LEETON United survived a red card and one of the Pascoe Cup's toughest tests to keep their finals hopes alive with a 1-0 win over Hanwood at Griffith on Sunday.
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But they will need to dig deep for next week's must-win final round home clash with Lake Albert with suspensions set to decimate their squad.
Fourth-placed Leeton (31 points, +27 goal difference) need to win to stay in the top five battle after fifth-placed Wagga United (31, +15) upset the Sharks and sixth-placed Young (30, +10) hammered Tumut 6-1.
Leeton looked in strife just two minutes into the second half when centre back Ethan Murphy was sent off after being given a second yellow card.
But a superb long range goal from out wide by Adam Raso about eight minutes later proved to be the winner.
"It's just gone like an arrow, he's got that in his locker," Leeton coach Frank Alampi said.
Leeton will also be missing Jarred Flynn, Dan McKenzie and Nick Trifogli next week through suspension.
McKenzie and Trifogli are sidelined through an accumulation of yellow cards, while Flynn was sent off in reserve grade in his return from a hamstring injury.
The result was payback after Hanwood's 1-0 win at Leeton earlier this season, and coach Frank Alampi said his side showed great character.
"It was a good win in horrendous and windy conditions. Playing with ten men against those blokes at their ground was a great effort from the boys," he said.
"Results haven't gone our way so it's the same situation for us next week."
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