Port United did it the hard way, but they got there in the end.
Despite having ambitions of a top-three finish, United eventually qualified for the Coastal Premier League Men's semi-finals in fifth spot last weekend.
They'll now head to Kempsey this weekend for an elimination final showdown with Macleay Valley and assistant coach Tony Raymond conceded it was disappointing to not be playing at Dixie Park.
"We did want to finish the season with better results, but unfortunately on Saturday we just couldn't find the net," he said.
A 5-4 loss to the lowly Kempsey Saints meant they had to go up to Boambee the next day with the aim of at least a point out of the game to secure their place in the finals.
Their second and third-string players stepped up to hold on for a well-deserved 0-all draw.
"That result was a good result for us because the boys that filled in as reserve graders or third graders really stood up to the challenge and helped us out big time," Raymond said.
United will have to do something they haven't done all year if they wish to hold aloft the Coastal Premier League Men's first grade championship trophy.
United haven't won three games in a row all season, but that's exactly what they'll have to do over the next three weeks.
The Port Macquarie side has the third-best defence in the competition to go with the third-best attack in the competition, but will have to go the long way around the finals series.
They'll head to Kempsey on Saturday for a clash with the fourth-placed Rangers and if they win that, they'll then have to knock off Coffs Coast and Coffs City all on the road.
Assistant coach Tony Raymond admitted it was a "hard slog" to qualify for the finals, but they eventually got there.
"We are going to have to do it the hard way, but the boys are up for the challenge," he said.
