WAGGA United have set up a blockbuster top-of-the-table showdown at Griffith newcomers Hanwood after a late strike sealed a pulsating 4-3 win over Young at Rawlings Park on Saturday night.
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A Nazar Yousif belter with seven minutes left proved the difference after the teams entered the sheds level 3-all at half-time.
Tall striker Chris Walker scored a first half hat-trick, all off headers, to keep Wagga United in the game before Yousif pounced on his decisive chance.
Wagga United (15 points) have won five of their first six games while Hanwood (16 points) have scored 33 goals and are yet to concede one after a 17-0 hammering of Cootamundra on Sunday.
Lincoln Weir and Adam Holmes are expected to be available for Sunday's game after the influential Liam Browne returned to the line-up against Young.
"We welcome a few back, but i don't think I'll change a lot from the side that played this week," Wagga United coach Travis Weir said.
"We had three more players make their first grade debut, I think we're up to six this year and they're all kids.
"We're looking forward to the challenge at Hanwood, we respect what they do. They're a good side that likes to keep the ball and it's going to be very hard for us to go over there and get any result, but it's exciting."
Young coach Mark Mellish said his side were unlucky not to come away with a result on the road.
"They were able to counter attack on a corner and get the winner. It was a physical game," he said.
"They didn't have that many chances, three headers (for goals) from the biggest guy on the field.
"We're the smallest team in the comp and there's a few things to work on in terms of communication and execution, but I'm not disappointed in the boys."
Meanwhile, Lake Albert coach Mitch Tinnock admits his team had been struggling with a premiership hangover before Saturday's 5-0 thrashing of Tolland.
Sixteen-year-old Liam Bryder was outstanding in just his second first grade start, scoring two goals and setting up two more as Lake Albert rebounded from last week's 3-0 loss to Henwood Park.
"I think we were suffering from a hangover with enthusiasm and hunger, we have to make sure we bring that intensity every week," he said.
"We wanted to work on our passing out of the backline a bit more, we panicked a bit last week and booted the ball long.
Elsewhere, Henwood Park maintained fourth spot with a 3-0 win over Tumut.
RESULTS
PASCOE CUP: LAKE ALBERT 5 (Liam Bryder 2, Ben Matthews, Kane Bauner, Jackson Holmes OG) def TOLLAND 0; WAGGA UNITED 4 (Chris Walker 3, Nazar Yousif) def YOUNG 3 (Isaac Anderson, Patrick Hislop, Abdul Arja); HENWOOD PARK 3 (Ryan McKenzie, Ned Evans, Will Goode OG) def TUMUT 0; HANWOOD 17 (Nick Kennedy 5, Michael Cimador 3, Jake Dobbs 3, Jordan Bellato, Andrew Gamble, Daniel Quarisa) def COOTAMUNDRA 0.
LEONARD CUP: HANWOOD 4 (Tara Ceccato, Alana Marando, Kandice Bertoldo, Jorja Heffer) def WAGGA UNITED 0; TOLLAND 2 (Abbey Gillogly, Beth Ostini) def HENWOOD PARK 0; JUNEE 2 (Kimberley Kelly, Kaitlyn Buck) def COOTAMUNDRA 1 (Ashley Holder).
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