A Jake Ploenges goal put the home team in front just before half-time and the Wanderers were able to absorb a tonne of pressure in the second half to record an important victory.

The three points at home allowed the Wanderers to leapfrog ANU into fourth position on the CPL ladder and coach Dave Leonard was thrilled to get the result.

"It was one of those where they probably deserved a draw, in a way," Leonard said.

"They put us under the pump in the second half, they threw everything at us that they had.

"It's one of those things, you think you deserve a point against Queanbeyan (last week) and it doesn't go your way, then they probably thought themselves that they deserved a draw out of that and probably did in the end, but didn't get it in the end but that's football."

Leonard said the Wanderers blew some chances in the first half and could have gone into the break 3-0 up instead of 1-0.

But he also conceded they were fortunate to hold the visitors out in the second half.

"It was a really attractive first half," he said.

"We even got comments from the home crowd saying the boys are playing really attractive football, which we are, but the second half, they just really came out and really pushed numbers high and took the chance of them going down 2-0 to get something out of the game.

"The last 20-25 minutes of the game, we were under some immense pressure. We had to do a bit of re-shaping there and generally I don't like to make too many changes during a game but we just had to do something.

"It was just bringing our wider guys back into the midfield to help our middle guys out number wise and congest it a little bit try and win ball back but we never really totally gained control in that second half like we did the first half.

"Hats off to those guys, they were coming at us hard."

Wanderers keeper Tim Kross pulled off a number of brilliant saves to keep his team in the game and his performance earned high praise from the coach.

"He definitely kept us in the game, which he's done pretty much every time he's played but (on Saturday) he pulled off some absolutely crucial stages when we were under the pump," Leonard said.

"And as far as the belief of the boys having Timmy there, they're all still talking about it, how much belief they've got with him being in goals. Rob Fry (leaving) is big shoes to fill and he's done that incredibly well so far."

Wanderers captain Kyle Yeates was another to shine in the win with a strong game in defence.

The Wanderers will now prepare to take on second-placed Tuggeranong next Saturday, again hitting the road to play in Canberra.

Jacob Ochieng will be in doubt with a hamstring injury, but the Wanderers hope to get Jayden Kinces back from a quad complaint.

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