Charlestown coach James Pascoe knows his side have become the hunted in the top-five finals race but he believes they can respond quickly in two catch-up games this week.
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Azzurri sat third for most of this season but are now fifth after consecutive losses to Cooks Hill (4-1), Olympic (2-1) and Lambton Jaffas (2-1) left them on 28 points in 16 games.
They are now desperate for points against third-placed Edgeworth (32 points in 16 games) on Wednesday (8pm) at Lisle Carr Oval and struggling Weston (22 in 17) away on Sunday.
A seven-way battle shapes up for the bottom three places in the top five, behind Jaffas (46) and Broadmeadow (45), and Azzurri have at least one game in hand on all those sides, except for Edgeworth.
Pascoe said injuries, suspensions and washed out games and training sessions had hurt his side in recent weeks.
"It's been a really frustrating four or five weeks," Pascoe said.
"We played Olympic the weekend before, then we had Tuesday and Thursday sessions, then the game against Jaffas. That was the first normal week we've had in five weeks just because of the weather and the inability to get on the home pitch or the training surfaces. It's really disrupted our rhythm and flow unfortunately.
"We're not a million miles off it. We've been competitive against two really good teams and we've just got to get some points again quickly.
"We have a little level to find and if we don't find it, it will be very tight for us. But if we do, we could easily get up around third."
Taylor Regan returned from suspension on Saturday, while Cameron Joice and Luke Callen had their first starts back from injury. Kieran Hayes (hamstring) and Jarryd Sutherland (overseas) are still out, but Harry Frendo returns on Wednesday night from suspension. Jethro Elkington is in doubt after coming off with a head knock against Jaffas.
Edgeworth, who have won 10 of their past 11 games, lost 2-0 to Azzurri first time around. Coach Peter McGuinness expected "a tough test" against a desperate Charlestown on a cold night and soft pitch.
"They're a man's team and they are fighting now. They are in a scrap," said McGuinness, who has only Andrew Pawiak and Josh Dwyer with minor injury concerns.
Pascoe said Edgeworth were a different team now, especially with the addition of Kiwi striker Ryan Feutz, who has scored 12 goals in seven games.
"They are in terrific form, they are well balanced, but two weeks ago Maitland put four on them in a midweek game, so like everyone in this league, they are beatable," he said.
"[Feutz] has changed their dynamic. He stretches defences because he can get in behind, but he's just as good with his back to goal.
"We won 2-0 in the first round and beat them in pre-season but they are a different team now.
"We've got half a team that's trying to find their rhythm, but if we can get points across Wednesday night and the weekend, once we get through the Weston game, I'm pretty sure we'll be back close enough to where we needed to be fitness wise.
"I was really happy with the application [in the Jaffas game], the focus going into it, from all reports from the coaching staff and Nigel [Boogaard]. Everything was back where it needs to be in terms of how you attack the games.
"We're just still a bit short of where we were and where we need to be in the next week or two. It will come back quickly."
