Match of the Round
Coffs City United v Urunga FC
Coffs Coast Synthetics, Saturday 12.30pm
Coffs City United coach Nathan Silvy knows his side will need to produce a strong 90-minute performance when they take on fellow North Coast Football club Urunga FC in the UNE Regional Super League semi-final at Coffs Coast Synthetics on Saturday.
Coffs City secured their place in the semi-final with an undefeated group stage campaign, recording a 1-0 win over Tamworth FC before a 4-1 victory against Alstonville FC.
They are no strangers to their opponents on Saturday, having faced Urunga throughout the North Coast Football HIT105.5 Women’s Premier League season.
Urunga claimed the first meeting between the two sides in 2026 with a 3-2 victory before forfeiting in round nine, handing Coffs City the three points.
Silvy understands Urunga will be familiar with his side’s style of play but knows they will also be able to exploit weaknesses of the Raiders in the semi-final.
“It’s about playing a really solid game for the whole 90 minutes. We know if we make mistakes, they'll punish us,” Silvy said.
“We know their strengths but we also know some of their weaknesses, so we'll be looking to expose them.
“The loss we had earlier in the year [against Urunga] was a very close game. It went down to the wire.
“We probably had a 20-minute patch in the middle of the game where we lost the game. We conceded two goals in that period and I think if we can play the majority of the game well, that'll hold us in good stead.”
After using the group stage to blend youth and experience, Silvy believes the depth within the squad will be crucial as they prepare to take on one of the local competition’s top performers.
“With the first game against Tamworth [FC], it was really good for us. We got to blood a lot of our younger players, a lot of the under-16s played in that game because it was the start of the year,” Silvy said.
“The second game we pretty well had a full-strength squad, so it was really good to see. I think that's obviously been a big part of our success because we’ve got a bit of depth there this year.
“With that, we do have a few key players out this weekend but we do have some good balance in there as well with some young ones coming in.
“I'm excited to see how they go against the top [HIT105.5 Women’s Premier League] team as well.”
Urunga secured their place in the semi-final after finishing second in group B, recording a 2-2 draw with Byron Bay FC and a 2-1 defeat to reigning champions Lake Cathie FC.
While they finished second in their UNE Regional Super League group, Urunga sit atop the North Coast Football HIT105.5 Women’s Premier League table, three points ahead of Coffs City United.
Urunga have been one of the competition’s most consistent sides this season, with their ability to find the back of the net regularly being a major factor in their success.
Their disciplined defensive structure has also helped them remain among the league’s standout performers.
They have lost just one match this season, their round nine forfeit against Coffs City in June, and boast the second-best goal difference in the competition, scoring 43 goals across 10 matches while conceding 14.
Coach Trevor Martin will hope his side can continue their strong local competition form and secure a place in the final.
With the two teams chasing a spot in the decider in front of their home supporters, a thrilling semi-final contest is expected from the opening whistle.
Lake Cathie FC v Alstonville FC
Coffs Coast Synthetics, Saturday 2.45pm
Lake Cathie FC coach Craig Bulmer wants his side to remain disciplined and stick to their game plan when they face Alstonville FC in the UNE Regional Super League semi-final at Coffs Coast Synthetics on Saturday afternoon.
Lake Cathie are the reigning champions after defeating Macleay Valley Rangers 1-0 in the 2025 grand final and will be aiming to go back-to-back but first they must overcome a strong Alstonville outfit from the Far North Coast.
Bulmer understands the challenge Alstonville will present and knows his side must remain focused on executing their own style of play.
“[Alstonville are] a quality side and any team that reaches this stage deserves respect,” Bulmer said.
“We’re expecting a tough, competitive game where both teams will have to earn every moment. Our focus isn’t so much on changing who we are, it’s about executing our game plan and making sure we’re at our best.
“It’s about preparation and mentality. We want to be disciplined, stay true to our style of play and embrace the occasion rather than shy away from it.
“At this stage of the season it’s often the small moments that decide games, so our focus is on being switched on for the full 90 minutes and trusting the work we’ve put in all year.”
Lake Cathie booked their place in the semi-final with an undefeated group stage campaign, recording a 3-1 win over Byron Bay FC and a 2-1 victory against Urunga FC.
Bulmer was proud of the way his players responded to the different challenges presented across the two matches.
“Every game presented a different challenge, which was probably the biggest positive,” Bulmer said.
“The players showed they could adapt to different styles of football while staying true to the way we want to play. We defended well as a team, created plenty of chances and built confidence with each performance.”
While Lake Cathie are searching for a second consecutive grand final appearance, Bulmer knows their experience alone will not guarantee success.
“The players understand what’s required in big games and the emotions that come with knockout football,” Bulmer said.
“Experience is valuable but it doesn’t win you matches. We know we’ll have to earn everything again this weekend.”
In their first year in the competition, Alstonville secured their semi-final spot with a 4-1 defeat to Coffs City United and a 1-0 victory over Tamworth FC.
Having played the group stage matches in Coffs Harbour, one at Crawford Park and the other at Coffs Coast Synthetics, Alstonville coach Andy Brown believes returning to the synthetic surface could benefit his side.
“Now that we’re playing on the synthetics in Coffs Harbour, I noticed the difference in our game the last time we played Tamworth [FC],” Brown said.
“There was a big difference in our game from the Saturday playing Coffs [City United] on a grass pitch rather than synthetic. It elevated our play a little bit and we were able to play our style a little bit more.
“So that gives me a little bit of confidence as well. I'm hoping that the quality of game that we play is the same we played against Tamworth.”
With the teams being separated by more than 370 kilometres, Brown admitted he was unfamiliar with Lake Cathie but remained confident his side could rely on their own strengths.
“I don’t know a lot about [Lake Cathie] but we'll still be pretty strong around our game plan,” Brown said.
“I’m confident in our game plan and if we're allowed to execute it, we should get some success.
“It's great to come into games like this. It's a win-win situation playing at a higher level without too many preconceived ideas. You get an opportunity to just express yourselves a bit.
“It's just exciting to play different opposition as well.”
Alstonville have endured a disrupted season in the Football Far North Coast Women’s Premier League due to multiple washouts but Brown believed a strong performance on Saturday could provide confidence heading into the remainder of their local campaign.
“For the players, [winning will] give them a little bit of extra belief playing in our local competition,” Brown said.
“This year has been really hard because the wet weather has been the dominant feature, so getting any form of consistency has been extremely hard.
“I’m quite looking forward to getting our teeth into Saturday and if we're good enough or lucky enough to get away with the win to get into the final, it'd be a great achievement for both us and the club.”
With Lake Cathie chasing a second consecutive final appearance and Alstonville looking to continue their historic first season in the competition, Saturday’s semi-final promises to deliver an exhilarating contest between two sides with plenty to play for.