The 4th round of the FFA Cup will take place this weekend with 4 Football Mid North Coast clubs still alive for the first time at this stage of the Northern NSW Football Northern Conference.
All FMNC clubs managed to avoid each other in the draw with Port United, Port Saints and Macleay Valley Rangers all facing away matches whilst Camden Haven Redbacks will play at home. The quartet will come up against Northern Inland Football (NIF), North Coast Football (NCF) and Football Far North Coast (FFNC) opposition.
On Saturday, United will travel to Tamworth to take on Oxley Vale Attunga at Johnson Field. The Mushies missed out on the finals in the 2019 NIF Premier League competition by goal difference. They went out in the 3rd round of the Cup last season and this time round, defeated Woolgoolga 6-2 to book their 4th round spot. United, the 2019 FMNC Premiers also went out in the 3rd round last season (via a penalty shootout against Boambee). The Port outfit accounted for Coffs Coast Tigers in a penalty shootout in the previous round.
An all Coastal Premier League match up will take place at Ayrshire Park when Boambee host Port Saints. The 2019 NCF Premiers and Champions Boambee made it to Round 6 of the FFA Cup in 2019 before having their run ended by National Premier League outfit Maitland FC. They also made Round 6 in 2018, again falling to NPL opposition, Charlestown City Blues. Having defeated Wallis Lake from FMNC in the previous round, Boambee now face a Saints team who defeated Coffs City United in a penalty shootout to advance to the 4th round. The Saints went out in the 3rd round of the Cup last season.
In Laurieton, the Redbacks will do battle with Northern Storm at Vince Inmon Sporting Complex. The Reds accounted for TAS FC 3-0 and received a forfeit against Moree FC to see them in the 4th round. The Storm who will be one of the NCF clubs in the Coastal Premier League defeated Bellingen FC, 1-0 in the previous round.
On Sunday, Rangers will head north to take on Lismore Richmond Rovers at Nelson Park. It’s the first time the Rovers have entered the FFA Cup and they’ve had two impressive wins so far. They defeated Sawtell Scorpions 7-3 in round 3 after a 9-0 win over Grafton United in round 2. Rovers made it into the second week of finals in the FFNC Premier League in season 2019. Rangers who went out in the 3rd round of the Cup last year defeated Westlawn Tigers 5-3 in the previous round.
Round 4 Draw – Matches to be played on 14th/15th March
Game 1 – Lismore Richmond Rovers (FFNC) v Macleay Valley Rangers
Game 2 – Boambee FC (NCF) v Port Saints
Game 3 – Oxley Vale Attunga (NIF) v Port United
Game 4 – Camden Haven Redbacks v Northern Storm (NCF)
Round 5 – Weekend Ending 22nd March
Game 4 winner v Game 3 winner
Game 1 winner v Game 2 winner
The final 2 teams remaining will then be placed in the 6th round draw on 22nd of May. Round 6 will then see clubs from the Southern Conference which includes Zone League, NEWFM Northern League One and NPL Northern NSW teams.
More information – https://northernnswfootball.com.au/ffa-cup/
