IN ANY given sport, you’ll regularly hear coaches talking about that one game; a game which could set up a team for success, or kick a team into gear, or prove a team as title contenders.

Basically, a game that’s season defining.

Orange Wanderers, however, have two of those games and they’re the next two rounds of the men’s Premier League Hockey season.

“This weekend’s game against (Lithgow) Zig Zag is definitely a crunch game,” Wanderers player-coach Matt Johnson, who will actually miss Saturday’s game, said.

“Then the week after as well against Bathurst Souths. We’re all equal on competition points, so we’ve put a huge emphasis on these two games, a win in both could really set up our season and get us as high as third.

“That would keep us well and truly in touch with the top two going into that last full rounds of games.”

Coming off a 5-2 victory over the winless Dubbo Lions, Johnson said confidence is high in the Wanderers’ camp but they won’t underestimate ‘Ziggies as a result.

“They’ve been flying under the radar a bit,” Johnson said of the Lithgow team.

“They’re a physical outfit and I’m sure they’ll get a couple of big scalps this year.

“We beat them in Lithgow earlier in the year so they’ll want to get that one back. Actually, the last few years all our games have been close, good games.

“We’re going back to our basics. Our passing and trapping probably wasn’t up to scratch against Dubbo, if we can execute our basics the rest should take of itself.”

Wanderers host Zig Zag at Orange Hockey Complex, from 2.35pm.