Brian Shelley taking on the Preston Lions earlier this season.
WHEN you’re onto a good thing, stick with it.
That is the Brian Shelley principle as the Ballarat Red Devils chase their fourth win on the trot in Football Federation Victoria state league two today.
The Haymes Red Devils have named an unchanged line for their match against Clifton Hill at Trekardo Park as they continue their surge towards top two.
Since hitting the bottom of the table in round five, the Red Devils have not lost a match, winning five and drawing two.
“I don’t want to break up the team at the moment, they’re doing very well,” Shelley said. “We’re seven games unbeaten and three wins in a row.
“It is possible Charlie King will start because Alex Antonelli has been a bit sick. He missed training this week so we’ll see how he goes before the game.”
Since round five the Red Devils have scored a league-high 18 goals, Simon Murphy scoring seven.
Shelley said talk of finishing top of the table and earning promotion into FFV state league one is just as premature, however, as talk of relegation was after round five when the Red Devils were 12th on the table with no wins and two draws.
While there has been little change to the personnel within the squad, he insisted that did not mean the club was resting on its laurels.
“I never thought we were never any danger of relegation even if some people round the club were panicking early in the season,” he said.
“Talking about promotion is a little bit early. That wasn’t the expectation at the start of the season and there is a long way to go.
“I won’t be putting that expectation on the team. If we keep at the top of our game and towards the top of the ladder, who knows?
“I will be leaving things alone at the moment. The lads are doing really well and not much needs to be changed. Don’t get me wrong, though, we will make changes depending on the opposition even though we don’t have a big squad.”
Clifton Hill defeated Ballarat in the first game of the season 3-2, however the two clubs’ respective fortunes have changed significantly since then.
With top of the ladder Moreland City drawn to play third placed Brunswick City, the fourth positioned Red Devils will move into the top three with a victory today.
Clifton Hill, meanwhile, have had a change of coach and sit three places below Ballarat in seventh.
AT A GLANCE
FFV STATE LEAGUE TWO
Ballarat Red Devils v FC Clifton Hill
WHERE: at trekardo park
WHEN: today, 3pm
RED DEVILS: Goal keeper: Simon Williams
Backs: Alex Antonelli, Josh Romein, David King, Daniel Tinker
Midfield: Brian Shelley, Adrian Curtain, Liam Harding
Forwards: Sean Harding, Simon Murphy, Kyran Taylor
Substitutes: Daniel Forlandsaas, Will Georgio, Harley Bosher, Stefan Nigro, Charlie King.
