They’re rested, they’re fired up, and they’re ready to tackle an intense five-week block of matches which could spell out the direction their season will travel – it’s go-time for the Devils.

Wangaratta City FC’s division one men’s team will be back in action this Sunday after the scheduled bye, currently sitting at eighth overall with a 1-2-2 record.

The Devils are into the meat of the season now, with their next five matches before the King’s Birthday league bye shaping up as crucial encounters if Wangaratta want to contest finals.

After facing Wodonga Heart (10th) on the road this weekend, the Devils take on Albury Hotspurs (fourth, away), Myrtleford Savoy (fifth, away), Cobram Roar (first, home) and St Pats (ninth, home) consecutively.

With a handful of winnable matches in there and the chance for more than a few upsets, coach Vitaly Leschen said the time was right to prove themselves in the league.

“In all honesty, it’s very similar to the way we looked at the first five games,” he said.

“There is a mixture of teams who are going to be up at the top of the table, there are teams who are going to be mid-table.

“There’ll be some good games, if we come out of the five weeks with more wins than losses and more results, it’ll be really good, particularly going into the back end of the season.

“If you look back at the last five games, I maintain we could easily won two or three more games already, so hopefully those results turn around in the next five weeks, and going into the second half of the year we’ve built some momentum and a lot of confidence.”

After banking their first win in their most recent outing against Wodonga Diamonds, Leschen said the team was starting to come together and play for each other, a sure sign their record is about to improve.

“The cohesion is building across the team,” he said.

“Diamonds, particularly the second half, it was the first game where we all worked as a team – doing second efforts, third efforts, doing the dirty work, doing all the one-percenters.

“Hopefully we can bring that for the whole game and really put it to Wodonga Heart, and put in a good shift as a team.

“This weekend we’re playing Heart who, from all reports, are a good young team so I’m not discounting anything there.

“It’s down to individual players choosing whether the person next to them is worth doing the work no one sees for, and I think through the year we’ll show that more and more.”

The Devils take on Wodonga Heart at Willow Park from 3pm this Sunday, 3 May.

Meanwhile, the division two women’s side is flying, and look to extend their unbeaten run to six games straight when they take on mid-table squad Wodonga Heart at Willow Park.

Despite heading into the match as clear favourites, at least from an actuarial standpoint, women’s coach Kristy Mellor said she wasn’t about to start underestimating her opposition.

“The next few games will be difficult,” she said.

“Teams are always motivated to beat the team on top of the ladder.

“Teamwork and communication will be key for us.

“Playing sharp, simple football should get us across the line.”

The women’s match kicks off at Willow Park from 9.30am.