Matt Thompson was the hero at a windswept Cooks Square Park, hitting a strike to secure a 3-2 win in the catch-up game and take Maitland to 37 points, two clear, with two rounds left.

Running with the wind, Valentine scored off a long free kick in the 12^th minute. Maitland equalised via Joel Wood at the back post off a Ryan Clarke cross in the 66^th and Thompson repeated the dose in the 74^th.

Valentine levelled in 77^th minute with a Ben Hay header before Thompson's second sparked wild celebrations on old boys' day.

Bolch praised the effort of his side, who have come through a hectic schedule.

"That was their third games in six days and fifth in 13, so it was off the back of a big couple of weeks," Bolch said.

"They showed plenty of character and just kept chasing it. We went to three at the back and threw four up front for the last 10 minutes and they got their just rewards."

Maitland, who finish against Adamstown and the Jets Youth, are favourites for the premiership but Bolch said "no game is a gimee".

"You can still miss the semi-finals if you lose you're last two," he said. "We're obviously the favourites on where we sit, but hopefully we win next week, and that secures semis, then we'll worry about premierships."

"No game is a gimee, you've only got to look at Valentine. Magic scored late to beat them, they beat Edgy and we scored a winner in the 94^th minute against them, so no team are easybeats.

"Adamstown have beaten Olympic and Charlestown and they did all right against Edgy. And the Jets, it just depends what sort of side they put out."