Armidale City Westside are not expecting to blow away Moore Creek in the minor semi-final, but nor are they expecting a "rude shock".
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So says City Westside captain Jye Saxby, who was responding to comments made by Mountain Goats defender Brandon Jenner ahead of the sides' elimination final at Harris Park in Armidale on Saturday, September 9.
Jenner, a former Australian under-15 representative, said there was "probably a bit of talk around town - probably a bit of talk in Armidale too - that they've already beaten us twice [this year], so this should be a walk in the park for them".
"But I think they're gonna get a rude shock this Saturday, I really do," he said.
![Armidale City Westside striker Aiden Webster - this season's golden boot winner - will be in action on Saturday, September 9. File picture by Gareth Gardner Armidale City Westside striker Aiden Webster - this season's golden boot winner - will be in action on Saturday, September 9. File picture by Gareth Gardner](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/e2e1f792-5510-4f46-beef-3f7811267ab0.jpg/r0_0_3316_2598_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
In response, Saxby said "certain teams have beaten certain teams for a reason" this year.
"The whole season - not just us against them [Moore Creek] but them against Souths [Armidale], and Souths against OVA - I think the whole season kinda tells a tale for a reason," he said.
"I don't know if we'll be in for a rude shock [on Saturday]," he added. "Like, I'm not expecting a walk in the park.
"I definitely think they'll come out firing. But it's not like we're gonna walk into it with thoughts that we're gonna walk through and absolutely smash them."
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Armidale City Westside finished the regular season in third place, one place ahead of Moore Creek.
City Westside beat the Goats 3-2 in Tamworth in round one, then 4-1 in Armidale in round 12.
The Armidale-based sides returned to the Premier League in 2023 after an absence of three seasons. And in the major semi-final at Johnson Field on Saturday, OVA and South Armidale will meet.
Reigning premiers OVA claimed their fourth straight minor premiership with a 2-0 final round win over Demon Knights last weekend, but South Armidale beat them in their two meetings this year - 1-0 both times.
In doing so, Souths snapped Mushies' 49-game unbeaten streak dating back to round one of 2020.
It was in 2020 that Armidale City Westside returned to first-grade soccer.
Saxby said "there's always a bit confidence" about City Westside, "considering what we've been through the past few years with the Armidale competition and now coming into this Tamworth competition and really putting it to them big teams".
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