"WE'VE proven we're the ones to beat, we're up top so come get us."
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Lake Albert attacker Cameron Mavor said it in jest, but it's hard to argue after a 4-0 demolition of Henwood Park on Sunday allowed them to retain top spot on the Pascoe Cup ladder.
The Hawks had their chances and held their own in the first half, but they couldn't contain Sharks wingers Mavor and James Trevaskis who scored three goals between them.
Henwood Park hadn't lost since round three, and thrashed Lake Albert 3-0 in their first meeting, but the defending premiers sent a clear message they're still the team to beat.
The Sharks haven't lost since the teams' first encounter in round five and took the lead when Trevaskis, returning from a month out with a groin injury, finished nicely in the 32nd minute.
Early in the second half a poor back pass from Hawks defender Kwasi Agyei gave Mavor a chance, who finished from an acute angle.
Midway through the second half Mavor found space down the left flank to find Trevaskis in an open goal for his second, before Matt Hof added a fourth with the final kick of the match.
It was a frustrating afternoon for Henwood Park who were denied a number of times by the crossbar and some fine saves from Lake Albert keeper Hayden Callander.
Lake Albert coach Mitch Tinnock said the defeat to the Hawks in their last meeting spurred his team on to make a statement.
They remain two points clear of Hanwood, who beat Tolland 1-0 on Saturday night.
"We don't want to get ahead of ourselves but wins like those you have to enjoy. That's why we play soccer," Tinnock said.
"I thought they (Trevaskis and Mavor) ripped them to shreds, they starting to build into form right at the business end and keeping them fit is really crucial for us.
"It's good for that psychological edge, you don't want to go into finals knowing we haven't beaten them after that slaughter they gave us in the first match.
"We wanted to show what we are made of today. It (loss) did help us get motivated a lot more. It's pretty hard to go unbeaten like we did last year."
Mavor is being managed through the season as he nurses a chronic back injury, with Tinnock giving the left winger some games off against some of the lower ranked teams.
"I go to the physio every three weeks or so just to manage it, and a week off every now and then gives me enough recovery to get up," Mavor said.
"We played it really well through the mids today, got it out wide and that's where we hurt them."
In other matches Wagga United are only outside the top three on goal difference after a 3-0 win over South Wagga, Young sit just a point out of the top five after beating Cootamundra 2-0, and Leeton remain fifth after accounting for Tumut at home 3-1.
PASCOE CUP - ROUND 14
WAGGA UNITED 3 (Chris Walker 2, Adrian Merrigan) def SOUTH WAGGA 0; HANWOOD 1 (Nick Kennedy) def TOLLAND 0; LAKE ALBERT 4 (James Trevaskis 2, Cameron Mavor, Matt Hof) def HENWOOD PARK 0; YOUNG 2 (Duncan Cameron, Callum McCaffery) def COOTAMUNDRA 0; LEETON UNITED 3 (Luke Mandaglio, Michael Di Lorenzo, Adam Raso) def TUMUT 1 (Murray Berrat)
LEONARD CUP - ROUND 14
HANWOOD 10 (Tara Ceccato 4, Airlee Savage 3, Alana Marando 2, Sophia Zappara) def LEETON UNITED 1 (Jaimee Martinello); HENWOOD PARK 3 (Brianna Maslen 2, Georgia Maslen) def COOTAMUNDRA 0; TOLLAND 4 (Olivia Webster, Lizzie Read, Joanna Balcombe, Eleanor Miller) def WAGGA UNITED 0.
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