Last year's Westfield FFA Cup fairytale club Hume City appear to be timing their run perfectly again for the 2016 edition.
Hume are on a five-game unbeaten streak in NPL Victoria and after an indifferent start to the season they have surged up the table into fourth, with coach Lou Acevski claiming they haven't given up on the title.
Having reached the FFA Cup semi-finals in 2015, Hume hope to make an impact on the national stage again this year, having generally cruised through qualifying to the Round of 32.
Great FFA Cup games: Hume's late drama
After a tight 1-0 win over third-tier club Brunswick City to begin their FFA Cup qualifying campaign, Acevski's side defeated Dandenong Thunder 3-1, Malvern City 4-0 and Richmond 4-0.
With the Round of 32 draw to be held on Thursday and the competition to start on July 26, Acevski is very happy with how Hume are performing.
"This whole month in June we've gone undefeated," he told Goal Australia.
"The form is really, really picking up now."
In the national rounds of the FFA Cup last year, Hume claimed two of the most exciting wins in the competition's short history.
In the Round of 32, Hume came from behind twice to beat Brisbane Strikers 4-3 in extra-time, while in the quarter-finals they also needed an extra half-hour to overcome Oakleigh Cannons 3-2.
While being forced to hold their semi-final against Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park cost the club financially, according to Acevski, the national exposure the FFA Cup gave Hume has helped him considerably when recruiting players.
"They know about Hume City, they saw our run," he said.
"You know, you're on Fox Sports, you're on local radio, you're on mainstream radio, newspapers… and players wanted to come to Hume City because of that run."
Hume's involvement in the 2015 FFA Cup ended with a 3-0 loss to eventual champions Victory, and Acevski knows his side had their fair share of luck, which he hopes will continue on Thursday.
"We had a very favourable draw last season in relation to playing all our games at home," Acevski said.
"I believe that's an advantage, particularly against interstate clubs. They don't know what your ground's like, they don't know their surroundings."
