SYDENHAM Park coach Tony "Nuts" Neceski and his players are gunning for the ultimate glory in the Victorian State League 3 north-west competition.
The championship is well and truly within grasp, with the red and yellows locked in a battle with the Geelong Rangers at the top of the ladder with three home and away rounds to be played.
They are level on 34 points with nine wins, seven draws and three losses after 19 rounds.
Sydenham Park has its nose just in front on goal difference, plus 16 goals to plus 15 - 35 goals for and 19 against to 44 and 29.
What an enthralling race for top spot it continues to be.
Fittingly, there's an intriuging twist in the battle for the top prize, too.
Guess which teams will go head-to-head in the very last round of the season?
Yep, Sydenham Park and the Geelong Rangers at Myers Reserve.
What a blockbuster that promises to be, especially if the result determines the winner of the championship.
It's an exciting time for the boys from Keilor Lodge Reserve, who endured a miserable start to the season.
There's a good mix of experience and youth in Neceski's line-up.
One-time National Soccer League champs Lubo Lapsansky and John Markovski have played valuable roles after being coaxed out of retirement.
Lapsansky, who enjoyed many splendid moments in the midfield for the Melbourne Knights in the old NSL in the 1990s, is thrilled to be strutting his stuff.
"(It's) been great. They are a good bunch of boys," he said.
"I'm there to help out the kids. I've scored a goal here and there, which has been a bit of fun. I'm not there to prove anything."
Markovski, a one-time Socceroo and 350-gamer in the NSL, has had to scale back his appearances after accepting the coaching role at the Preston Lions in the Victorian Foxtel Cup last month. But the big fella was one of the best players in the side's 2-0 win over Laverton Park at Laverton Park Reserve in the recent 19th round.
"John plays when he can. It's full credit to him because he's had a lot on his plate," Neceski said.
Other important players have included defensive midfielder Darryl Spiteri and striker Steve Stojanovski.
The likes of Toni Kutlesovski and Peco Dimovski have also caught the eye.
Not surprisingly, club president Kire Lavcanski can't contain his delight about the side's stunning rise to prominence.
"It's going great at the moment," he said. "The boys are doing too good. Hopefully, they can keep it up for the next three games.
"The boys are all playing as one, which really makes the team. They're all very close. The whole team has been playing terrific; they're all performing."
Lavcanski praised first-year coach Neceski.
"He's changed the environment (among the squad)," he said.
"He's very good. All the boys like him. He's given a lot of the young ones opportunities."
A one-time star for the Green Gully Cavaliers in the old Victorian Premier League, Neceski was signed to play for Sydenham Park but injured his knee early in the season.
He put his hand up for the coaching job after Peter Stojevski quit as coach after the side had managed only three draws from the first six games.
The side has been unbeaten for 13 rounds, winning nine games and drawing four, in an incredible run.
Neceski and his players are made of the right stuff. They have refused to be caught up in the controversy surrounding the possibility they may be forced off their home pitch by Brimbank Council.
Club secretary Aleksandar Capaculovski praised the determination being displayed by the players.
"Everyone is fighting for each other. (They) just want to prove we can go all the way," he said.
"So far, so good."
Sydenham Park enjoyed a well-deserved breather on Saturday.
They play highly-rated Westvale Olympic in a danger game at McKechnie Reserve in the 20th round this Saturday; 3pm kick-off.
They then host Yarraville Glory at Keilor Lodge Reserve the following Saturday before the blockbuster against the Geelong Rangers in the 22nd round, which promises to decide the championship.
The championship contenders played out a 2-2 draw at Keilor Lodge in the 11th round.
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