Daniel Vasilevski's headed goal ten minutes from time was enough to give Melbourne Knights the win against Marconi Stallions in an otherwise tight tussle at Somers Street on Sunday night.
Vasilevski was first to reach a ball blocked firstly after a free-kick taken from the edge of the penalty-area by Lupo Lapsansky was cleared from the goal-line by Stallions keeper Michael Turnbull, then again from a follow-up by captain Steve Horvat.
"It wasn't pretty, but one goal settled the issue today," said Horvat after the game. "Better us than them."
Horvat later described his view of the action. "The deflection came straight to me. I chested it down and volleyed it and it was cleared off the line - it hit the defender flush in the head. It went out to (Vasilevski) and he headed it straight in to the corner."
"It was a messy goal but we'll take it."
Marconi had held the edge in the first half, but failed to convert the numerous chances that fell its way.
Three good chances fell Marconi's way in a ten minute spell just after the mid-point of the first half.
Alex Brosque combined to good effect with fellow striker Tony Perinich. Marconi's first decent effort came when Brosque was set free with only Rodrigo Vargas chasing. Vargas did enough to force Brosque to take a slightly wider path, and his shot went over the bar from 16 metres.
Darren McDonald, who had an outstanding game in the first half, was on the end of a move just minutes later after good lead-up work from Perinich and Brosque but he also shot over from the 18-yard line.
Before the Knights defence had a chance to recompose, McDonald on a run, found Perinich to his left. Perinich's cross was just too far for Brosque to reach on a slide at the far post.
A minute later, Grant Last made a gallop up the right wing, sending in a cross for Brosque to volley over from eight metres.
"Our midfielders were trying to play too nice," said playing-coach Andrew Marth after the game. "Marconi really hurt us in midfield. Our midfielders are great ball-players, but when it gets a bit physical they go a bit into hiding."
McDonald was at the heart of this midfield control.
"(McDonald) has been out of the game for quite a while with a knee operation," said Stallions coach Raul Blanco after the game. "His match-fitness is not yet where it's supposed to be, but I think he did a good job."
Knights grafted itself more into the contest as the wind and the rain arrived in the second half, even though Horvat rued his choice of ends selection after winning the toss. "I made a great decision today with the toss. I picked against the wind both halves."
Xhezair Sulemani, Nick Sabljak, and Vasilevski had good chances as the second half wore on, but the deadlock was finally broken in the pin-ball action following Lapsansky's taking of the free-kick on the edge of the area.
"I think we did well enough not to go away empty-handed," said a disappointed Blanco. "I thought we moved the ball well in the first-half, but (Knights) improved in the second half and came into the game (more)."
"We've (played) three good games without anything to show for it," said Blanco. "(But) if we continue doing what we're doing, we have a chance."
Blanco rejected suggestions that the proposed wind-up motion for consideration at Marconi's forthcoming AGM is adversely affecting the concentration of the players. "We are here to play good football - (it's) not in our minds at all."