Altona East Phoenix is continuing to take it one week at a time despite what is on the line in FV state league 2 north-west season.
The Phoenix sit second on the ladder, just one point off Lalor United in the battle for the championship with four rounds remaining.
The top two teams will both be promoted, with Uni Hill Eagles hot on the tails of both sides in third spot, five points behind the Phoenix.
Phoenix coach Paul Donnelly said they know they’ve put themselves in the box seat to earn promotion.
“We’ll see what happens as anything can happen in sport,” he said. “We’ll take it one week at a time.
“It’s been a really pleasing season. We’re the top goal scorers in the league and have the best defence in the league.
“We have had 11 clean sheets which is kind of unheard of.”
Donnelly said it was nice to still be fighting for something at this time of the season and it had been the highest the club had been for a long time.
“It does keep us going,” he said. “Training has been good and they are working hard and still keen.
“The whole squad has been handy and bought into what we are doing.”
Donnelly said they had been keen to build on what they had done last year when he came into the club and it had gone to plan so far, which was really pleasing.
The Phoenix’s promotion and championship hopes sit in its own hands.
The first challenge for the Phoenix is this weekend against the Geelong Rangers, which is in the relegation battle.
Donnelly said that with relegation spots still open, everyone had plenty to play for and there were no easy matches.
The Phoenix then take on Lalor United in the top of the table clash.
Also among its four matches, is a final round clash with Uni Hill Eagles.
“We know going in that the championship could be on the line,” Donnelly said of the clash with Lalor United.
“Hopefully we’re not going out there [to Uni Hill] in the last game worrying about something [being online the line].”
There was a competition bye on the weekend for the Dockerty Cup and Cecil Earley Cup, while it’s also the catch up round for matches that have been postponed.
Donnelly said it came at the perfect time for them with a few sore bodies.
“We’ll have an easy week and may have an intra club match to give some of the guys game time on the weekend.”
In other matches, Williamstown will play the Western Eagles.
Williamstown sits in eighth spot.
