West Ham United play host to Cardiff City looking to complete the task they started so impressively on Thursday evening.
A 2-0 win in Wales means the Hammers hold the advantage, but the West Ham United Assistant Manager knows his side are still a long way from a Wembley final.
There was good news on the injury front with a clean bill of health reported from Thursday's first-leg victory ,which means McDonald and manager Sam Allardyce have a some tough selection choices to make. The likes of Nicky Maynard, Julien Faubert and George McCartney all pushing for starts having been on the bench at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Can we start with team news?
NM: Everybody is fit and ready and we've had a good preparation. We stayed over in Cardiff. We went to the hotel to do the warm-down and so the boys could get a good night's sleep. Then we travelled back on the train on Friday so the preparations started straight after the game. Everybody is fit and waiting for the call to play.
How do you approach the game mentally?
NM: Our home form over the last two games has been really good which will give us confidence. The support we had the other night from the travelling fans was fantastic and I think that will bounce onto the home game and the whole place will be trying to take the roof off. There will be a fantastic atmosphere but it still won't be an easy game to get through. Preparation and planning is the key. We've done it for one game - hopefully we can do it for the second.
Will you be sitting back?
NM: Certainly not. We'll try to get the third goal. If you get the third goal, nine times out of time you'd say the game was over. We'll have to play off the front foot and try to get that third goal and try to kill the game off as quickly as we can.
What did you make of Jack Collison's performance the other night?
NM: It's amazing that you have lucky grounds and he seems to play well when he goes back to Wales. To get the two goals rounded off a great individual performance from him and it's always nice when you score in the country you play for. He's on a very big high.
Is he over his injury problems now?
NM: No, he has to be managed. He's played a lot of goals so congratulations to the medical and sports science side who got him through and congratulations to him as you have to do the hard work to do the rehab on your injury. He's stuck to the programme and that's what helped him with the majority of the games.
The defence is coping well too. You're not giving much away?
NM: We've scored 20 goals and only conceded a handful over the last seven games. We certainly scored eight at home and only conceded one in our last two. That's good form coming into the games and we've got the two goal lead. It's looking positive but we've got to be on our guard as Cardiff have got nothing to lose. They'll be coming to our place where they've already beaten us so we have to on our guard.
Has Sam spoken about his Play-Off experiences he's had before?
NM: When we were at Bolton, we were getting beaten 2-0 by West Brom and he's got the nous and experience to change it and we got it back to 2-2. Then we beat them at Burnden Park and then we've gone on to win the final against Preston, 3-0. He's got good experience and that will work well for us and the players so he can pass it on.
Considering how close the club came to automatic, the heads have not dropped have they?
NM: As I said before we were more disappointed that we didn't beat Bristol City so we've had a long time to get our head round that we're in the Play-Offs. We had a couple of days where we felt sorry for ourselves but the concentration is back and the players want to be promoted. A lot of them played in the Premier League last year and they want to do it again next year.
I think that has showed throughout this season. Sometimes it doesn't work, sometimes it does. We're training really well, everyone is fit and there's good competition for places. We've got a slight advantage at the moment and we have to increase it as quickly as we can.
Is the first goal vital on Monday?
NM: If you look at it on the negative side, Cardiff have to score two goals to win. I think two goals away from home is fantastic and our home form puts us in a good light and a good mood. The support we had in Cardiff will bounce off onto the home crowd and it will be an intimidating place to come.
Did you watch the other Play-Off semi-final?
NM: Yes we dd. I think it's important you do. It was a very close game again so it can go either way in Birmingham. We've got to concentrate on ourselves first and foremost and if we're lucky enough to get through we'll probably go and watch the game on Wednesday.