The two local clubs in the prestigious Sydney Shield rugby league competition will face off this Sunday in a local derby.
And both, East Campbelltown Eagles and Western Suburbs Magpies, will be desperate for two competition points following losses on the weekend.
The Eagles lost 44-12 to Mounties to drop out of the top four.
They are two points behind but the reigning premiers will fight tooth and nail to defend their 2016 title.
On Sunday they host the Magpies at Waminda Oval, with the round 21 match scheduled to start at 2.30pm.
On the weekend, Wests were left to lament a shocking opening quarter as Asquith got the cash 32-24 in a near fatal blow to the slim finals chances of the Magpies.
Wests had two golden chances to open the scoring but failed to take advantage, allowing Asquith to march downfield in the fourth minute and touch downfield through Alex Nicholls-O’Neill after Jake Pickering broke the Wests line.
Wests opened the second half with all the running and went close off a Justin Frain kick but went one better off their next chance down Asquith’s end in the 46th minute as a Blake Higgins kick found some space in the in-goal, Nathan Tui chasing through to post the four-pointer for the home side.
But it was all a little too late for the Magpies.
♦ In the Ron Massey Cup competition, Wests let a golden chance to close the gap on the top eight slip through their fingers as Auburn resisted an incredible late surge to secure a 26-24 win at Belmore.
A dubious early knock-on call cost Wests possession and the Warriors took no time in posting first points, a grubber into the in-goal evading the Wests defence with Matthew Long pouncing for a 4-0 lead after four minutes.
After leading 16-4 at the break, Auburn started the second half overflowing with errors and a kick out on the full paired up with a penalty gave Wests a chance to get back into the contest.
An early shift right off the penalty saw Brendan Waters slip a short ball for Kelsey Coakes, whose strength and momentum was too much for the Auburn defence to handle.
Wests had a couple of chances to further reduce Auburn’s lead but failed to take advantage.
Leading 26-24 towards the end, Auburn clung on desperately for the two points.
