Cobram Roar’s 3-0 win over Albury City on Sunday had a certain English flair attached to it.
UK compatriots Kieran O’Donnell and Bill Puckett hit the back of the net at Apex Reserve to keep the Roar in pole position on the Albury Wodonga Football Association division one men’s ladder.
And what an important win it proves to be.
Securing the three points on home soil hoists the Roar two points over Albury United, with a showdown against the second-placed Greens taking place this weekend.
It will be a highly-anticipated top-of-the-table clash, a game that looms as Roar’s biggest test of their impressive AWFA campaign.
Last season’s premier heads in rested having assumed the bye in round 16, but thrashed Wodonga Diamonds 6-0 in its most recent outing.
“We’ve got Albury United this weekend, which is a massive game this one, between first and second,” Roar men’s coach Vince Iannucci said.
“That will keep us on our toes. They’re the only team we haven’t beaten this year, so we know we’ve got a bit of work to do. We’re just going to prepare as normal.”
Going up against City, O’Donnell barely wasted a breath getting underway as he opened his account for the day not long after kick off, and finished the half in style by completing his brace in the 46th minute.
Skipper Puckett got in on the act halfway through the second term with Cobram’s third, locking in the three points for Iannucci’s side and setting up a huge six-point clash with Albury United at home on Sunday.
The Roar mentor stressed the importance of his side sticking at a high level of performance while he praised the club’s young guns.
“We did the job that we needed to do at end of the day,” Iannucci said.
“It was not that we took them for granted, we just had a focus on scoring, instead of going with the flow.
“We have got to be up for every game; at this time of year, with the weather and everything you can’t just go though the motion. We’ve got the finish line not far away and it’s going to ramp up.
“Anthony Corso, once he starts knocking them into the back of the net and you have all three (O’Donnell, Puckett) start scoring, then look out.
“The kids did well ... Jake Kalz coming back from injury in the reserves, Toby Wade continues to perform well, Luke (Goodin) did a good job out on the left and Thomas Corso is, well, he’s just superb.”
Meanwhile, Cobram’s division one women’s outfit continues climb the table.
Roar pencilled in a rollicking 4-1 triumph over Wodonga Diamonds away at La Trobe University.
A brace to star talent Alyssa Iannucci and goals to Marlie Noonan and Laydah Samani helped Roar chalk up their third consecutive win.
The Roar’s women’s outfit now sit fourth on the table ahead of the upcoming home clash against Albury United.