WAGGA United coach Travis Weir has labelled Sunday's trip to Griffith as a 'must win' clash if the Crows are to feature in this year's Pascoe Cup finals.
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The sixth-placed United team have only lost the one game for the season but a string of draws have them two points outside the top four with three rounds remaining.
Weir believes their finals hopes are on the line when they travel to take on fifth-placed defending champions Hanwood on Sunday.
"For us it definitely is," Weir said.
"We can't really let another result end up in a draw or a loss.
"It's pretty tough at the moment, we're our own worst enemies with discipline and stuff like that.
"We desperately need the three points this weekend."
Wagga United have proven to be sound defensively and have conceded just seven goals, the equal of any team in the competition.
They are now at the point in the season where they desperately need wins but Weir does not plan to go all-out attack against Hanwood.
"I think against a side like Hanwood you have to be quite respectful for what they present and what they bring. Not all guns blazing type thing," he said.
"I think your focus needs to be stay really tight at the back, limit the chances. It's Pascoe Cup football, everyone is going to get chances, it's just about limiting the amount that they create, and yourself, being clinical in your own right.
"That's probably been one thing we haven't been really, it is the first time in many years where I can remember we've had what feels like 1000 shots for three goals.
"It's just one of those things. I'm not one to sit there and hound the boys you've got to score goals, you've got to score goals because they know themselves but that's been our biggest downfall this year."
The injuries are banking up at Wagga United, so much so they training was called off on Tuesday night in a bid to help recovery.
United are hopeful Adrian Merrigan could return from a hamstring injury on Sunday, but at the same time, they lose Moses Adesola to a one-game suspension.
"We've got to try and manage it as best we can. it's a fine balance and we're trying our best," he said.
Wagga United were unable to defeat Hanwood at both their meetings last year. Weir is confident his team is better-placed to upstage them this time around.
"I think we're both different sides this year and they're probably a little bit more vulnerable than what they were last year, where we're probably a lot better balanced across the park," he said.
After being so close to finals last year and missing out, Weir is determined not to finish on the outer again.
"It hurt us last year all these draws, we missed out on finals by a point when we thought we were a pretty handy side and this year, I think this side's a lot better than last year," he said.
"I'm not getting ahead of myself. I think, looking at the draw, if we drop any of the points out of the nine then we'll be playing in the Plate."
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