Port Melbourne missed shots early in a scrappy opening to the game before an exciting minute from the Roosters resulted in the first two majors of the match.

The home team piled on three more to go into the first break with an impressive 30-point lead while keeping the Borough goalless.

In the second quarter, neither team managed to capitalise in front of goal for 18 minutes until Port Melbourne converted its first.

Despite inaccuracy, eight behinds in a quarter including four hitting the post, the Borough attained the lead by a point at half-time.

While the Roosters did not manage to kick another goal until late in the third, only 11 points separated the two teams going into the fourth with the game up for grabs. 

But it was Port Melbourne that found its rhythm, piling on six goals in the fourth to the Rooster’s one. 

Roosters coach Marc Greig said the players should be proud of their first quarter efforts against a potential top four side, but said the young group had dropped off in key focus areas. 

“What we did in the first quarter in regards to our tackles, pressure, inside 50s and clearances, was phenomenal,” Greig said.

“It was a great quarter, they did the hard work and they got the reward – and we’ve said ‘that’s what you’re capable of, boys’.”

Greig said nine to 19 inside 50s in the third quarter, despite the breeze advantage and the Roosters having the most touches for any quarter, had been costly.

“We’ve had plenty of the ball, so it just shows that we were making poor choices with the ball and Port stepped up the pressure as good teams do,” he said.

“We were doing a really good job, but it’s just a lack of concentration.”

North Ballarat’s best players included Coby Perry, Oliver Tate, Ben Lusby, Nick Weightman, James Keeble and Shaun Lyle.