The celebrations said it all. There were absolute scenes at Magic Park on Sunday afternoon, when Kahibah defied the odds to beat NPL Northern NSW three-time premiers Broadmeadow 1-0.
The winner came in stoppage time with an in-swinging corner kick from Rams skipper and NPL veteran Robbie Turnbull.
Magic keeper Daniel Axford got a touch but could not stop the goal. The ball ricocheted in off the far post.
Bystanders could have been forgiven for thinking Kahibah had just won the league.
The result meant just as much for the NPL's newest club, who are fighting to avoid the relegation-promotion play-offs.
"You'd be remiss to think that we won the competition with the way we carried on, but it means so much to our community and the players and the committee, and that result is massive," Kahibah coach Blair Newham said.
"They're so hard to beat there."
It was Magic's first loss on home soil this campaign and the result moved 11th-placed Kahibah to 20 points, six points clear of seemingly relegation-bound Charlestown Azzurri (14).
The 11th-placed NPL team joins the second, third and fourth-placed sides from Northern NSW Football's second-tier Northern League One in the relegation-promotion play-offs.
The win came two weeks after the Rams had beaten top-five side Belmont Swansea, who are finals bound in their second season of NPL.
Kahibah were given a tough introduction to NPL, smashed 5-0 by Lambton Jaffas in round one.
But they have gone on to produce some big results, including drawing 2-2 with third-placed Edgeworth and beating fourth-placed Maitland 2-1 in addition to the wins over Magic and Belswans.
"We've never really done anything the easy way," Newham said.
"We got promoted the hard way and, if we stay up, it will be because we deserve it.
"In the last two weeks we've beaten third and first, and we've shown that we had all the tools.
"It was just going to take an extensive amount of time to ensure that we could do it consistently, and we've come up to the level."
The final round of NPL is this Sunday with all games at 2pm.
But Kahibah, Azzurri and 10th-placed Adamstown (21) all have a game in hand.
Kahibah host Maitland on Wednesday night before facing sixth-placed Cooks Hill (30) on Sunday.
Adamstown travel to Weston on Wednesday night, then play Belswans on Sunday.
Azzurri, whose goal difference is far inferior to Kahibah, are up against Edgeworth on Wednesday night then Magic on Sunday.
Adding the final-round intrigue, eighth-placed Jaffas (22) and ninth-placed Newcastle Olympic (21) meet in the final round.
"Three points, the way the season has gone, and we're safe, with Olympic playing Jaffas in the last round of the season," Newham said.
"We'll go again big time on Wednesday."
Kahibah earned NPL promotion by finishing top of Northern League One last year.
Wallsend, one the region's oldest football clubs, are on the brink of promotion this season in what will be an epic story should they retain top spot after Northern League One's final round on Saturday.
The Red Devils were founded in 1887 and have produced 20 Australian representatives but the club was on the brink of folding three years ago.
But, with a dedicated committee and a group of passionate Old Boys working hard behind the scenes, the Red Devils have slowly rebuilt.
They have been neck and neck with Lake Macquarie City atop the Northern League One standings this season but opened up a two-point gap on Sunday when they beat West Wallsend 7-0 and the Roosters drew 2-2 with South Cardiff.
Wallsend are on 40 points ahead of their final-round showdown with third-placed Newcastle Croatia (30). Lake Macquarie face ninth-placed Toronto (13).
Newcastle Croatia and fourth-placed New Lambton (29) have secured their place in the promotion-relegation play-offs.
In NPLW, Maitland look to have secured the premiership.
The Magpies hold top spot on 46 points. They are six points clear of second-placed New Lambton (40).
The Eagles have a game in hand, but even if they won both of their remaining games and Maitland lost in the final round on August 23, their goal difference is 36 less than the Magpies.
Lake Macquarie have third place secured on 25 points while Adamstown (18) and Magic (16) are in a two-way battle for the last finals spot.
Rosebud have two games left - against New Lambton (August 19) and Maitland (August 23). Magic play sixth-placed Azzurri (13) in the final round.
Olympic (10) have never missed finals since joining the region's top-flight competition in 2020 but look likely to finish the season with the wooden spoon.
Kahibah have secured entry to NPLW next year, taking the competition back to eight teams.
