Sharks downed their rivals from the north 2-0 in a clinical display with saw them hold onto second spot.

The reigning premiers had the majority of the chances early in the day and it was 45-year-old coach Michael Babic who struck the inevitable breakthrough, converting an aesthetically-pleasing cross from Henri Gardner within the first 30 minutes.

Gardner was again the chief architect when Lake Albert scored its second goal, assisting brother Fred Gardner in slotting an angled shot from the right wing.

The damage would have been worse for Strikers had Lake Albert’s Justin Curran converted his first half spot kick after being brought down in the box.

Curran did not trouble the keeper, sending the ball over the bar and into the adjacent field.

Cootamundra significantly improved its attacking flow in the second half but it never translated onto the scoresheet, the visiting side also failing to capitalise on a penalty of its own with Sharks keeper Aaron Thomas pulling off an acrobatic save.

Away from the ball it was a feisty contest, with a noticeable level of tension lingering after last year’s grand final.

That tension peaked when Lake Albert’s Fred Gardner and Cootamundra’s Aaron Kemp grew tired of each other’s pointed and unparliamentary language, before the referee - who was enjoying an eventful day himself after being disarmed of his whistle by a stray ball earlier in the match - jumped in and doused the flames.

The contest then took a bizarre turn when Cootamundra’s EuJern Tan was handed his second yellow card for substituting out of the game without the referee's blessing.

Tan received the card when he was on the bench, as it took the officials quite some time to notice the alleged under-the-radar substitution.

Post-game, Sharks coach Michael Babic said he was pleased with the victory.

“That was a very important win for us,” he said.

“If we want to stay near the top of the table we can’t drop off the pace.”

Babic was also thrilled to get on the scoreboard himself.

“At 45 you’re happy to take a goal wherever you can get one,” he said.

Meanwhile, South Wagga downed Wagga United 1-0 in a tightly-contested clash at the showgrounds.

South Wagga’s Nazar Yousif sealed the deal with a calculated strike from outside the box during the second half.

Leeton thrashed Junee 7-0 at MIA Sports Field.

Adam Raso did the bulk of the damage, slotting four goals.

Junee was missing a host of players, including coach Lincoln Weir.