Sunbury United continued on its winning ways on Saturday with a magic moment securing a stirring victory over Epping City.
On a difficult day for pretty play, United grabbed its fifth win from its past seven games with a miracle strike in the 90th minute to move up to eighth on the state league three north-west ladder.
United coaching director Greg Czaprik said it was good to take the full points.
“It was fantastic to get the result because game-wise it was very, very scrappy,” Czaprik said.
“The wind was blowing an absolute gale across the ground, so it didn’t favour anybody and made for a pretty ordinary game to watch.”
Czaprik was delighted by the manner of the win and the clean sheet that went with it.
While neither side was able to create a meaningful chance on goal for close to the full game, a moment of brilliance from the Mwarabu brothers was able to break the deadlock.
David Mwarabu found his brother, Djafari, in space about 25 metres from goal, with the striker pinging a shot into the top corner of the goal for the winner.
The shot was so good, the Epping City goalkeeper didn’t move.
The United players held on for four minutes of stoppage time to grab the win and deliver Epping just its third loss from 16 games.
“Epping are well structured and experienced, so it was a game we needed our guys to really stand up in,” Czaprik said.
“I think if that game had been played in the first half of the season, we probably wouldn’t have won it.
“Realistically, it was a game that no one should have won … it took a moment of brilliance for us to take the win, which shows how far we’ve come.
“We’re more physical now, we’re more wary, and I think they believe in themselves a bit more.”
That belief has come from a strong run of form in which United knocked Brimbank from the top of the ladder last week and will be needed against fourth-placed La Trobe University this weekend.
Czaprik said the side was looking to continue its move up the table with five rounds remaining.
“We’re on a roll at the moment,” he said. “I think if we can take this sort of form into the last games of the season, I think we’ll be safe from relegation … we’re climbing and bridging the gap to the sides above us.
“If we can keep this momentum going for the rest of the season, I think we’ll set ourselves up for a really positive 2018.
“When we play our best football and it’s our day, there is not a team that can match us.”
