Tarrawanna sit five points adrift of the top five with six matches remaining after a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat to finals rivals Port Kembla last weekend.
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Blueys coach Peter Willis admits his side has lacked consistency this season but he has urged his players to rise to the occasions ahead of a testing fortnight which sees them away to Albion Park White Eagles before hosting Corrimal.
“It’s a big fortnight for us, every game is tough but the challenge is there for us to overcome,” Willis said.
“We have lacked that confidence and consistency in the front third, that has been the main area we have let ourselves down.
“Against Port Kembla, it probably looked as if it would be a stalemate but one mistake by us and they win the game.”
Albion Park won 3-1 at Tarrawanna Oval in Round 6 but Willis doesn’t believe it will have a bearing on Saturday’s match.
“They have got a couple of new personnel and we have changed our thinking and system a little bit so that game has gone by the wayside now,,” he said.
“Albion Park is going well, I don’t think anyone would have guessed they would have had this good of a season. Paul [Carter] has got them working well.
“Both sides want the three points so it will no doubt be a tough game.”
Willis is hopeful mercurial midfielder Darren Stone will be available for selection after struggling with a hamstring injury for a majority of the season.
“Unfortunately Darren has had a bit of an injury-prone season. We miss him because he is very aggressive and straight in the way he plays going forward,” Willis said.
“He could be available but if he’s not fully fit we don’t want to risk him missing the last five games.”
ILLAWARRA PREMIER LEAGUE
Round 17
Saturday (2.30pm)
CRINGILA v WOLLONGONG OLYMPIC at Crehan Park; WOLLONGONG UNITED v FERNHILL at Macedonia Park; PORT KEMBLA v WOONONA at Wetherall Park; ALBION PARK v TARRAWANNA at Terry Reserve (3pm)
Sunday (2.30pm)
BULLI v SOUTH COAST UNITED at Balls Paddock; CORRIMAL v PICTON at Memorial Park
Ladder: BULLI 41 (+44), WOLLONGONG OLYMPIC 37 (+38), ALBION PARK 35 (+31), WOLLONGONG UNITED 31 (+18), PORT KEMBLA 28 (+4), Tarrawanna 23 (+5), Corrimal 20 (-3), Fernhill 18 (-27), Cringila 17 (-4), Woonona 11 (-24), South Coast United 6 (-31), Picton 5 (-45).
