Look no further than the Millthorpe Tigers.

The black and golds have rocketed into finals calculations after knocking off the top two sides, Waratah FC and Waratah Old Boys, in the last fortnight.

Millthorpe Tigers manager Nic Smith says the club has always been capable of such performances, last Saturday’s 2-0 wash of FC coupled with a 1-0 clean sheet against the Old Boys.

The Tigers now sit in sixth on the ladder, five points adrift from the fourth-placed Barnstoneworth United – last year’s premiers.

There’s still seven regular season rounds remaining in 2017, giving Smith’s Tigers all the time in the world to continue such a remarkable resurgence.

Five weeks ago, the Tigers were winless.

They now have four wins to their name and all the momentum.

“We’ve always been confident, and making the top four has always been a goal, but I just think with a new-look side the more we’ve played together the better we’re getting … we’ve won four of our last five games now,” Smith said.

The Tigers-FC clash was deferred from round nine, both sides agreeing to play at Waratah Sportsground last Saturday afternoon.

The Tigers coming off a 1-0 win over Old Boys and FC off a maiden loss in 2017, the clash had all the billing of a classic.

It lived up to that expectation, too, both sides going toe-to-toe over the opening 43 minutes until Jono McCann broke the deadlock just two minutes from half-time.

The crafty striker potted a winner n the top left corner of the FC goal, a strike Smith says “came out of nothing”.

Some brilliant lead-up work from the black and golds midfield helped the Tigers extended their advantage to two goals following a Jake Evans winner on the hour mark.

From that point on it was over to the Millthorpe backs to produce.

And that they did.

Led by in-form goal-keeper Matt Amies and centre-back Shane Sproule, the Tigers defence held firm, as it did in another dogged win over Old Boys the week before.

“The Old Boys came at us hard, as did FC, but we’ve just managed to keep it together at the back the last two weeks and it’s netted us two clean sheets,” Smith said.

The two brilliant wins over the competition’s top two follow on from victories over Ex-Services FC (3-1) and the Waratah Wildcats (2-1) and sets up a mouth-watering contest with the in-form Saints Turbulance boys next week at Redmond Oval, Millthorpe.

Smith said the Tigers would be aiming points in every remaining game this season, obviously, but three more wins over the course of the next seven rounds could potentially sneak the Tigers into that top four.

“That’s it. We’ve confident we’ll keep getting better but wins are what we need,” he said, looking forward to a clash at Millthorpe on Saturday.

“Not that our home form has been great,” Smith added.

“We’ve played better away from home this season but being able to play at Millthorpe after the redevelopment (of Redmond Oval) has been great for us.

“We made the grand final (in 2015) but missed the finals last year, so we’re keen to get back in that top four.”

Which won’t be easy given the form of the sides hunting for finals positions.

Saints Turbulance knocked off FC in their last game, 5-3, bringing on what has been a worrying form slide for the competition favourites and last year’s runners-up.

Smith said the Tigers would continue to lean on the experience and class of skipper Jake Evans, who along with McCann has been on-song in front of goal over the last month.

While the work of  Amies and Sproule in defence has led the Millthorpe charge.

Along with the Saints and Tigers clash this coming Saturday, FC will look to bounce back against Barnies in a grand final rematch while Old Boys take on Waratah United and the Wildcats host Ex-Services FC.