Caroline Springs George Cross claimed a season-defining win on Saturday in the Victorian Premier League 1 competition.
With three teams fighting for the two automatic promotion spots, the Georgies know that every result is vital in the run home.
On Saturday, the Georgies took on Melbourne City which sat atop the table.
A 2-1 win brought the two teams level on points with four rounds remaining. Bentleigh Greens sit one point clear of the two sides.
Georgies’ coach Eric Vassiliadis said the group was fully aware of what the result of that match meant.
“It was a massive game for both sides,” he said. “It was potentially season-defining and there was more at risk for us if we didn’t get the result.
“The boys had the right mindset and they were boys delivered to get the points in the end. I’m proud of them.”
Vassiliadis said the game was a tale of two halves, with a strong wind making it a lot easier to score at one end.
The two teams traded goals in the first half in the space of two minutes before a Joshua Whitely goal in the 52nd minute gave them the lead.
That would prove to be the winning goal.
“Melbourne City is a very good side,” he said. “So fundamentally good with attacking players.
“We were a little bit disappointed with the first goal.
“We were a bit cagey in the first half, we knew that we had to have the squad back to 1-1 before half time.
“They struggled to get it out of our attacking end in the second half. We should have scored more.
“Christian Siciliano had some massive heroics in the nine minutes of extra time.”
While the gap at the top of the table has closed, Vassiliadis said nothing changes for them in what they have been doing for a number of weeks.
“We have treated the last 12 weeks as finals,” he said. “We have played some big games and we have that mindset not only this year, but the last six and half years.
“The efforts, endeavour have been there. We have got a ticket to the dance and the question is who will be the king and queen and who will have to take the long way.”
The Georgies face Eastern Lions this week, with the Lions trying to avoid relegation.
Vassiliadis said it would be a different looking line up to the one that played against Melbourne City.
He said they would lose a couple of players through injury, while they would lose two or three players for an accumulation of yellow cards.
“It’s half our starting line up,” he said. “We have clarity in how we want to play.
“We’re happy to see others get their chance and if they play well they might be able to keep those spots.”
