By JAMES WILLOUGHBY (@jwilloughby26)

First-half goals to Simon Zappia and Steve Cudrig have seen Werribee City record a deserved 2-0 PlayStation 4 NPL Victoria win at North Geelong on Saturday.

In what was billed as a relegation six-pointer at Elcho Park, Werribee's bright start saw it record its second win in a row, moving them even further clear of the bottom-placed Warriors.

Zappia's clever 18th-minute finish set the tone for a frustrating afternoon for the hosts and Cudrig nodded in a corner just before the break.

And that proved enough against Micky Colina's men, who have won just one of a possible 13 league matches this season.

There was a sense of intrigue pre-match as Warriors fans looked forward to seeing new signings Yusuf Yusuf and Rudi Saglam in action for the first time.

Both started, with Saglam drafted in as an 11th-hour replacement for North Geelong's 17-year-old midfield star Nikola Jurkovic, who failed a late fitness test with an achilles problem.

Zappia had the ball in the back of the net after four minutes but his effort was ruled out for offside.

There was no problem 14 minutes later, though, as Zappia got on the end of a smart Christopher Cristaldo pass to fire past Warriors goalkeeper Daniel Zilic.

Werribee shot-stopper Frano Saric had to be alert to keep out a long throw which nearly snuck in before the offside flag came to the winners' rescue, with Yusuf denied a debut goal as a result of the decision.

That blow was heightened in the 41st minute when Cudrig rose highest to head home a corner from the right.

Saglam, who looks a smart acquisition but is still lacking fitness, caused problems with dead-balls throughout and saw a free-kick of his nodded over by Josh Pugh in the 66th minute.

But the Warriors - hampered by an injury crisis that saw them with just two fit outfield players on the bench - ran out of ideas in the latter stages.

Pugh was again denied with two minutes to go, as Saric made an excellent stop with his feet, but Werribee, inspired by Cristaldo's class and led by sweeper Simon Colosimo, were well worth their victory.

MATCH DETAILS

North Geelong Warriors 0 defeated by Werribee City 2 (Zappia 18', Cudrig 41') at Elcho Park

North Geelong: 1. Daniel ZILIC, 17. Nicholas JURCIC, 3. Matthew TOWNLEY, 16. Michael GRGIC, 2. Darren LEWIS, 8. Vito CICHELLO, 18. Stipe TRBUHOVIC, 9. Ridvan SAGLAM, 10. Yusuf YUSUF, 6. Josh PUGH, 23. Michael ANDERSON

Unused Subs: 5. Anthony BANOVAC, 19. Bill ARGYROS, 31. Hamish FLAVELL

Yellow Cards: Grgic 48', Cichello 64'

Red Cards: Nil

Werribee City: 1. Frano SARIC, 4. Simon COLOSIMO, 6. Anthony RAGUJA (9. Evan BATSIS 82'), 7. Simon ZAPPIA, 8. Daniel CHAABANI (2. Michael SIMS 53'), 10. Christopher CRISTALDO (14. Julian CASSANO 87'), 11. Bobby VIDANOVSKI, 13. Milan SAVIC, 16. Angus MARTIN, 19. Rob NAUMOSKI, 23. Steve CUDRIG

Unused Subs: 25. David THOMSON, 15. Nicola CAROFIGLIO

Yellow Cards: Chaabani 39', Savic 89'

Red Cards: Nil