PORT Saints needed all of the 90 minutes before they finally put a plucky Wauchope away 2-0 at Findlay Park on Saturday.
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Goals to Travis Pascoe and Mike Finlayson at the end of each half secured all three points for Darrell Pascoe's men which saw them move into third spot on the ladder.
"I didn't think we were at our best at all; far from it," Pascoe said,
"It was possibly even one of our more disappointing performances, but we still got the win and you have to win ugly sometimes.
"When things don't go your way you still have to be able to get the job done and the lads did that so that was really pleasing."
Saints less-than-impressive performance left Pascoe with few fingernails left at the end of the game.
"The coach was a little bit nervous on the sideline for a little while," he said.
"(Wauchope) played pretty good, but full credit to our guys.
"We hung in there and hung in there and hung in there; they played a brilliant defensive line which made it hard for us to break them down."
In the end it was Finlayson's individual effort that enabled the coach to breathe a little easier.
"It probably took that to break them down because they were good," Pascoe said.
Most importantly, Saints emerged from the game without injuries which sets up a mouthwatering top-of-the-table clash with Port United next Saturday.
"You're always going to be motivated against United as they would be against us so it makes this week pretty interesting, looking forward to it," Pascoe said.
Meanwhile, Saints' reserve grade side cruised to a 5-0 victory which secured them a place alongside their first grade counterparts in the finals in a fortnight.
"Both our teams for the first time in years will play finals football so well done to them," Pascoe said.
"At the start of the year I don't think many people would have thought both our teams would make finals; you probably could have taken long odds on that.
"They've got there now, so regardless of what happens from a club point of view I'm pretty stoked,"
Tacking Point Tavern players of the match were Noah Agland (reserves) and Dan Johnson (first grade).
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