Maitland midfielder Nick Cowburn believes individual brilliance will probably be all that separates the Magpies and Edgeworth in the Northern NSW NPL grand final at Magic Park on Sunday.
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And while the former Jet is excited for the chance to be that matchwinner after not featuring in the 2018 A-League decider, the 24-year-old just wants to get his hands on a championship trophy.
Cowburn was a key mid-season addition for the Magpies in their run to a maiden premiership and top-division grand final, after not gaining a new deal with Newcastle.
Despite interest from professional clubs, Cowburn was happy to play locally at Maitland and he was keen to make an impact on Sunday.
"I was on the bench for the whole game in the A-League grand final and I never got to get on and make a difference in the game, so I'm glad I've got a game like this," Cowburn said.
Maitland and Edgeworth are 1-all in the regular season after the Magpies scored twice late to win 2-1 at home before the Eagles prevailed 3-1 in the most recent clash.
Cowburn said there was little between the sides at Jack McLaughlan Oval despite the 3-1 scoreline.
"They rested a few and we had a few out, but it was fairly competitive for 70 minutes," he said. "Then Oliver Smith came on and scored two good goals and you've got to take your hat off to that. Other than that, the game was competitive and we were starting to come back into it after being 1-0 down to be 1-1, and it was just two good goals on the day.
"And that's probably going to be the same on Sunday, just a bit of individual brilliance is going to win the game and we've just got to hope it's for us."
The 68-game A-League player, though, was not feeling the pressure to be that matchwinner.
"I just wanted to get game time and play football how I want to play it," he said of coming to Maitland.
"It's not the Nick Cowburn show, it's the Maitland show. I'd take a 1-0 victory and play a poor game over wanting to star individually."
He said one of the main motivations to join Maitland was to get the "enjoyment factor" back.
"I felt that drain out a little bit, the last two years in the A-League," he said.
"I came back to the local league to play with a few of my mates and my cousins out there, and I'm definitely enjoying my football.
"There were a few sniffs around [from professional clubs], but to me it had to be the right deal, the right move for me.
"One of the main offers that come to me was in the local league from Maitland and it just seemed right to come back to Maitland and try and enjoy football again, get some playing time under my belt and just try and win some trophies, and that's all I want to do."