Minor premiers Oxley Vale Attunga and reigning Northern Inland Premier League champions Tamworth FC will meet in next Saturday's premier division first grade grand final after comprehensive semi-final wins.
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Tamworth FC produced an early rampage against Gunnedah FC scoring four goals in the first 20 minutes en route to a 9-2 demolition at Gipps Street 5.
It was a bit of a different story next door at Johnson Field with South United taking it to the Mushies in the first half, the two sides going into the break locked at 0-all.
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Mitch O'Keefe broke the deadlock about 10 minutes into the second half, after a good ball into the danger area from Joel Carter. When Adam Watson scored what Mushies coach Tim Coates described as "a freak goal" not long after to go up 2-nil, the floodgates opened and they ran away to win 7-nil in the end.
O'Keefe and Jack Diebold both finished with doubles, captain Lachlan Browne and Benn Genardini also finding the net in what was a dominant performance in the second half.
Coates said their first half was "very ordinary", their commitment to that second ball one of his biggest complaints.
After addressing that at half-time, they "pretty much got every touch" in the second half.
He said he wasn't too worried at the break.
It was just a matter of getting that first goal. Once they did he thought they'd "score a couple".
FC coach Wayne May certainly didn't have any cause for concern at half-time, with his side up 5-1.
"We made a statement today," May said.
"I knew it was coming."
They had been playing some good football in the last month, but had "been struggling in front of goals" a bit.
But from the opening whistle on Saturday it "all just clicked".
The game was barely three minutes old when Ryan Davidson put them up 1-nil. Brother Hayden got in on the action a couple of minutes later, two own goals then making it 4-nil after 17 minutes and leaving Gunnedah with a mountain to climb.
Keeper Owen Rogers, given a run in the field in the last five minutes, completed the rout with a bicycle kick goal in the 91st minute.
One of the most pleasing things for May was that a lot of their goals were from tap-ins after good build-up rather than screamers.
The second grade grand final will be between Oxley Vale Attunga and North Companions.
North Companions took care of South United 4-1 while Nash Tapp was the hero as the Mushies got over Gunnedah FC 1-nil in extra-time.
