THIRD time's a charm for Panorama Football Club, as it defeated local rivals Bathurst '75 for the first time in the Western Premier League (WPL) on Saturday.
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The Goats, coming off a nil-all draw against Orange Waratahs, scored two goals against the navy blues, who had no response against last year's runners-up.
Steven Long scored only a minute out from the break, while Matthew Hobby scored just before the hour mark, with the 2-0 win moving Panorama within one point of Bathurst '75 at the top of the WPL ladder.
Panorama coach Ricky Guihot said he couldn't be prouder of his team's effort.
"I've been trying to get them to understand that it's attitude and effort, not the way they play," he said.
"At the moment in this competition, whoever turns up on the day can take the points.
"If the attitude and effort is right, there's no reason why they can't take the points every week.
"To their credit, they went out there and stuck to the plan. They worked their backsides off and they got what they deserved.
"They were definitely the better side on the night."
Panorama's opening goal came in the 44th minute, from a set play which started in their own half.
Jarrod Portegies sent a free kick well up the field, to Jaiden Culbert who was waiting on the 18-yard box, who headed the ball into the box to the head of Long, who beat '75 keeper Jack Hunter to break the deadlock and score his maiden goal of the 2023 WPL season.
Come the second half and the 58th minute, Long made a bursting run down his wing and sent a low cross into the box, which found the waiting feet of Hobby, who tapped into the back of the net for his first goal of the season too.
Guihot was full of praise for Long.
"Stevie Long has headed the ball more this year than he has in his whole life," he said.
"The kid is playing good as football as I've seen him play. He played the best 90 minutes I've ever seen him play.
"He was unreal. I couldn't fault him."
The win was Panorama's first success over '75 in the WPL era, having drawn 2-all and suffered a 2-0 defeat in last year's fixtures.
In other results, Orana Spurs claimed a 5-0 win against Parkes Cobras, with Jake Grady scoring a hat-trick for the Dubbo club.
Macquarie United fought back from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-all with Barnstoneworth United in Orange, while Dubbo Bulls bounced back from its horror eight-goal defeat to snatch a 1-0 away win against reigning premiers Orange Waratahs.
Bathurst '75 remains first on 15 points, one ahead of Goats, who are in turn one point ahead of Spurs.
There's a four-point gap between third and fourth-placed Barnstoneworth, while Bulls are on the same amount of points but fifth on goal difference.
Macquarie is sixth on eight points, while Waratahs are seventh on five points.
Parkes remain rooted to the bottom of the ladder and winless, with only three draws to their name.
There will be no WPL games on the June long weekend, with round eight to kick-off with a Friday night Dubbo derby between Macquarie and Dubbo, before the rest of the fixtures are played on Saturday.
PANORAMA FC 2 (Steven Long 44', Matthew Hobby 58') defeated BATHURST '75 0
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