Yoogali SC has extended their winning streak to four games after scoring an 85th-minute winner against Queanbeyan City on Sunday.
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It was a hotly contested game in front of a parochial crowd, and coach Luke Santolin said it was the hardest challenge his side have faced since their move to Canberra.
"It was a tough side with massive crowd support, and we were able to stand up to the test to go top of the league on our own," he said.
"They cheered everything they did, and we didn't have much support.
"Our boys all agreed that there hadn't been a game where they have faced that sort of physicality yet, and it is the number one reason we joined the competition for games like today."
The Yoogali side was able to create a number of good opportunity with Mitch Bagiante having the best chance of the first half, but his shot was well saved by the Queanbeyan City keeper.
Danny Roche was looked dangerous as he created a couple of great attempts at goal while Joe Preece had a volley from outside the box turned away.
The breakthrough finally came when as Kolby Seers pushed up from left-back and played in Bagiante who was able to place the ball into the back of the net and give the visitors a 1-0 lead with five minutes remaining.
Santolin praised the work of Seers as he continues to show his improvement week in week out and will leave the coach with a tough decision to make when Andrew Keady become available again.
"Young Kolby Seers was coping abuse on the left-hand side all of the second half, and some of it was getting pretty edgy," he said.
"He was brilliantly defensively all day, and he picked his moment to go an amazing run and was able to put Mitch through to break the deadlock.
"If you see the way he is playing and the improvement even in his ball play, you can't take that away from someone when they are not just playing well, but they are improving week to week."
The 1-0 win means Yoogali are able to maintain their two-point gap at the top of the table and Santolin said the club are enjoying to good times while they can.
"We have been a successful side for a while, and people have discounted what we have done and tried to say that it was in a local competition," he said.
"But we have taken the step up and have just been able to kick on.
"We aren't even halfway through the season yet, but the club have come together, and we are on a real high at the moment so we will enjoy it while we can."
Yoogali will now look to prepare for their next assignment which will be a road trip to take on last year's premiers ANU FC.
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