Charlestown coach Graham Law will turn his team's focus to the NPL NNSW championship after conceding defeat in the premiership race following Sunday's 2-0 loss to Broadmeadow.
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Azzurri (33 points) dropped from first to fourth, two points behind new leaders Broadmeadow, after the defeat at Magic Park but with only two games to play. Magic have three to go, while Maitland and Lambton Jaffas, also on 33 points, have four games remaining.
Charlestown don't play this weekend, then finish against Valentine and Jaffas, and Law could not see results going their way enough to regain top spot.
Azzurri star Taylor Regan was sent off for back-to-back bookings, the second for dissent, just before halftime on Sunday with the score nil-all.
"We didn't start well but we were really coming into the game and that just killed us," Law said of the send off.
"We'll not win the comp now. We have to hopefully win the grand final.
"We've not got the points capacity to win the comp now. I've done the math, and I find it highly unlikely."
Law, who places the premiership above grand final victory, said the loss "was a tough one to take", after they went undefeated in their first 13 games.
Regan was handed an automatic one-game ban for the match-turning cards.
"It is what it is, we win as a team, we lose as a team," Law said. "There's no point not busting his balls about it. I wouldn't be anymore than he's busting his own. He's a local boy and he'll be feeling it."
Riley Smith missed the loss to Magic because of COVID.
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