Milan Batur scored a late goal to give Melbourne Knights a 2-1 win over Werribee City at Galvin Park on Sunday and maintain a perfect record so far this season.
Tomislav Uskok opened the scoring just before the hour mark with his second goal in two games. James McGarry’s deflected shot fell into the captain’s path and having seen his initial shot blocked, he bundled in the rebound to make it 1-0.
It seemed as though Werribee might salvage a point when Simon Zappia equalised in the 82nd minute, smashing the ball into the roof of the net after a well-worked move from the home side.
But the Knights weren’t done and took the lead back with four minutes remaining. McGarry won a free kick that was curled into the area and Batur rose highest to head the ball in off the underside of the crossbar, keeping Andrew Marth’s men clear at the top of the table.
Stipo Andrijasevic, leading the line in the absence of Andrew Barisic, nearly opened the scoring five minutes in as his header from Alex Dao’s corner was tipped over the bar by Frano Saric.
The goalkeeper made another fine save after half an hour to deny Adrian Zahra’s low strike after Anthony Colosimo set him up with the cut-back.
The match went up in tempo in the second half and Werribee skipper Milan Savic tested the waters with a long distance strike that whizzed just wide of Chris May’s upright.
The home side had a great chance to equalise ten minutes after Uskok’s opener as Christopher Christaldo broke through on goal and was seemingly one-on-one with May. But out of nowhere defender Josh Brekalo lunged in to put a heroic block on what looked like being a goal.
Dao nearly made it 2-0 when he saw his header bounce back off the frame of the goal just before Werribee did find their equaliser.
At 2-1 down, the hosts had one last chance to equalise in stoppage time as Zappia’s fierce shot stung the palms of May, but it was cleared away as the Knights held on for another three points.