With the table so tight, the Singleton Strikers' last week's mid week game at New Lambton - which had been postponed several weeks ago - was crucial for both sides.

There was little to separate the two teams during the first half hour before the home side took the lead on 33 minutes.

The Strikers responded four minutes later when Hayden Nichol scored his seventh of the season.

Deep into first half stoppage time a New Lambton defender guided the ball into his own net to give the Strikers the narrowest of margins at the break.

On the hour mark the game could have changed when the Striker's dynamic talisman Jackson Cox was taken off with broken a bone in his leg.

Coach Brendan Slade said it would be difficult to replace Cox's experience given he's among the most capped players in the side with over 150 appearances to his name, but is confident the younger members of the squad have the ability to step up in his absence.

"There's a chance for the young guys to step up, they've been training really well for us and a few of them played against New Lambton and did a good job," he stated.

Ethan Garrington came on for his taste of first team football at Singleton.

Much has been made this year of the fighting spirit of the team and this was never more evident than the way they performed in the last third of this game.

The home side, looking to protect their top of the table position threw everything at the depleted Strikers, but some heroic defending protected the lead and brought all three points back home.

One save made by goalkeeper Corey Cleaver deserved special mention, as did the job done by Marcus Morris, filling in for the unavailable Ben Henry in the centre of defence.

The only action last weekend saw the Singleton Storm put double figures past bottom of the table Edgeworth.

While at Howe Park on Friday night the over 35s men held table-topping Seaham- Bowthorne to a 2-2 draw in a feisty encounter.

Slade spoke about how pleased he was with the result, describing it as "gutsy".

"We really needed the three points and to come away with those three points was fantastic," he said.

"It was a really defensive effort in the second half and the work rate of everyone on the pitch was fantastic."

The ability to fill holes in the side and take on the competitions best - and win - away from home means he is now more confident than ever of the team's ability to claim silverware this season.

He gave particular praise to the defence, and believes if the team can up their attacking output, then there's no reason they shouldn't become the side the rest of the competition has to look up to. First grade played their other postponed game on Wednesday evening against seventh-placed Kahibah.