ASK Hanwood and Leeton United's coaches to describe their crosstown rivalry and both offer "pretty intense".
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And both teams will have differing reasons to be motivated to win the first derby at Hanwood in three years on Sunday as the Pascoe Cup top five race goes down to the wire.
Leeton United (fourth, 28 points), Wagga United (fifth, 28) and Young (sixth, 27) are all battling for two finals spots up for grabs over the closing fortnight.
Leeton faces the toughest draw of the trio against top two sides Hanwood and Lake Albert, and despite a goal difference of plus-26 need to secure an upset to lock down a spot.
Young have the easiest draw on paper, beginning with Sunday's home game against Tumut and an away clash against strugglers South Wagga, while Wagga United meet Lake Albert and Tolland.
Leeton welcome back top scorer Adam Raso and the versatile Jarred Flynn for Sunday's vital trip to Griffith.
"I've just got to work out how we want to play and slot the right players in to fit that," Leeton coach Frank Alampi said.
"When I look at the ladder and where we're at and how we've played this year, I think we should be a lot higher.
"We've got the two top teams but we're confident if we play to our top level (we can get a result).
"We haven't played there for three years now, it will be good to go back there. They're always pretty intense matches and the crowd's usually pretty boisterous at Hanwood."
Hanwood coach Anthony Agresta said the return of the derby after they joined Leeton in moving to the Pascoe Cup this season is a welcome addition to the fixture.
"Hanwood-Leeton games over the years have always been pretty intense,there's a fair cross town rivalry," he said.
"I'm sure it's the same for them,it adds a bit of extra spice to the game but they're normally played in good spirit."
Hanwood battled to win this year's clash at Leeton 1-0, and Agresta said they're preparing for a similar test.
"They're a pretty stubborn team to break down and I think it will be the same," he said.
"From memory think we took a quick throw in and caught them on the hop that way. I know on the night they were hard to break down and I expect something similar."
PASCOE CUP - ROUND 17
Saturday: Lake Albert v Wagga United at Rawlings Park no.1 (7pm)
Sunday (all games 3pm): Young v Tumut at Hall Bros Oval; Hanwood v Leeton United at Hanwood; Tolland v Cootamundra at Kessler Park; Henwood Park v South Wagga at Rawlings Park no.2.
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