Matt Moss went 11-2 at Phillip Island, losing the red plates in the process. Image: Grant Reynolds/FiftySix Clix.

Motul Pirelli Suzuki’s Matt Moss remains confident he can secure the 2013 Terex Australian Supercross Championship despite entering the final round five points in arrears of American Josh Hill.

Moss opened the season with a pair of dominant wins in Darwin last month, but back-to-back rounds at Mount Gambier and Phillip Island have proven costly for the new MX Nationals champion.

Moss, who said in the pre-season that he believed the Aussies could fend off their US opponents (click here for details), insists he’s in a prime position to strike at Toowoomba’s finale and that the majority of the pressure in fact rests with Hill.

“It’s good for me, because I have to win unless something happens to Josh and I like those situations,” Moss told MotoOnline.com.au. “Anything can happen in this sport, which we’ve seen plenty of times. I’ve won races and I feel like I can win.

“So the pressure isn’t really on me, because he has to come second if I win, or if he finishes third then I win on the countback – it’s definitely in my favour going in I think. I’m looking forward to the challenge and can’t wait.

“Being five points off the lead, it’s just another job to do and it’s up to me to get out there and do it.”

The Phillip Island double-header last weekend was a challenging one for Moss, hampered by a major multi-bike start crash during Saturday’s round four main event – costing him vital championship points in the process.

Moss was again in fine form throughout qualifying and went on to win his heat race in the fourth round, however the first lap incident put him three laps down after he pitted to repair damage sustained in the fall. In typical Moss fashion, the 25-year-old soldiered on to score points with an 11th place finish at the conclusion of the 20-lap affair.

Sunday saw Moss top qualifying and win his heat race convincingly once again, before he went on to finish second in the main event behind Hill. The podium trio including Hill, Moss and teenage rookie Sam Martin were all Suzuki-mounted in a remarkable result for the RM-Z450 on the biggest stage of the year.

“The weekend started really good on Saturday, until the final when I was really unlucky off the start,” Moss reflected. “The bike was pretty badly damaged in the fall so I had to pull in and get it fixed, so I ended up three laps down. We got some points though, which is important in such a short series.

“Sunday was better, I was able to qualify first and then won my heat again, but I didn’t get the best of starts in the main. I struggled for much of the moto, couldn’t find my groove to be honest, but second was good and it keeps us in the hunt for the championship. It was also obviously really good to see the three Suzuki’s on the podium.”

The result now sees Moss enter Toowoomba’s final round on 16 November with a five-point deficit in the title race behind Hill, while the ever-consistent Jake Moss currently makes it three RM-Z450s in the championship standings top three overall.