The Macleay Valley Rangers plan on achieving what no other side could this season, beat Wallis Lake.
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If they achieve the feat, they will advance to their first Premier League grand final since 2013.
Standing in their way is the minor premiers Wallis Lake, who went through the season undefeated, but the Rangers, who suffered a loss in all three meetings with their foes, pushed them until the final whistle on each occasion.
Macleay Valley’s first look at Wallis Lake this season was in a 4-3 defeat in the FFA Cup.
The Rangers went into the game shorthanded but held a 3-1 lead late in the second half. Their lack of troops was their downfall though as Wallis Lake brought on fresh legs while the Rangers had no substitutes.
It allowed the opposition to finish on top and grab three quick goals to advance in the knockout competition.
The two sides first regular season meeting came in round eight, with both teams entering the contest undefeated.
Wallis came out on top in a hard-fought 2-1 victory, in a game which saw Chris Walker miss a penalty when the sides were locked at 1-all.
Their third and final meeting was earlier this month and Wallis Lake scored a late goal to snatch a 1-0 win but Rangers were arguably the better side.
Rangers coach Keith Morn acknowledges Wallis Lake have been the benchmark this season but he believes his side has matched it with them in their clashes.
“I definitely don’t think they’ve been better than us when we have faced them,” Morn told the Argus.
“We have had our chances to beat them, we missed a penalty in the first regular season game which swung the momentum in their favour while in the second we were all over them but just couldn’t score.”
Morn recognises they need to shut down their classy striker and apply pressure to the rest of the team.
“I’ve said it all season but their striker is their dangerman, they play a lot of long balls to him and try and get him involved as much as they can,” Morn said.
“We need to limit his time on the ball and his chances.
“In saying that though, we just need to play our own game and do what we do and we will win.”
The winning side will advance to the grand final, while the losing team will have a second chance at qualifying for the decider by facing off with the team who secures the win in the elimination final between Port United and the Taree Wildcats.
While the Rangers will give it their all, four players will need to be careful when contesting for the ball.
Sam and Chad Applegate, Josh Tynan and Ben Mitchell received yellow cards in their comeback 4-2 victory over Port United in last week’s major semi-final.
A second yellow card results in a one-game suspension.
Saturday’s game kicks off at Boronia Park at 3pm.
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