'We needed to change': Mountain Goats edge Hillvue after half-time spray

But despite their 3-1 victory, Mountain Goats coach and goalkeeper Dean Hoy said the team's performance actually dipped in the second round of the Premier Division First Grade competition.

This, he believes, was due to a complacent attitude which followed Hillvue's heavy first-round loss to Tamworth FC.

"We tried not to think about the 7-0 loss they suffered the week before, but sometimes you can't get that out of your head and you think it's going to be an easy game," Hoy said.

"Hillvue have some quality players ... there's some great boys there and they've got a good culture in the club."

The underlying assumption that they would roll Hillvue over caused the Mountain Goats to start slowly, and it wasn't until Hoy gave them "a bit of a talking to" at half time that the team kicked into gear.

"Hillvue defended a lot behind the ball, we didn't really adjust to that in the first half," he said.

"We kept playing our own game, we needed to change a little bit and that's probably on me as a coach to pick that up a bit earlier.

"Attitude [was the biggest issue], really."

However, Hoy is optimistic about Moore Creek's chances this year. After a strong pre-season campaign, in which they made the final of the Kevin Johnson Cup, the club has struck a good balance of young players and experienced heads. It is these veteran campaigners that Hoy hopes will lead the club to a potential finals berth.

"[We're relying on] blokes like Ryan and Hayden Davidson who have the experience of playing finals soccer," he said.

"The young guys haven't played finals soccer yet, so hopefully the blokes who have stand up. But I hope the younger fellas come through and take the experience on board."

The team's sternest test so far will come this Saturday, against Tamworth FC.

After a thunderous win in the first round, Tamworth FC had the bye on Saturday and will start this weekend's game fresh.

Hoy knows the Mountain Goats are in for a steep challenge, as their opponents "never go down without a fight".

"Tamworth FC are another club with a lot of drive and spirit," he said.

"We're looking forward to it, it should be a really good game. It might be a little spicy because a couple of the pickups we got this year are FC boys, so it should be fun."

The Mountain Goats will face Tamworth FC this Saturday from 3pm at the Gipps Street Playing Fields.

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