While they’ve had a brilliant run of form, Wangaratta City FC’s division one men’s team face their toughest challenge of the season to date on Sunday when they head up to Jelbart Park to knock off the ladder leaders.

Fresh off the midseason bye and sitting fourth overall, the Devils will have the opportunity to atone for an early-season drubbing when they take on top-ranked side Albury City.

The Devils’ season started with a 2-6 hammering at the hands of City, but since then, they’ve grown into a legitimate contender, having won five of their last six matches and produced some truly exceptional performances.

Coach Vitaly Leschen said the midseason break had come at the perfect time and provided players and staff the chance to reflect on a truly brilliant run so far.

“We enjoyed the week off, it was good to have a break, it came at a good time of the year,” he said.

“Probably just the team spirit and ability to turn these close games into wins has been great.

“Apart from Wodonga Heart, I think every game we’ve won has been a one-goal margin.

“The fact we are able to cling onto these tight games and get them in our favour shows a good mentality, we’re very happy with that.”

The match this weekend with City kicks off an all-important five-match block for the Devils before their next bye, set to take on Albury United (eighth), Boomers (seventh), Melrose (third) and Wodonga Diamonds (11th) over the next month.

While a conservative punter would give the Devils three wins and two losses from the block, Leschen is throwing down the gauntlet, arguing his boys have what it takes to win them all.

“A realistic target and our target are different things,” he said.

“Realistically, you look in that block at Albury City and Melrose, they’re going to be very tough games - but that’s not discounting the other games, they’re all going to be tough games.

“The realistic target is nine points, but I put it on the players that we have an opportunity.

“We’ve worked very hard in the first half of the season to get to where we are, I don’t think the players should be happy at just looking at the top four – let’s aim for 15 points, I believe we have the quality to get them and I believe the group of players should be looking at it that way, not thinking we’re just a top four team, thinking we can challenge the very best teams in this league.

“At some stage, we need to demonstrate that against the best teams, and it starts with Albury City this weekend and we kick on from there.”

Albury City leads the competition with 27 points from 11 rounds and a goal difference of +22, and despite a loss heading into the bye, they’re going to present a distinct challenge for the Devils.

“City are a very good team, I definitely pegged them as one of the favourites at the start of the year and they’ve shown through the first half of the year why,” Leschen said.

“I think their results against Melrose [0-2] and Savoy [1-3] show they’re not unbeatable, but they’ve got a lot of danger and a lot of quality across the pitch.

“They’re going to cause us a lot of problems and it’s going to be a game where we definitely are the underdog, but if we can limit their scoring opportunities, be solid defensively and take our chances when they come at the top, we can well and truly take it to them.”

The Devils take on Albury City this Sunday 14 June from 3pm at Jelbart Park.