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Bulls out to maintain A-League charge

3 minute read

Macarthur FC coach Ante Milicic has promised to "take the game" to Western United on Saturday after the Bulls' A-League demolition of Adelaide last weekend.

ANTE MILICIC.
ANTE MILICIC. Picture: Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images

After back-to-back A-League victories including a 4-0 thumping of Adelaide United last week, Macarthur FC boss Ante Milicic has vowed to maintain the rage for Saturday's trip to face Western United.

The Bulls' followed up an impressive 2-0 win on the road against Brisbane with the club's first home win as Matt Derbyshire's hat-trick sparked the big win over the Reds.

Those results have propelled the competition newcomers to second on the ladder and Western coach Mark Rudan labelled them "championship favourites" in his pre-match press conference.

Milicic says his team is heading to Ballarat's Mars Stadium in high spirits and won't hold anything back against a Western team whose last game was a 3-2 loss to leaders Central Coast on February 7.

"The boys are in a good frame of mind," Milicic said.

"The whole squad's working well together and we're just looking forward to another game ... to score four goals at home but also to keep two clean sheets in a row, it's a big step for us moving forward.

"We'll take the game to them."

Derbyshire's hat-trick, as well as his late goal against the Roar, means the 34-year-old Englishman is joint top of the goal-scoring list with five goals this season, along with Brisbane's Dylan Wenzel-Halls and Mariners' prospect Alou Kuol.

After failing to score in his first three A-League matches, Milicic says Derbyshire's form in front of goal is more about the team's increasing connection than anything else.

"Scoring goals gives him a lot of confidence but he's been very reliant on the service and to be perfectly honest I don't think it was there in the first few rounds," Milicic said.

"He remained patient, positive and confident and you know when the chances do come to him there's a good chance he'll finish them."

KEY MATCH STATS

* Macarthur have played three and won three on the road so far in their inaugural A-League campaign.

* Western United lost both of their matches at Mars Stadium last season.

* In the past five A-League encounters between NSW and Victorian teams, the NSW side have won all five.

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