Nobody saw the work. Then Joseph Knowles scored in the 95th minute

There are goals that win games. Then there are goals that mean everything.

For 12 months, the Oakleigh Cannons forward worked his way back from a devastating knee reconstruction. Rehab sessions. Isolation. The mental grind of watching from the sidelines while football moved on without him.

Then came Friday night.

Deep into stoppage time against Dandenong Thunder, with Oakleigh locked in another tense battle at the top of NPL VIC, Knowles completed his comeback story with a cracking goal in the 95th minute to seal another win for the red-hot leaders.

It was release. Relief. Emotion.

“I nearly had tears. The best feeling I’ve had in football,” Knowles admitted to the club’s official media post-match.

“Nobody sees all the other stuff behind the scenes, when it’s just you by yourself. It just meant so much to me.”

His goal sealed a dramatic 2-0 victory after Oakleigh had already broken the deadlock in the 93rd minute, extending Chris Taylor’s relentless side to seven matches unbeaten.

Right now, the Cannons simply refuse to die.

Heidelberg United remain three points behind after humiliating rivals South Melbourne 4-0 in a fiery clash between the two Greek giants that settled the Community Shield, while Hume City stayed firmly in the hunt following a thrilling 4-2 win over Caroline Springs George Cross.

Avondale FC are only a point further back after crushing Altona Magic 5-1 in a match overshadowed by wild scenes involving Magic head coach Goran Lozanovski.

Bruno Fornaroli continued his extraordinary season with another two goals - taking his tally to 10 in 12 matches - before stepping in as peacemaker following Lozanovski’s confrontation with the referee.

Elsewhere, Melbourne City delivered the most ruthless performance of the weekend, dismantling Bentleigh Greens 7-0 away from home as young gun Medin Memeti scored four goals.

Green Gully remain bottom and winless after defeat to local rivals St Albans Dinamo, while George Mihailidis’ strike handed Preston Lions a 1-0 victory over Dandenong City.