The Shepparton side, currently occupying second place in the VPL 2 ladder, made the 228 km trip to Serbian Sports Centre in a buoyant mood as they looked to make it four wins in as many outings in the league over the last month.
Alongside impressive victories over Moreland City, Nunawading City and Kingston City, the Suns also staged a giant-killing in the Hahn Australia Cup, downing Green Gully in a famous win at the start of April.
However, the boys in the sky blue away strip were made to work for the three points down at Serbian Sports Centre, conceding the first goal of the game in the 21st minute - with Oliver Lazzaro breaking the deadlock for the White Eagles.
Coming into half-time a goal behind, Suns boss Carley was all too aware of the need for his players to stick in the dogfight down in Keysborough, as he placed emphasis on the importance of the team sticking to its principles heading into the final 45.
“It was a very difficult game to start with - it’s a tough place to go,” Carley said.
“We always knew it was going to be a bit of a banana skin of a game for us and they’re a better team than what the league table reflects.
“I felt we were a little bit flat and reactive during the first half and we started quite slow instead of playing on the front foot, so at half-time we knew we had to change things.
“We brought Laywi (Niyonkuru) on and we just changed it tactically with two central strikers which really helped put the pressure on.
“As soon as he came on, there was a change in dynamic and we started to get on top of the game and testing the ‘keeper as I don’t think we did that enough in the first half.”
“We were trying to play our brand of football, which wasn’t really suited to the conditions - but credit to the boys, they played that same way second half.”
The Suns had to bide their time to pull back level, but their patience was eventually rewarded in the 74th minute as the persistence of forward Mangara Munguakonkhwa finally proved too much for the tiring Springvale backline to handle.
The sprightly attacker was the first to respond after a loose ball sat up for him within the opposition’s six-yard-box, with a fortunate bounce presenting him with the opportunity to prod the leather home with a typical poacher’s finish.
Setting up a grandstand finish in Melbourne, the Suns were then in the ascendancy as they pushed for a smash and grab victory on the road, smelling blood in the dying embers of the clash.
Not content with taking a share of the points back to Shepparton, the visitors seized the initiative as Callum Schorah produced one of the moments of the season so far with a dramatic winner just a minute from time.
Latching onto a searching lofted pass into the opposition’s final third, the Suns No. 10 took the game by the scruff of the neck, nodding the ball into space down the left channel to leave himself with just the ‘keeper to beat.
His burst of pace bought him enough time to pick his spot and he duly unleashed a ruthless strike to fire his side into the lead for the first time in the match - sparking rapturous celebrations on the field and touchline alike.
Describing the atmosphere in the group as the Suns basked in their latest victory following the game, Carley confirmed that team spirit is at an all-time high in the changing room.
“There’s a never-say-die attitude in this group and in years gone by, we may have gone on to concede again, but that shift in the mentality in the last year means they don’t know when to give up,” he said.
Next up, the Suns will be eager to continue their purple patch, starting with a home clash with Malvern City at McEwen Reserve on April 25 as they look to close the gap on the league pacesetters in a top-of-the-table fixture.
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