Alstonville Football Club travelled to Maclean knowing that a win was not enough to secure them a piece of club history.

The win would have seen them qualify in fourth position in the Football Far North Coast Premier league but at least five goals would see Dave Gambley's side jump to third position and create a bit of history for the club formed in 1972.

In 1986 Alstonville achieved its highest placing when fourth.

"We knew we had to win the game and it would be good to get a good goal difference if we could," said Gambley.

Alstonville came into the match with two successive wins, while Maclean had lost five matches on the trot.

"We knew they were a decent team but we knew we were a better team," said Gambley.

"We scored three goals in the first half and got a fourth early in the second half. We knew we had to get more than five goals but we started to leak goals too."

Gambley's son Eli, who turned 19 in July, scored his first hat-trick of the season, following up the two he scored against Goonellabah. Connor McIntosh scored two and Gabe Vidler and Jesse Fryer also got vital goals. For the record Fraser Marsh, Nelson Burgess and Jarreds Doyle scored for Maclean, who had Pat Delaney sent off in the second half.

It finished 7-3 to the Villa, which put them into the semi-finals in third place, the highest the club has finished in its history. It is the first time the Villa have qualified for the finals since 2014.

"Individually, I think our players are perhaps stronger than anyone else's," said Gambley.

"This is quite an achievement for the boys. Joel Perkins, who has been at Villa since he was six years old, and is now 32, is what this club is about.

"We have a good squad when everyone's fit and we try and play it on the floor and use our quick wingers but our home pitch Crawford Park is quite bumpy, so it's hard."

The Villa are having a huge year in the shortened season. On Wednesday, Gambley's side hosts Goonellabah FC in the Tursa Employment & Training ANZAC Day Cup Final.

Alstonville have never won the Tursa Employment & Training ANZAC Day Cup Final, whereas the Hornets won it for three successive years from 2010.

The women's First Grade side has won the Summer Youth League, the 2020 Women's Premiership and the Callan McMillan Trophy - a clean sweep of tournaments.

Villa FC claim Callan McMillan Shield

Football Far North Coast Premier League Round 8

Bangalow 1 Lismore Thistles 3, Jeff Schneider Field, Bangalow

Maclean 3 Alstonville 7, Wherritt Park, Maclean

Byron Bay 3 Richmond Rovers 0, Byron Bay Memorial Recreation Grounds

South Lismore 2 Goonellabah 0, South Lismore

Premier League Final Point Score: South Lismore Celtic 23, Byron Bay 22, Alstonville 16, Bangalow 16, Goonellabah 14, Lismore Thistles 12, Maclean 9, Richmond Rovers 4

Semi-final 1: South Lismore v Bangalow, South Lismore, Friday, 8pm

Semi-final 2: Byron Bay v Alstonville, Byron Bay Memorial Recreation Grounds, Sunday, 2:30pm

Consolation Match: Goonellabah v Richmond Rovers, Weston Park, Goonellabah, Sunday, 2:30pm