Goole Valley Saints moved further clear at the top of Victoria Premier League 2 when they beat Box Hill 3:0 on Saturday. The result extends their advantage over the chasing pack, and here's the thing — it's not just about the points anymore. After 26 games they sit on 55, four clear of whoever comes next.
Box Hill drop to sixth with 40 points from 11 wins, seven draws and eight defeats. They were hoping to close the gap after that win against Nawayeding last time out, but this result keeps the distance. By then they'd already lost ground elsewhere in the table.
The Saints have been inconsistent lately — they lost 2:4 to Bayside Argonauts two weeks ago and were beaten 1:3 by Malvern before that. But they responded with wins over Verribi City and Keylor Park, and this clean sheet suggests they've found their rhythm again.
Box Hill came into this with momentum. They won 1:0 at Nawayeding and drew 2:2 with Morland City, but those results don't translate when you face a side in second place. They held their nerve for a while, but the game opened up after the first goal.
With one game left in the regular season, the Saints have one foot in the next round. Box Hill's season is effectively over — they're too far adrift to catch anyone now. The line has barely moved for the top spot.