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Mariners defender Josh Rose believes the buzz surrounding the FFA Cup will serve as the motivation his side need to get up for Wednesday's clash with the South Coast Wolves.
The Central Coast will head to Wollongong for their round-of-32 match at WIN Stadium as huge favourites against their NSW National Premier League rivals.
But given the former A-League champions have to travel away from home and are yet to start their regular season, it still shapes as a difficult trip for the club.
Nevertheless, Rose is confident his side will be ready.
"I think the buzz about the FFA Cup will help get us motivated for it but at the same time it is a job for Mossy [coach Phil Moss] and the coaching staff to get our minds right and tactically have a plan in place to come and get the win," Rose said while in Wollongong with the A-League All Stars.
"We definitely are not taking it easy ... and we know it won't be an easy game.
"We are expecting a tough match and hopefully we can come here and get the job done."
The Mariners have only played an interclub match and trial against their own Academy so far this pre-season.
Meanwhile, their rivals have just finished their season with a 5-1 drubbing over APIA Leichhardt in the National Premier League NSW top grade.
Rose was able to catch a glimpse of the Wolves a fortnight earlier against St George, but like many in the Mariners line-up he will rely mostly on second-hand information about his opposition squad.
"I know a few of the boys who come from the State League, like Matt Sim, he knows a fair bit about them. And I am sure Mossy, who coached in the State League a while ago, he has watched them over the past few weeks," Rose said at the start of the month.
"They are going to come into the game in good form and they are going to be fit because it is the end of the season so it is going to be a tough game."
The match will be the first for both clubs in the inaugural FFA Cup.
"There is such a big buzz about it [the Cup] and it has been fantastic to watch," Rose said.
"Having the lower teams on [television] and these sort of players get to test themselves. It is going to be a very tough battle for us because these lower teams want to prove themselves against us as well as going as far as they can in the Cup."