A draw tomorrow will be enough for Demon Knights to leapfrog East Armidale and claim a Northern Inland Premier League semi-final berth, but that may be easier said than done against one of the northern conference’s top sides.
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DK coach Evan Quiafe is well aware that Joeys will also be desperate for a win, which would secure them minor premiership bragging rights.
“We know a draw will get us there, but we will certainly be playing for the win,” he said.
DK currently sit fifth, tied with East on 25 points but are behind on goal difference.
Quaife will be hoping they keep their tremendous record at home intact when they host Joeys at Rologas tomorrow in the final round of matches before the semi-finals.
“We haven’t lost at home yet this year,” the DK coach said.
“This is the exciting part of the year.
“I think this is why you play football.”
Joeys took the honours 5-2 the first time the two sides met this year in Inverell.
“We had a poor period of about 15 minutes when we let three goals in,” Quaife said.
“We had a few players out as well and some things didn’t go our way.
“But that doesn’t hide the fact we still go beaten 5-2.”
Quaife will be looking to the likes of forwards Callan MacGregor, Kirk Burton and Josh Quaife to lift and lead DK to victory and the finals.
“We need to take our chances and those are the guys who will do it,” he said.
“But we play as a team.
“Those guys will need service from the midfield.” DK thought they had sewn up fourth spot after thrashing Guyra 4-nil last Saturday, but then found out East had upset North Armidale 2-nil.
“It was a bittersweet hearing East won,” he said.
“But it didn’t surprise me.
“It just means our finals start a week early.” South Armidale host Guyra at the Armidale Sportground in the only other match to be played in the northern conference.