With a slow start well behind it now, North Ballarat stretched its winning streak to five by defeating Eastern Ranges by just eight points at Box Hill on Saturday.

It was all a little too tight though.

North Ballarat was stretched late.

Eastern closed within two points into time-on in the last quarter, but the Rebels found the goals late to hold on.

Jacob Wheelahan kicked his third collection of three goals for the season in another valuable contribution for North Ballarat.

Naish McRoberts continued his emergence with another solid contribution. Will Drew, Tom Williamson and Todd Lawrence were others to make their presence felt in a fiercely contested battle.

North Ballarat is fifth on the ladder ahead of playing the lowly Gippsland at Port Melbourne on Saturday.

This fixture will take the season past the halfway mark in games, with the Rebels able to look forward to five games at Eureka Stadium.