In an attack-orientated Mushies side that has the potential to over rev, Will Menz is a particularly vital cog.
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Against North Companions at Riverside 3 on Saturday, the 20-year-old right back was Mushies coach Tim Coates' standout player in his side's 3-0 win.
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OVA remain unbeaten after two rounds, while Northies have a win and a loss.
Now in his fourth season of top-flight action at OVA, Menz looked spent after the match.
Coates said the youngster - a graduate of Northern Inland Football's skills acquisition program - "worked his backside off".
"Today he was outstanding ... he's just a good, hard-working kid," Coates said.
The coach continued: "He'd probably prefer to play much further forward, but he's a quality right back."
That is especially crucial given that Mushies have "11 attackers", according to Coates.
"So it's pretty hard to work on defence, to be honest," he said.
The clean sheet against Northies was the most pleasing aspect of OVA's performance, Coates said.
Menz is an apprentice carpenter who hails from Werris Creek but now lives in Tamworth.
He said his preferred position was right wing. But he added: "We've got a couple of good players at the back who know what they're doing."
Certainly, North Companions struggled to put Oxley Vale Attunga under pressure.
OVA led 1-0 after eight minutes via a Cale Penrith penalty goal.
It remained 1-0 at half-time, before a Jack Diebold strike in the 54th minute made it 2-0 and then Michael O'Keefe added the icing in the 89th minute.
It was Diebold's fifth goal this season. He scored four in a 8-3 round one defeat of Gunnedah FC.
In other matches, Tamworth FC beat Gunnedah 2-0, Kootingal beat South United 2-1 and Moore Creek downed Quirindi 4-0.
