The Wolves weren't prepared to shy away from the importance of the grudge match in the lead up to the derby and backed it up on the pitch with a spirited win in tough conditions at Rawlings Park.

Tolland captain Nick Tsipiras put the Wolves ahead within the opening 10 minutes, getting on the receiving end of a nice through ball and producing a clinical finish to put his team up 1-0.

Just as Wagga United were beginning to warm into the contest in the second half, Daniel Okot put the perfect finishing touch on a long-range Jason Cuttle free kick to put Tolland 2-0 ahead.

Seeing out the 2-0 lead was made more difficult with 20 minutes remaining when Tsipiras was shown a red card after receiving his second yellow.

With fellow attacking weapon Bobbie Charlton already off injured, it opened the door for United to get back into the game.

Wagga United eventually got one back late, through Matt Crawford, and continued to throw everything at the Wolves only for Tolland to hold firm.

Tolland coach Aaron Mo'ane, who spent last season co-coaching Wagga United, admitted it was sweet to get one over his old club.

"Unreal. I'm losing my voice that's how much it means to me, I was screaming the whole game," Mo'ane said.

"It is (satisfying), personally. It was hard for me, I put myself on the team sheet and thought should I go and get the boots. Probably not. But it honestly feels awesome. I can't wait to get to the pub and celebrate.

"The boys dug deep in the end there. Having lost Nico for the last 20 minutes to a red card made it hard but the boys dug deep, I couldn't ask for more. It was an awesome result."

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Mo'ane said it was terrific to see how hard his team dug in when a man down for the final 20 minutes.

"I thought they did fantastic," he said.

"We were up 2-0 and I thought United were coming at us and I thought they were really going to get a goal and then we got a man taken off and all of a sudden it looked like they weren't going to score. We switched on."

The win moved Tolland into potentially fourth position. Mo'ane hopes they can continue to build on that after next weekend's general bye.

"Absolutely. Hopefully we can carry this momentum into the next round against Young," he said.

"But now we're going to be missing Nico (Tsipiras), and Charles (Whatman) might be suspended after a few too many yellow cards as well so that makes it hard but I think we've got enough depth to cover that, especially with Jason Cuttle coming back today. He was very good."

Meantime, Football Wagga will review the result of the game between South Wagga and Tumut.

It is understood the game will be awarded to Tumut due to a couple of South Wagga players not being uploaded to Dribl, pending review by Football Wagga.

The game itself was a win to South Wagga 4-1.

If Tumut is awarded the win, it will see Tolland jump into fourth spot just a week out from the halfway mark of the season.

A win to South Wagga would have them fourth.

Tolland 2 d Wagga United 1

Hanwood 6 d Henwood Park 0

Lake Albert 3 d Cootamundra 1

Leeton 2 d Young 1

Tumut v South Wagga - decision pending

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