final third, and were always vulnerable to the counter-attack given Buonavoglio's pace.
"Parramatta decided they were in front and they were going to hold that result, and we weren't penetrating enough. If they drop off, we've got to be good enough to find shooting (opportunities) 25-30 metres from goal," said Trani. "We didn't shoot enough."