While they are only a couple points off the pace, Hanwood captain Dean Catanzariti hopes the loss will be a wake up call for his side.

“It’s got to, doesn’t it,” Catanzariti said.

“If we let it go too long, it’ll get to the point where there’ll be too much pressure.”

A win on Saturday would be the perfect pressure releaser but it doesn’t come much harder than the second-placed Exies at Exies No. 2.

Catanzariti knows Exies – who sit one point off the first-placed Coro Cougars – will be up for a fight.

He also knows where his team needs to improve.

“Batting’s the key,” Catanzariti said.

“We’re just not scoring enough runs while the bowlers have done their job.

“It’s been the same scenario the last two weeks even though we won against Leagues.”

Catanzariti said the desire was there despite the lack of runs.

“I think so, we’ve had pretty good numbers at training and everyone is pushing to get to where they need to be,” he said.

Catanzariti – who has opened the batting for Hanwood for the majority of the year – will provide a boost to the batting stocks when he returns from holiday.

Hanwood will have to contend with an in-form Connor Bock who claimed 3/5 last start for Exies.

The match starts at 1pm.