Welsh star Jess Fishlock came back to haunt Canberra United for the second time this year on Sunday when she scored a double to send the W-League ladder into overdrive.
Fishlock scored two brilliant goals to lift Melbourne City to a 2-1 triumph against Canberra at AAMI Park.
It came just eight months after Fishlock slammed home a 107th minute extra-time heartbreaking to end Canberra's title hopes last season.
But Canberra coach Heather Garriock is confident her side showed enough grit to convince her the players could bounce back immediately to break free from a ladder logjam.
Canberra slipped to sixth on the ladder after back to back losses and face a season-defining test against the red-hot Sydney FC on Friday night.
Canberra and Sydney are locked on nine points, with both desperate to stay in contact with the top four at the halfway point of the season.
Garriock will wait until later in the week before deciding if co-captain and reigning golden-boot winner Ash Sykes is fit enough to play after an ankle injury forced her to miss the clash against Melbourne
"I thought the girls were much better than last week ... I think they executed the game plan we were after," Garriock said.
"But in terms of creating chances up front, I don't think we penetrated in behind enough and that came because we couldn't play too much through the midfield.
"Tactically I think Melbourne City struggled with our four in the midfield. We were getting quite a lot of joy in the midfield, it's just our own errors that cost us.
"We just lacked a bit of finesse, but I think we can be a lot better and we'll build on this performance. Both teams need the win next week, so it's going to be a big one."
Fishlock opened the scoring with a brilliant long-range right-foot shot in the first half that rocketed into the top corner.
But the visitors hit back straight away in a physical and draining clash when a howler from Lydia Williams gifted Michelle Heyman with arguably the easiest goal of her career.
Heyman was putting pressure on Melbourne goal keeper Williams' when the Matildas shot-stopper miscued a pass straight to Heyman, who cooly scored the 50th goal of her Canberra career.
Michelle Heyman of United (right) strikes the ball past Alanna Kennedy of City during the round 7 W-League match between Melbourne City and Canberra United. Photo: AAP
Canberra goal keeper Haley Kopmeyer kept her side in the contests with some brilliant second-half saves, but another back-half error opened the door for Fishlock to be the destroyer again.
Fishlock was left unmarked and made no mistake with her left foot to set up the win and lift Melbourne City into the top four.
"It was a huge win for us ... Canberra were very physical and we had to get over that. We got over that, and that's a bigger message to ourselves than anything else," Fishlock said on Fox Sports.
Aivi Luik of City (left) and Toni Pressley of United clash, during the round 7 W-League match between Melbourne City and Canberra United. Photo: AAP
Canberra had just five shots in the game and just two of those were on target, but they almost escaped with a draw when Ellie Carpenter's last-gasp attempt hit the crossbar.
Meanwhile, Canberra United's National Youth League campaign was dealt another blow when they gave up three goals in the final 10 minutes to slump to a 6-3 defeat at the hands of the Central Coast Mariners on Saturday.
AT A GLANCE
W-League round seven: MELBOURNE CITY 2 (Jess Fishlock 10', 80') bt CANBERRA UNITED 1 (Michelle Heyman 23') at AAMI Park on Sunday.
Friday: Sydney FC v Canberra United at Allianz Stadium, 5.20pm. TV time: Live on Fox Sports and SBS.
