The Tigers had never beaten the Rangers at first grade level in recent years, and most observers would have been tipping a MVR win in the Cup on Saturday.

The visitors certainly settled more quickly, with some very early pressure on the Tigers goal, but almost with their first attack the Tigers took the lead through Jack Yeates with a good close range finish.

Before the celebrations had finished though MVR punished a cheap turnover of possession in midfield, quickly playing the ball out wide to MVR’s Daniel Saul, who had gotten goal side of the Tigers wide defence. Saul composed himself well, and finished calmly past Curtis Jones in the Tigers goal to level the score with only 10 minutes gone.

The frenetic pace continued, and the Tigers were in front again before the 15 minute mark when a great passage of play involving Matt Scarff, Dylan Nash and Mitch Minors saw Minors beat his marker and beat the MVR keeper with a very composed finish.

For the rest of the first half MVR tried to lift, and just as Taree did the previous week, enjoyed a spell of dominance, but couldn’t find a clear shot at goal.

The Tigers defensive unit of Aquilina, Goonan, Thompson and Scarff were well organised, and great pressing up the park from Yeates, Croker, Camilleri and Minors made it difficult for MVR to play many penetrating passes.

The game was getting more physical as time went on and Brendan Aquilina had to be substituted after only 27 minutes, a sickening head clash putting an end to what was looking like a man of the match performance. Fortunately the Tigers medical team was quickly able to organise scans to clear the defender of any fracture. As the half went on, MVR were visibly tiring, and more chances started falling the Tigers way.

At this point it became obvious that MVR have found an exceptional replacement for the evergreen Col Willis in goal, the keeper pulling off some exceptional saves from Camilleri, Minors, Nash and Yeates, as well as tipping wide a long distance screamer from skipper Jason Ward that had the crowd celebrating a shade too early.

Just before the end of the half the Tigers were lucky to escape what might have been a reasonable shout for a penalty by MVR, but the referee was unsighted and the first half ended 2-1 to the Tigers.

The home side was quickest to find their rhythm in the second stanza, and the relentless pressure on the MVR defence quickly told when Josh Croker ended a goal mouth scramble with his first goal in Tigers colours at 48 minutes to make the score 3-1.

Great combination play between Nash, Minors and Scarff again peeled open the MVR defence to create the chance. With Dave Hardy in for Aquilina, the Tigers remained resolute in defence, and great shielding play from Nash and Ward in front of them kept chances for the visitors at a minimum.

At the other end MVR’s keeper was keeping them in the match with several superb saves in one on one situations and from on-target strikes from the Tigers attack. 

One particular phase of play saw the MVR keeper make four reaction saves from well directed shots in quick succession.

He could do little to keep out the Tigers fourth from Jack Yeates, who headed home the rebound off the crossbar after Jason Ward’s superb, goal-bound free kick was tipped onto the bar by the keeper.

By this stage the Tigers had brought on young guns Jaidyn Kianou and Nick Chapman, and they continued to harass the MVR defensive line right through to the final whistle. 

The Tigers did have to survive another penalty shout after Hardy appeared to accidentally handle the ball in the box, but even if it was awarded it was clear that there would only be one winner in this game, with the final score TFFC Tigers 4, Macleay Valley Rangers 1.

This win means that the Tigers now have to lie in wait for their next opponents in the Cup to be decided, after completion of the Northern Inland Football qualifiers sometime in early May.

A win in the next round would see the Tigers potentially up against a semi-professional National Premier League side from Newcastle. 

“That would be interesting,” coach Jonathon Newman said.

“But we will just continue to take this tournament one match at a time. The FMNC Premier League starts before then, and that will be our main focus from here on in.”