OXLEY Vale Attunga will look to cement a top-four spot with a victory over South Armidale on Saturday.
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The last time the two sides met Souths won 12-1 in Armidale.
Back-to-back victories over Demon Knights (3-2) and North Companions (4-3) in the past two rounds has seen the Mushies come within two points of Souths, who will come into Saturday's clash off the back of 3-2 loss to Tamworth FC.
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However, Mushies coach Mitchell O'Keefe said his side would come into the clash understrength.
"Last week's win was a really important one for us," O'Keefe told the Leader.
"We were missing a few key players, but we came together pretty well to pick up a good win on the road.
"This week though, we are missing another couple of players, which hurts us for sure."
With experienced campaigners such as James Bailey out of the side, O'Keefe said his side would "have to play a lot smarter" if they wanted to win the game.
"South Armidale have some really fast, dangerous and talented players," he said.
"In particular, their wings are really fast.
"That will be an area we will be looking to shut down because their wings have the potential to really hurt us.
"I think the way we will do that is by trying to play a really defensive style of play and buying into that style as a team."
Saturday's clash marks the second time the side's have met in 2019.
Commenting on Souths' 12-1 thumping of OVA, O'Keefe said: "I don't think it will be the case [this time], but hopefully Souths remember that and take us a little bit more lightly than they should.
"I think that loss has made a few people regard us as a team that's having a bad season.
"Aside from that game, the losses we have had have only been by a goal or two, so we have been really competitive most weeks.
"Hopefully this weekend will be a good chance for us to redeem ourselves against Souths and show we are a good side."
With injuries plaguing the side, O'Keefe said several players had "stepped up" to help fill the void.
"He took a little bit of time to fit back into the side after returning from playing in Newcastle, but he is playing some good football for us at the moment.
"Jack will need to be big for us if we want to win on Saturday."
In the round's other Premier League action, North Companions will take on North Armidale, while East Armidale will take on Demon Knights.
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
