They know they cost themselves a spot in the top four last week, but despite facing a Pirates team determined to stamp out another "pretender", Marton will bring everything they can to Spriggens Park tomorrow.
This weekend could prove the last throw of the dice for the only two teams with a mathematical chance to snatch the coveted fourth spot on the Premier table as Marton face Pirates at home and Kaierau take on Border for the first time this year in daylight hours.
With Taihape coach Kerry Whale making it clear he wants nothing less than a comprehensive scoreline when his team hosts Marist at Memorial Park, Marton must try to recapture some of the magic from their 21-17 win at Spriggens last year, or a step better than their 11-5 loss to Pirates at home in May.
But it remains to be seen after the disappointment of last weekend's lost to Ratana, a must-win game at the Paa which slipped away.
Marton's first-year coach Cornel Mason said their Rangitikei sub-union cousins were determined to do everything to make sure Marton did not beat them twice in a season.
He played the first half against his old club, as Marton continue to struggle with eight players on night-shift not making training.
"I think just preparation before the game we got to Ratana a bit late.
"When I came off, Marton started playing some real great rugby."
Now having left the pressure on themselves, Mason said he is aware Marton v Pirates games are always great tussles.
As a motivating coach who shifts onus on to his players to stand up and be counted, which has yielded some great results in 2013, he feels they still have it in them to defy the odds and make the semifinals.
"Those are still goals that we want to try and achieve, it depends on the boys.
"They realise this is one of the biggest games, they need to step up and try and get some points.
"We're missing a couple of front rowers this week, we've got to go down to the seniors to get some."
Wanganui squad front rower Lucas Puts is still not right, while Samoan Ray Louie will also be missed.
Needed to take on a lot of the burden is first-five Tauriki Manawatu, who will want to bounce back from an unpleasant afternoon during his first hit-out in Wanganui colours on Wednesday.
"That was probably the game he wanted to forget. He didn't have a happy game," said Mason.
"Marton is just glad to see him up there in the jersey."
While keeping an eye on Taihape and Kaierau's progress, given they may still yet need to play that makeup game from June 22, Mason said Pirates will not be the same team his guys nearly upset in May.
After last week's hammering by Pirates, Kaierau will have the advantage of better preparations to take on Border than they did for the quick Friday night trip to Waverley last time.
Coming off their first win since April, Ratana will be looking for more payback.