The Bears dropped out of the top four for the first time since round 15 with a series of upset results in catch-up games over the past three weeks.

They start their run home with an away game against Edgeworth on Sunday, before they close the regular season at home against bottom team Lake Macquarie.

"We win the two games, we make the semi-finals. It's in our hands," Weston assistant coach Craig Stoker said.

"Every team has to be play each other yet. Jaffas have got Edgeworth, Magic have got Azzuri (Charlestown) in the final round, it's going to go right down to the wire."

Maitland sits on top of the table on 37 points, but four wins and a draw since the start of August has seen Charlestown City Blues jump to third equal on 35 points with Edgeworth.

A similar surge by Lambton Jaffas has them in fourth equal on 34 points with Weston in fifth. Broadmeadow Magic are sixth on 32 points.

Jaffas and the Blues play each other this week before games against Edgeworth and Broadmeadow Magic respectively.

The Bears had an NPL bye but played the Central Coast Mariners in a trial game on Friday night which the Mariners won 4-0 in front of a big crowd in cold, windy conditions.

"We rotated the squad around so most of the guys got a run. It was a chance for the boys such as Zac Sneddon, who has been suspended, to get some time.

"They get more out of a game like that than having a training sessions. The Mariners were just a bit sharper. You could see the difference from training five days a week and being fully professional.

Unfortunately for the Bears, Sneddon will not be available for this week's game but can play against Lake Macquarie and in the finals if Weston get through.

"The only one missing is Sneddo. It will be a good side against Edgeworth," Stoker said.

"They're fit, they've done a lot of work throughout the season.

"They are all keen, they really want to make the semis and go one further and make the grand final.

"Lakes is not going to be an easy game either."