Soccer
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ON A personal note and from the team's point of view, Sunday's round 17 game doesn't get much bigger for Cootamundra "veteran" Steve Armstrong.
Armstrong will step onto Rawlings Park to celebrate his 150th senior appearance for his beloved club.
But first and foremost, the Strikers will be fighting for their Football Wagga season as they take on Lake Albert in the do-or-die encounter.
Cootamundra is basically the only team capable of sneaking into the top-four on the ladder before the competition splits in a fortnight.
The Strikers are currently just one win outside fourth spot and a victory over Lake Albert could rocket them into Pascoe Cup contention.
Following next week's round, Football Wagga will split into a top-four pool and a bottom-five pool, which will then play off for the Pascoe Cup and Pascoe Plate respectively.
With the hard task of taking on competition power Tolland next week, Armstrong knows tomorrow could be Cootamundra's last shot at a top-four finish.
"We're still a chance to finish top-four so hopefully we can do it," Armstrong said.
"We've got Tolland next week which is probably the toughest way to finish off, but I reckon we can still finish in fourth place.
"That's been our aim all year, to finish top-four, and we're still a chance of achieving that.
"With two wins and a bit of luck we should get there."
Cootamundra posted a 0-all draw against Lake Albert last time the two clubs met.
But with the Sharks' playing list taking a hit with injury, Armstrong is confident the Strikers are capable of breaking through the opposition defence this time around.
"We always have pretty good games against (Lake Albert)," he said.
"We've got a few guys injured but we've had a good week at training so we should be prepared."
A win on Sunday would be the perfect present for Armstrong as the club marks his 150-game milestone.
He has played for the Strikers his entire life, working his way up the junior ranks before making his senior debut as a teenager in 2004.
The majority of his senior career has been spent in first grade, with only "about 20" reserve grade appearances.
"I'm very excited," Armstrong said.
"The first I heard of it was when the club told me it would be my 150th yesterday (Thursday)."