Five years after arriving in Tamworth and linking up with Tamworth FC, Ross Price will have the chance to lead them to a historic third-straight premiership after the two-time defending premier league champions put on a semi-final masterclass against Gunnedah FC.
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From the moment Ryan Davidson found the back of the net in only the third minute, it was pretty much all FC.
One-nil quickly ballooned into 4-nil, and eventually 9-2 as they set up a mouth-watering showdown with Oxley Vale Attunga for the Northern Inland Premier Division silverware at Scully Park next Saturday.
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On the back of Saturday's performance, Price said they will go in with a lot of confidence.
"It's done us the world of good," he said.
"We pulled off what we've been doing at training the last couple of weeks, short passes in the middle then getting it outwide."
"The first 20 minutes was probably the best football we've played all season."
They didn't give Gunnedah a chance to get into the game.
"To be four up in the first 15 minutes it's a dream in semi-finals football, so we couldn't have asked for a better start," Price said.
They shared the scoring around with Kurt Barrow the only multiple goalscorer. Even keeper Owen Rogers got in on the action.
Given a run in the field in the last five minutes, he completed the rout with a spectacular bicycle kick goal in the 91st minute.
One of a handful of players that have been involved in the last two premierships, Price said it is "a big achievement" to put themselves in a position to win a third in-a-row for what would be the first time in the club's history.
"There's a core group of players and then we've brought in some young lads on the wings and up front," he said.
It will be the first time the two sides have met in a grand final since 2013 when FC joined the Mushies and North Armidale as the only clubs to go back-to-back, and Price can't wait.
"If it's anything like last week (the two sides met in the final round), which was a tough old game, it should be good viewing for everyone," he said.
"And playing on a good pitch as well, playing at Scully for the first time this season."
He said there is plenty they can take from that last meeting which finished in a 1-all draw.
"We know what they're capable of, and they've got the two top scorers in the league (Jack Diebold and Mitch O'Keefe) and we kept them pretty quiet last week," he said.
"If we can do that and take our chances like we have today up front I think the boys will be pretty confident."
The grand final will be a ticketed event. Grandstand tickets are $10, general admission $5 and children under 16 free to general admission areas.
Tickets go on sale through the Wests Entertainment Group website at 10am on Monday.
