Match of the Round
Port Saints FC v Moore Creek FC
Coffs Coast Synthetics, Saturday 2.45pm
Moore Creek FC coach Andrew Cygan says his side will embrace the underdog status when they take on reigning champions Port Saints FC in their UNE Regional Super League semi-final at Coffs Coast Synthetics on Saturday afternoon.
The Mountain Goats booked their place in the semi-finals after winning two of their three group stage matches, scoring six goals while conceding just once.
As they prepare to face the defending champions, Cygan wants his side to stick to the game plan that has served them well throughout the group stage, believing the results will follow if his players perform to their potential.
“We’re very excited about it all, everyone's really keen. I'm taking it that we're going in as massive underdogs but you just never know on the day,” Cygan said.
“I was surprised when we went to Coffs [Harbour] and beat [Coffs City United] four-nil, so you just never know.
“We do have a couple of people missing through injury which will knock us a little bit but the guys that have been coming in have been doing a great job.
“We'll just prepare as we always do. We kind of take it as a pretty simple game if we do the easy things right.
“We're always asking for players to be an eight out of 10 and if everyone's an eight out of 10, we tend to get the results we deserve. It's just if we have too many off days, that's when we come unstuck.”
Having scored four goals and conceded just one during the group stage, Port Saints present another test for Moore Creek.
Cygan believes taking their chances and scoring first could prove decisive in the clash.
“We know that we’re up against quality players and if you don't take your chances, you'll get punished,” Cygan said.
“When we went and played Coffs [City United] we were brilliant that day and if we can do that, we'll have a chance.
“The first goal will be crucial. It'd be really good for the club if we can make it to the final.”
Port Saints earned top spot in group B with two wins and a draw, matching Moore Creek's defensive record by conceding just one goal while scoring four.
The inaugural UNE Regional Super League champions defeated Northern Storm 1-0 in last year's final and now have the opportunity to defend their title.
Coach Luca Paolacci said his side was motivated by the chance to return to the decider but knows they will have to overcome a quality Moore Creek outfit.
"[We] will be motivated to go back to play in the grand final again," Paolacci said.
"It will be a really huge achievement for our club. We’re not a very big club so this would be amazing.
"But we have to play Moore Creek, which is a very good team. I know they sit on top of the ladder in their competition over there, so they’re not going to be easy."
Despite entering the tournament as the reigning champions, Paolacci admitted he did not expect his side to progress from a difficult group.
"It would be great to [make the grand final again]. When I saw the pool at the start of the competition, I said, 'oh my God,' because on paper I believed that we were going to be the last team, but we were able to manage those games and now we are here," Paolacci said.
"We will fight until the end to play in the grand final in Coffs Harbour in August."
With Moore Creek looking to continue their impressive debut campaign and Port Saints chasing back-to-back UNE Regional Super League titles, Saturday's semi-final shapes as a fascinating contest between two in-form sides.
Alstonville FC v Inverell FC
Coffs Coast Synthetics, Saturday 12.30pm
Alstonville FC coach Andrea Zubani says his side will not underestimate Northern Inland outfit Inverell FC when the two teams meet in their UNE Regional Super League semi-final at Coffs Coast Synthetics on Saturday.
In Alstonville's first season in the competition, they stormed through the group stage undefeated, scoring an impressive 14 goals while conceding none.
Despite their dominant campaign so far, Zubani was determined to keep his players grounded as they prepare for the clash.
"As we don't know much about the opposition, I think full focus and being prepared for a really tough game is very important," Zubani said.
"We don’t want to underestimate the opposition just because we have two big wins in the last two games. It’s still going to be vital for us to put in a good performance."
Alstonville's form has also carried into the Football Far North Coast Men's Premier League, where they sit atop the table with 12 wins, one draw and one loss.
Zubani believes the success is the reward for the foundations the club has built over the last two seasons.
“We've been building the foundations since last year for what we're doing this year,” Zubani said.
“Obviously the core group of the team have been together for a few years and then last year I came in as the coach but the boys have just been brilliant. I could not fault them.
"I've loved every minute of coaching them and it just seems to be getting better and better, which is great."
While a place in the final would be a significant milestone for the club, Zubani is ensuring his players remain focused on the task at hand.
“It'd be massive because that's one thing that we have struggled with [making finals],” Zubani said.
“We've always been in and around finals time for the past few years but even last year we came short. We won the premiership and then got knocked out in the semi-final.
"It'd be a great reward for the boys if we can do it but we’ve still got to play the game."
Inverell return to the semi-finals for the second consecutive year and will be determined to improve on last season's campaign after a 6-0 defeat to Northern Storm ended their run.
They progressed from the group stage this year with one win, one draw and one loss, scoring three goals while conceding five.
Despite mixed results in the competition, Inverell have enjoyed another strong Northern Inland Premier League campaign, sitting second on the table one point behind Moore Creek FC.
Their attacking form has been a standout feature of the season, with Inverell scoring 62 goals in 15 league matches.
With Alstonville chasing a place in the final in their inaugural UNE Regional Super League campaign and Inverell looking to go one step further than last year, Saturday's semi-final promises to be a thrilling contest.