Melton Phoenix continued its brilliant run of form in State League 4 West soccer, defeating Strathmore 2-1 on Saturday.
Phoenix gave up the first goal of the game before hitting back in the second half.
Melton kicked two goals in the space of 15 minutes to regain the ascendancy.
Strathmore continued to attack, but Phoenix’s players were able to hold on and claim the all-important three points.
Coach Theo Karapanagiotidis said it was a special win.
“The 14 guys I had in the squad were absolutely brilliant,” he said.
“I couldn’t be more proud of them. In my three years at the club, I haven’t seen a song sung after the match with so much gusto. It was really a big win.
“We were undermanned and playing against a side that was above us … for the guys to perform like that was fantastic.”
After trailing 1-0, Melton got back into the match through a David Valenzuela penalty kick in the 52nd minute.
With the momentum going Melton’s way, Karapanagiotidis threw the always- dangerous Beau Chang forward.
It didn’t take long for Chang to repay the faith, sending a booming kick into the back of the net in the 65th minute.
The win has huge repercussions on the league’s top four. Heading into the round 18 fixture, Melton trailed Strathmore by three points. The two clubs are now locked together on 32.
The win kept Melton within striking distance of second-placed Melbourne City on 37 points.
Phoenix takes on sixth-placed Point Cook on Saturday. “It will be a tough game,” Karapanagiotidis said.
“They were in our division last year and were actually the first side to beat us. Their ground is tough to play on.
Melton hasn’t lost since round 14 and is one of the form teams of the competition.
“We’ve broken the away hoodoo and we’re beating good sides in Maribyrnong Greens and Strathmore,’’ Karapanagiotidis said.
“We will go [to Point Cook] with confidence.”
