The Magpies saw off a much-improved Warrnambool 45-36 at Leura Oval, building a lead in the second half after being in front by just two goals at half-time.

But with a top-of-the-table clash against Port Fairy looming on Saturday, Finch said the ladder leaders would need to be at their best.

“Every week it’s pretty hard to win, we’re lucky enough to be on the right side of the scoreboard,” he said.

“The experience goes a long way a lot of the time.

“When the scoreboard pressure comes on, I think we hold our own pretty well.”

Finch said the Magpies hoped to take fresher legs into their next match, with weariness from a gruelling session with Australian under-23 netballer Billy Mahoney showing in the hard-fought contest.

The Magpies couldn’t shake the determined Blues in the first half, but they were able to edge in front in the third term, dropping in 13 goals to 10, before finishing with 11 to seven in the last.

Blues coach Emma Cust said her side needed to work on eliminating errors in their play, saying they “got away with it” in their first two weeks.

There were also fears Anna Buzolich might have ruptured her left anterior cruciate ligament at the start of the second quarter.