Counting back, Pascoe Cup premiers Lake Albert Sharks are on a 21-game winning streak in the Football Wagga competition.
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Enter Leeton United, a newly-affiliated club, undefeated this season with a pair of clean sheets against Tolland and Wagga United.
Leeton plays Lake Albert at Rawlings Park on Saturday, and coach Mick Doolin hopes this game is the circuit-breaker.
“We’re not going in there not to lose,” he said.
“I know they have two really good strikers, I know they scored a heap of goals last year, obviously they’re lethal upfront.
“We’ll play the normal way we play. If that doesn’t work, we’ll do something different next time.”
Doolin’s major concern is their potency on goal.
Both of Leeton’s wins have been 1-0 results.
“Everybody’s available, it’s an unchanged team, the boys have been playing well, they’ve created chances, they just haven’t buried them,” he said.
“We’ve been doing some drills, but that didn’t make any difference against Tolland, we didn’t score (enough).”
Doolin was pleased with their performance considering round two conditions; there was a heavy crosswind affecting play at Leeton.
We’re not going in there not to lose...obviously they’re lethal upfront
- Leeton United coach Mick Doolin
On Saturday night, Sharks reintroduce Henri Gardner, Duncan Brodie and Jamie Rankin, resting due to injury in round two.
They will be as strong as ever on the outfield, but they will have to adapt defensively to beat Leeton, with premiership goalkeeper Mitchell Tinnock out, wounded in Sharks’ 3-1 win over Junee.
Coach Michael Babic has found an apt replacement in 2015 Wagga City Wanderers keeper and 2014 Eastern Wanderers keeper Aaron Thomas.
Thomas, who has been playing in the Sharks’ outfield, will be donning the gloves for some time.
“I think Tinny will be out for a while,” Babic said.
Meanwhile in the Pascoe Cup, winless South Wagga meet the menacing Cootamundra Strikers at O’Connor Park on Sunday at 3pm.
Henwood Park Hawks hope to continue their winning streak as they host Junee at Rawlings Park on Sunday at 3pm.
Arch rivals Tolland and Wagga United meet at Kessler Park on Sunday at 3pm.
Tumut hosts Young on Sunday at 3pm.