After a very up-and-down Group 3 Rugby League season, the Macleay Valley Mustangs have been playing some of their best football in the past few weeks. The Mustangs won against the Wauchope Blues on Sunday, July 9, and have hauled themselves into the top four of the Group 3 table. Much of their recent form is down to the fact that, instead of looking worn-out in the final months of a gruelling campaign, the Mustangs have gotten a new spring in their steps. While Mustangs coach Ant Cowan is still cautious about their slow starts to the game, he believes the team is "peaking at just the right time" ahead of finals. Cowan credited their recent form to their gallant win against ladder-leaders Old Bar Pirates in round eight. "We've taken a lot of confidence out of the game against Old Bar, and we're playing with a lot of confidence now." he said. "We're getting better and better as we go, and we're peaking at just the right time." Despite the 38-14 win against Wauchope in Kempsey on Sunday, July 9, a slow start to the first half saw the Mustangs troop off at halftime with only four points separating the team at 12-8 in favour of the home side. "We started off slow, the first half we were pretty ill-disciplined," Cowan said. "We put ourselves in a position where we couldn't execute how we wanted to which was the frustrating part. We had to get back to our simple game plan." The Mustangs picked up steam in the second half with a try to Tirell Dungay, Cooper Petterson, Jason Russell, Ant Cowan and Miles Mongta securing their 38-14 victory. "We just had to get back to our basics and complete our sets," Cowan said. "We were pretty disciplined in the second half which was the main thing and gave us the win in the end." Cowan admitted their kicking game has been their downfall in recent games, with only three out of eight successful conversions kicked off the boot of Tirell Dungay during Sunday's game. "It's something that needs to get better as we head into the finals because it can cost us dearly," he said. Five rounds remain in Group Three Rugby League before the start of the semi-finals. With Port City and Old Bar locked in first and second place on the Group 3 ladder, the Mustangs are chasing the last three places in the five, along with Taree City, Wingham and Port Macquarie Sharks. The Mustangs have a tough task ahead of them as they get ready to take on the reigning premiers, Port City, in Port Macquarie in two weeks time. The game will be played on July 23 after the All Stars clash at Wingham on July 15. The Mustangs are hoping to do what Taree City did on the weekend when they won against Port City in a 18-16 upset. Cowan said the game will come down to their discipline and attitude. "It will be a tough game against the Breakers, we cannot fall asleep during the game," he said. "We have to play the footy that we played against Old Bar and control our aggression and complete our sets. "If we can do that against the Breakers, it gives every single chance to win. "To win that game would probably set us up pretty good leading into the back end of the season and into the finals." IN OTHER NEWS: