Newcastle Olympic know there is plenty at stake when they meet top-four hopefuls New Lambton at Alder Park in NPLW Northern NSW on Sunday, and coach Neil Owens expects his senior players to step up accordingly.
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The rescheduled round-five fixture at 4pm is one of only two games being played over the June long weekend, which was reserved in the draw for washed-out games.
Leaders Broadmeadow host fourth-placed Maitland at Magic Park on Monday night (6pm) in their rescheduled clash from round 12.
As the competition approaches the end of its second of three rounds, the premiership race remains wide open.
Magic hold top spot with 29 points, Charlestown (28) are one point behind in second place, Olympic (26) third then Maitland (24).
Adamstown are fifth on 17 and sixth-placed New Lambton (16) must keep winning or see their finals hopes evaporate quickly.
"I think it would be hard [for New Lambton] if we beat them," Owens said.
"Time gets away. We're nearly into the third round. For us, we would go back equal on top with a win, so that's a big prize for us as well. We led the competition for a number of weeks until we had a bit of wobble, now we're starting to look quite good again.
"So, the incentive is there for us to get back on top. If you're not motivated for that then you may as well go and play tennis.
"Coming into this third round, this is where the good players should step up. That's where you would expect the girl who's got 100 games under her belt to step up and deliver ... to really make a statement now."
Each team should be close to full strength but Olympic will be without captain and tireless attacking midfielder Laura Hall while the Eagles are missing centre-back Airlie Davis. Both are away.
Olympic came from behind to beat New Lambton 2-1 when they met two weeks ago at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility.
They also trailed 1-0 before drawing 1-1 with Rosebud at the Speers Point facility last Saturday night while the Eagles routed winless Warners Bay 17-0.
"We've been playing good, we just need to convert," Owens said.
"We created chances against New Lambton. Adamstown, we created enough chances to win a couple of games, so sooner or later surely we're going to bang a few in.
"It might just take that one spectacular goal or something to click. But everything has been there. We just need to maintain focus, and don't try to do it individually. Stay together."
Rising talent Sophie Walmsley is likely to take Hall's place in Olympic's starting side.
The Eagles appeared to find their groove last weekend with Jets pair Tara Andrews and Cassidy Davis running riot in attack to score 12 of the team's 17 goals between them.
"Everything goes through Cass Davis with New Lambton, so that's obviously an area we need to be wary of," Owens said.
"But [Alesha Clifford] is an extremely good player also and she's been scoring goals out of the centre midfield as well."
On Monday, Maitland should have close to a full complement of players while Magic will be without strikers Adriana Konjarski (away) and Lucy Jerram (suspension) plus centre-back Kalista Hunter (suspension).
Jerram is serving the second match of a two-suspension after being red-carded for violent conduct against Olympic in round 11 while Hunter is out through yellow card accumulation.
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