Tigers beat Wanderers 5-1 to move to second spot

The Tigers 5-1 win over Wanderers follows on from their 5-0 win over Canberra Olympic FC last week, making it 10 goals in two matches for the side.

A throw, a flick on and a powerful shot from Roko Strika secured Tigers their first, before a foul during a corner inside the box secured their second, as Julian Borgna stepped up to the spot to make it 2-0 in 25 minutes.

The first half ended with Tigers' Nathen Megic suffering an ankle injury, a suspected ligament tear, from an awkward landing after a jumping header in the box.

Borgna brushed off his hattrick and said the score line was a credit to the side coming together on the synthetic pitch.

"Full credit to the boys, the boys are putting in and that's it," he said.

The third goal came courtesy of Strika, after a shot from teammate Joshua Gulevski was blocked and fell at his feet. The fourth was also linked to Gulevski, who crossed it to Borgna's feet before he beat his defender and sent it bottom right.

The final blow was dealt by Borgna, after a free kick was awarded to the Tigers just outside the 18-yard box. The number 17 secured his hattrick to make it 5-0, sending the ball over the Wanderers wall and into the top left of the net.

Wanderers coach Ulisses Da Silva said he did not feel the score was a true reflection of his side's performance.

"It was a disappointing result," he said.

"I thought we played well in patches and it was just ... some mistakes at critical moments, lapses of concentration in critical moments and Tigers have got the quality to make us pay for those mistakes."

The Woden side struggled throughout the game to take opportunities at goal and Da Silva acknowledged they could always be better in converting their opportunities.

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The Tigers were unlucky not to leave Melrose without a clean sheet, after Wanderers substitute Jackson Paesler scored a consolation goal for the home side in the dying minutes.

Paesler's injection into the game at halftime was felt. He set Juan Ospina up about a metre from the goal line, but the striker stumbled and sent it straight into goalkeeper Jakob Cole's hands.

His work rate was rewarded in the 89th minute, when a left footed strike hit the top left hand corner and beat an outstretched Cole.

The goal rejuvenated the Wanderers side in the final moments of play, but it was too little too late.

Borgna said his side needed to work on their fitness and put defensive duties first and foremost to prevent last minute goals.

Despite the win, it was not enough to clench top spot on the ladder for the Tigers, as Canberra Croatia FC move to first on the ladder after a 5-2 win against Canberra Olympic FC.

After a surprising 3-3 draw with Gungahlin United FC, Belconnen United FC will move down to third on the ladder.