Edgeworth coach Damian Zane believes an upset over the Newcastle Jets on Wednesday night is "attainable" and the A-League club's depleted defensive stocks "might even things up a bit" in the history-making FFA Cup clash.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Eagles host the Jets at Jack McLaughlan Oval in the televised round of 16 match, which will be the first cup game with a Hunter team against the region's flagship side. The winner will also become the first from northern NSW to make the last eight in the nationwide knockout.
Edgeworth will be long odds to topple the Jets but they loom as the biggest challenge locally for the club.
Under Zane, the Eagles have claimed the past four NNSW NPL premierships, won two of four grand finals, made the national NPL decider in 2016 and been to the cup's round of 16 twice. They lost 5-1 to Western Sydney Wanderers in the last 16 in 2016, a year after going down 2-1 to Melbourne City and a late Aaron Mooy free kick in the round of 32.
Zane, though, said taking on the Jets at home was "the biggest game we've had" and one they could win.
"It's bigger than any grand final," Zane said.
"I think it's bigger than the Western Sydney game for the simple fact it's the Jets. The NPL final was big, but making the last eight in Australia in the cup would be bigger than that. You are talking A-League teams and everything, and I think it's attainable too."
Edgeworth are second in the NNSW NPL with a round to play and an outside chance of a record 13th top-division title. Their recent success has been built on defence and discipline and Zane believed those attributes would hold them in good stead against the Jets, who have defenders Nigel Boogaard, Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Lachlan Jackson and Ben Kantarovski sidelined.
"If they've got a couple out at the back ... probably our strength is our defence, and their strength is their attack," Zane said.
"So if Topor doesn't play, and Lachy Jackson is battling ... they are good defenders you are talking about, so that might even things up a bit.
"We're a pretty disciplined team and when you come into these big games, that's the key. You've got to be disciplined for 90 minutes, not just when you like.
"If you're not, then there's those little times when they make you pay. That's why they are at that next level."
He also believed his side were better placed to challenge A-League opposition this time around.
"When we played Western Sydney, they were in full swing," he said. "They had Asian Champions League qualifiers to come and they were quite advanced.
"It's earlier this time. Last time we played them in grand final week. They are professionals and each week they get fitter and sharper, so each week earlier you can play them, the better."
Edgeworth will also take heart from a 1-0 loss to the Jets in a friendly on July 27 at Jack McLaughlan Oval in which the Eagles were missing Sam Maxwell, Daniel McBreen, Josh Rose, Tyson Jackson and Keanu Moore. All return for the cup game.
"I think [Wes] Hoolahan and [Abdiel] Arroyo will play, so they will be better as well," Zane said of the Jets.
"It's hard to be critical of the guys that day because they did an amazing job ... but on paper we'll definitely have a better team than we did. At the same time, the Jets have had a month since then, so they go up a few gears and I thought they were quite decent against Victory."
"We've shown we can give a good account of ourselves. We've played A-League teams in trial games and acquitted ourselves well.
"I just watched the video of the Melbourne City game, and it just sinks in that we were so close to having a draw.
"And I reckon we would have got them in extra time.
"The Western Sydney game got a bit out of hand, and there were some things I probably would have done differently. Even that game, we got to 10 minutes from halftime and it was nil-all and we conceded from a set piece.
"I think we're good at keeping ourselves in games, and that's the key when you're playing better opponents."
While the Jets have injury concerns, Edgeworth are well understrength on their best line-up this season.
Mitch Dobson and Jose Atayde are overseas, leading scorer Oliver Smith is suspended, experienced defenders Dom Bizzarri (knee - season) and Josh Evans (away) are missing and top goalkeeper Nate Cavaliere (hand - season) is also sidelined.