Western United have added further milestones to their resurgent 2021-22 A-League Men campaign after downing Perth Glory 2-0 in Launceston and coach John Aloisi believes they have what it takes to keep their momentum going.
Returning to the top of the table thanks to goals from Aleksandar Prijovic and Dylan Pierias, United's win at UTAS Stadium extended their club record-setting unbeaten run to seven games - their last loss coming against Wellington on January 21.
Aloisi's side has also now surpassed their win total from the 2020-21 campaign with nine in just 14 games and their 29 points are one greater than the total they achieved in 26 games last season.
And while Sunday's game kick-started a series of fixtures that will see them crisscross the East coast and regional Victoria for the remainder of the season in a similar manner to the run that instituted their collapse last season, Alosi believes his squad won't falter this time around.
"We've spoken about certain things that they didn't do last season," he said.
"Talking about looking for excuses when things didn't go so well. Looking for excuses about 'we haven't got a home, we're playing in four different stadiums'.
"I was very quick to mention that to the players at the beginning of the season.
"We know what we've got, we know where we're headed. Let's enjoy the journey and enjoy whatever's put in front of us and every obstacle that's in front of us and let's adapt."
Against a side that has been drained by injuries and a life on the road forced by Western Australia's hard border, United looked as comfortable as you'd expect from the league's most miserly defence.
Bruno Fornaroli's 11th-minute miss was a rare moment of Glory penetration in a first-half dominated by United chances, and their 37th-minute goal from Prijovic, ably fed from an unlikely figure in Nikolai Topor-Stanley, reflective of the balance of play.
Just over 10 minutes into the second half, Pierias popped up to score a goal he had been threatening all evening when he met a well-placed cross in from the left from left-back Ben Garruccio.
No team in the ALM has been better at keeping clean sheets than Aloisi's this season and while Glory had the better of play as they pushed hard for a response, they proved unsuccessful.
Glory coach Richard Garcia's side will need to somehow figure out a way to keep their minds focused on their mid-week meeting with Melbourne City, knowing that they will be playing in front of home fans next Saturday after 106 days.
"It's getting to that point where heads and eyes are looking at the return," Garcia said.
"Today, I thought the performance was a lot better, it's heading in the direction we want to head.
"Once we get the people back that we want to get we'll have a more cutting edge in that final third.
"And then we're heading home. That's a big one. I think there are a few tired minds and a few tired bodies out there."
United will look to keep the momentum going when they host the Newcastle Jets next Saturday.
