The purple peril has pushed the best sides all year, beaten by just a single goal in almost all but one of their defeats.

But with four rounds to go they sit eighth, the last spot in the quarter-finals, likely to face the league champions in the first week of sudden death games.

“The results have been close all year and I guess that shows we are more than competitive,” Payne said.

“We know where we are at and we’ll finish eighth and that means we are already planning for the Cup finals – resting players, working on structures whereas there are at least three of the top teams still fighting it our for top spot, needing to win.

“We’ve gone close to beating the top teams in the home and away rounds so we are not concerned about who we play in the first week of finals – traditionally it’s our time of year.”

Melrose will start favourites against Hotspurs on Sunday with the annual Laramee-Luders Cup an added incentive.

Spurs James Eggleston admits they won’t  play finals but sees plenty of upside to the future.

“I think we have surprised some teams this year with the way we play, the structure and have led against some of those sides that are fighting out the league but in the end they have probably been a bit too classy,” he said.

“But we are a work in progress with some promising juniors coming through the age divisions and will only get better in the years ahead.”

Meanwhile, Keely McLaren said Albury United will be looking to repeat the heroics of its first round win against training ground rival City to have any hope in the league title race.

Only three points separate the top four teams in the women’s league.

“We won the first round 3-1 but they have a great side that is better for having Zoe Jackson and Tayla Page back in the line-up and the natural improvement of Chelsea Blissett,” she said.

“We have to be on our toes, when we lose to City it is generally when we back off and let them run at us.

“If they can win this week then they can almost wrap up the league, after us they probably have the easiest run home and so they’ll really want it and just looking at them they look like a side that has come together at the right time.”