NPL Men's: 'Fully loaded' Tigers frustrate Gungahlin United in stunning 2-1 upset

The result was the Tigers' first win since round six and just their third victory of the season.

"We needed this. Winning is a habit and so is losing, so to break the duck, we'll use it as a springboard to another big game next week against Canberra Croatia," Tigers coach Ryan Grogan said.

"It's a big boost for the side. This is the first game we've played this year where we've being fully loaded with players.

"The boys stepped up and they played really well. The last couple of games, although they've been draws, we've been a little bit frustrated that we didn't convert them into wins. So it's good that the hard work got rewarded."

Cooma were defeated 5-1 the last time the teams met back in round eight, but they proved to be tougher opposition on Saturday afternoon.

Gungahlin dominated possession in the first half, but it was the Tigers that got ahead in the 12th minute against the run of play after Julian Borgna was fouled by Jeremy Habtemariam a few metres outside the 18-yard box.

Borgna's free kick wasn't stopped by the Gungahlin wall and bounced into the bottom left corner for his second goal in the last three matches.

The Tigers grew in confidence in the second half and extended their lead with 20 minutes remaining, courtesy of a neat Jared Tonini collect and finish off a long ball.

The match had many tense moments as some Gungahlin players appeared frustrated at the scoreboard, keeping referee Alexander McConachie busy, dishing a total of three yellow cards on the day. And in the 83rd minute Gungahlin's Nicholas Dahl was shown red for a shirt tug on Tom Krklec as he threatened to run clean into the area for a shot.

Gungahlin clawed back a goal in injury time with a sensational Habtemariam strike from distance ruffling the top right of the net, but it was too little too late for United.

NPL men's round 15:

NPL women's round 15: