Struggling former champions SCG Muang Thong United moved out of the Thai League 1 relegation zone at least for a day with the help of a 3-0 victory over 10-man Trat on Saturday night.
Heberty Fernandes put the Kirins on course with a 38th-minute strike before Sanukran Thinjom and Myanmar striker Aung Thu added two more to the tally late in the second half.
The victory brought a huge sigh of relief to Muang Thong's new coach Alexandre Gama, the third man to take charge of the Kirins' dugout this season after Phairoj Bovornwattanadilok and Yoon Jong-Hwan. Gama lost his first league game in charge of Muang Thong last weekend.
Muang Thong, who finished in fourth place last season, had become a regular sight in the three-team relegation zone before last night's victory at their SCG Stadium.
The Kirins now have a one-point edge on Chainat, who host Chonburi on Sunday evening, needing a draw to improve to 14 points and push Gama's men back in the red zone through a better goal difference.
The victory also ended an eight-game unbeaten run for Trat, elevated to the top-flight at the start of this season.
Mario Gjurovski broke free from the pack of Trat defenders to deftly set up Heberty, who played a crucial part in Muang Thong gaining the upper hand.
Trat suffered a massive blow when Kriangkrai Pimrat was booked for a second yellow-card offence during the first-half injury time and the visitors were left with 10 men on the pitch.
The second half belonged to the Muang Thong bench.
Sanukarn found the net moments after being sent in by Gama at 75 minutes and Aung Thu, who also took the field after the break, added his name to the list of scorers in the final injury time.
Also on Saturday night, Aekkaluk Thongkrit helped PT Prachuap end a four-game winless streak with a 1-0 away victory at Ratchaburi.
Ratchaburi had clear openings twice in the first half but Kwanchai Suklom came to Parchuap's rescue, first clearing a shot by Armin Nasari before saving another from Steeven Langil.
Prachuap found their groove after a goalless first half, with the winner coming in the 57th minute when Jitpanya Thisud opened the ball for Aekkaluk to score for the visitors.
In another game, hosts Sukhothai edged Nakhon Ratchasima 1-0 through a goal by John Baggio in the 82nd minute.
Four more matches are to be played this evening with Port, beaten 3-1 by Buriram United in their last league game to relinquish the top spot to the match winners, seeking to bounce back at in-form Samut Prakarn City.