Second-half surge sees Mushies charge into Northern Inland Cup final

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After the second half, OVA had made clear why they have been the best side in the Northern Inland men's competition this season.

During the opening term, which ended at nil-all, Mushies coach Tim Coates said his side experimented with positions and were challenged by the competitive Tamworth side.

"Full credit to Tamworth FC, they played very well," Coates said.

"Their young guys are a credit to the club in what they're trying to do, going for the next year or two. Good on them for giving the young guys a run and sticking with them."

But in the second half, the OVA players returned to their traditional roles on the field and broke through for the first goal of the game. After that, the floodgates opened and the Mushies led 5-0 by the final whistle.

OVA will now take on the North Companions in the final of the Northern Inland Cup this Saturday.

While it was introduced in part to fill a gap in the season, most clubs have treated the cup as "a bit of fun", Coates said.

However, this weekend's final is likely to be another hotly-contested game between the two top teams of 2022.

After their first clash during the regular competition ended in a draw, Coates expects Companions to put forward another strong performance.

"They're well-coached, they're well-drilled, they're good young guys, and they're different," he said.

"If they could keep them together for three or four years, they'd be a force to be reckoned with."

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