NPL: Third time lucky for Tigers, as undefeated start continues with 3-1 win over Knights

Tigers FC drew their first two games and were itching to bring home their first three-point performance.

O'Connor Knights FC paid the price, falling 3-1 to last year's Premiers.

The visitors hunted for an equaliser well into extra-time, with one goal the difference, but Nik Popovich ended their hopes with the final play at the AIS.

The Tigers pounced first in the seventh minute. Winger Josh Gulevski drove to the base line and caught the Knights defence ball watching. His cut back found an unmarked Antoni Timotheou to make it 1-0.

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Twenty minutes later a set piece levelled the score. A Tigers defender was penalised for his contact with Connor Mynott-Smith 18-yards out.

The young Knights player's right boot bent the free-kick over the five-player wall, sailing into the top corner to level the score 1-1.

Heading into the sheds equal at half-time, Tigers coach Ryan Grogan may have thought his side were set for another draw.

But thankfully it proved third time lucky for Cooma.

"We've slowly been building week to week," he said.

"We knew it was going to be a challenge with the enthusiasm and the talent that O'Connor have brought up from NPL2. But we're happy that we came away with three points.

"Over the last month we weren't creating as clean cut chance as that, so the result's good, the scoreline is good, but the football is what's most important ... and we're happy with the direction we're heading."

Cooma secured their lead for the second time on Saturday off a set piece of their own. After setting up the first, Gulevski put his own name on the scoresheet in the 55^th minute. His curling corner stumped the Knights defence to take the lead 2-1.

Numerous efforts from both sides almost levelled, and increased the Tigers' lead, as O'Connor chased a one-point result.

Popovich ended any hopes the Knights had seconds before the full-time whistle. A Tigers cross, a diving header off the crossbar, ended in the number nine pouncing on the second phase play to convert it with his left foot.

The goal proved the final play in the round three battle, leaving it 3-1.

Knights coach Miro Trninic was disappointed his side did not take a point from the contest.

"We played well but the first 15 minutes we gave them too much respect," he said.

"They were the champions of Canberra's NPL last year ... but we gave them too much respect. After the boys saw that they could play against them, we did well to control the ball possession."

NPL men's round three results: