Hanwood FC is one step away from securing a spot in the Pascoe Cup finals as they prepare to take on Lake Albert in the major semi-final at Rawlings Park 1 on Sunday.
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The Griffith side has had an extra week to prepare for the clash after picking up the minor premiership, and coach Anthony Agresta feels the break came at a great time for his side.
"We were going to be down a couple of guys who were away and had a couple carrying little niggles," he said.
"It just allowed us to rest up before getting into finals."
Hanwood will still be missing a couple of players with Andy Gamble, and Bruno Grillo suspended while Demetrio Torino looks unlikely to play this weekend according to Agresta.
"He is struggling with a bit of a quad issue," he said.
"Having a second chance and with it being towards the end of the season we don't want to take too much of a risk when he isn't at 100 per cent."
Taking on Lake Albert this weekend, Agresta knows to expect a tough battle.
In the two meetings between the two sides earlier in the season both ended with 2-2 draws and the Hanwood coach is expecting a similar clash.
"It has been hard to split the sides and the two clashes this season have been pretty tough," he said.
"The matches tend to be a bit more physical between the two sides, and I think that is because the age ranges of the sides are pretty similar.
"This weekend obviously there has to be a winner somehow."
With the two draws from the two previous meetings, there is the potential that the game could come down to penalties and Agresta said it is a difficult thing to prepare for.
"We might practice them (penalties) on Thursday night, but it's hard to replicate the feeling of taking them in a game," he said.
"Come the day it is a different environment, and it comes down to who is confident on the day and who is willing to step up."
If Hanwood were to win this weekend, the side will have another week off ahead of the grand final where they would await either Leeton, Henwood Park or another showdown with Lake Albert.
While it would mean that Hanwood would have only played two games over the course of the final month of the season, Agresta isn't too worried about having the extra break.
"I'd prefer to go straight in because it limits the risk of someone getting suspended or picking up an injury," he said.
"At this time of the year, we have played 18 games in the regular season, so it has been pretty tough. If it happens, it will just be something we have to deal with."
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