MetroStars climbed into fourth position with a 3-1 win over Raiders at the Croatian Sports Centre on Saturday in Round 9 of the South Australia National Premier League.

Elvis Kamsoba gave Raiders an early lead, but a first half brace from Perry Mitris, followed by a late Matthew Deegan goal saw Metro come from behind to claim all three points.

MetroStars coach Ivan Karlovic was pleased by the win and performance.

“It’s always difficult to go down there and get a result, so we’re happy that we did, and with a good performance which is the most important thing,” Karlovic said.

“The table is obviously very tight, but I don’t think the three points are any more important than any other three points. We take each game with the same importance as the other.

“People would probably look at our start as slow but we have only lost one game for the whole year; we had a couple draws in there, which in the game of football can happen quite easily.

“We don’t really look at the results too much, we look at the way we’re playing and if we’re improving, and we are improving, so if that’s happening then the results will follow.”

Karlovic said Metro’s Round 10 encounter against rivals Campbelltown City will be very difficult.

“We know it’s always a difficult game being a derby, but we’ll take the game as we do any other league game. We’ll approach it with the same mentality and look to get three points, and above all put in a good performance.”

The loss sees Raiders slip down two places into ninth position, six points behind league leaders West Adelaide.

Raiders coach Carl Maynard lamented his side’s defensive errors.

“We played quite well the first 25 minutes, everything went to plan. We just have some comical defending that goes on at the moment that you wouldn’t even expect to be made in junior football,” Maynard said.

“You do that against teams like Metro and they are going to accept those invitations. All three goals came from schoolboy errors.

“I would have been happier if we got smashed 5-0 and got played off the park, and there was nothing that anyone could do, then we’d all walk away saying that they’re just better than us, and maybe they are better than us, but they certainly don’t need us giving them a hand.”

Maynard said his side’s preparation for their Round 10 clash against Adelaide City will not change.

“It’s as important as Saturday was, and it’s as important as the game after. We’re getting towards the midway point; there’s nothing crucial yet, apart from that if we want to get where we want then we need to be getting points.

“We’ll prepare the same way because our preparation for Metro was good. There’s no sitting back, we will have a go at Adelaide City, we are playing at home and we’ve got no fear of anyone, so it’s about doing our thing.”

Kamsoba opened the scoring for Raiders in the 11th minute, when he found himself free in a wide area, managing to drill his effort across Daniel Godley and into the far corner.

In the 25th minute, MetroStars got back on level terms, after Andrew Ciarla beat his marker before firing in a shot, which keeper Anthony Stam blocked, but Mitris was able to guide the follow-up into the back of the net.

Stam was stretchered off the pitch - landing awkwardly after the goal - and was replaced by Daniel Atkins.

Rocky Callisto and Brandon Reeves missed opportunities for their respective sides, as both teams went looking for a breakthrough goal.

In the 37th minute, Metro were gifted a golden opportunity, when a high David Menechella cross was met by a Raiders defender’s hand in the penalty area.

Mitris blasted the spot kick into the top corner to give Metro the lead just before half time.

Chances in the second half were few and far between, but Deegan sealed the win for Metro in the 83rd minute, with a deflected shot that scrambled past keeper Atkins.