Macquarie United captain Glen Schein was under no illusions that there's still a lot of game to be played before his side will get a crack at a title after demolishing an undermanned Panorama side.
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The hosts held the visitors to a single goal while slotting in six of their own to remain at the top of the table in the Western Premier League.
While the victory may have been rewarding, Schein said the club is still taking it one step a time.
"It was a massive result for us and we know where we want to be and we took the time last week to keep chasing those goals we have to hit between now and the end of the season," Schein said.
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"We're big on setting those goals, everything's going on track for us right now, but it's still early days, you can't read too much into the results right now."
It's a risk Schein and his squad are all too wary of, after a promising start to last year's Dubbo and District Football Association premiership chase was run off course by injuries and other setbacks.
"Anything can always happen, we really like what's happening at the moment, we're playing well and we're getting the results we need," Schein said.
Injuries have also been less of a concern, and while some of the squad's more experienced members and die-hards have been hit by the injury bug in recent weeks, there's been plenty of able hands willing to step up and share the work.
"I think we've used about 19 to 20 blokes throughout our Premier League squad this year, everyone who's come in has really stepped up and done their job for us and that's all we've really needed," Schein said.
"Over the last couple of years, we've lost a few of the older blokes who've had a bit more mileage on them and we've got some of those new, fresher faces in, but everyone's been putting in the effort ona nd off the pitch to keep themselves fit and healthy, it's all been really good."
Right back Justin Pickering slotted another goal to take his season tally up to four and earn best on ground honours, but Schein praised the squad's entire defensive line for stepping up.
"Picko's been playing great and keeps getting those goals from right back, but our defence has been really good across the board, Isaac Skinner and Cameron Kopp have been great and Matt Walker and Picko have been really strong," Schein said.
"We all know that Jesse Spang and Will Grant can score the goals the we need and they've been doing that, but you win games by stopping the opposition from getting to score."
While Macquarie will take on Barnstoneworth United this weekend at Hans Claven oval, Schein expects to see Panorama again close to the finals.
"The Pano side are a great bunch of boys and regardless of the result they were great and they should be thereabouts towards the end of the year, they'll be hard to beat come semi-finals time, they're really well coached and they were missing a few of their blokes on the weekend."
