BALLARAT Red Devils have suffered their worst defeat of the year, going down 4-0 to Port Melbourne in round eight of the National Premier Leagues Victoria.
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The McDonalds Reds started the match strongly but were systematically dismantled by a red hot Sharks outfit at Morshead Park on Saturday night.
Both sides had their chances in the first half but it took until the 39th minute for Port Melbourne to break the deadlock, via way of a goal to Kevin Braniff.
The visitors took a 1-0 lead into half-time only to come out the other side of the break under enormous pressure.
Ballarat looked almost certain to eventually break through for a score of its own after making several daring runs down the wings, but was dealt a brutal blow when Sharks sub Luka Prelevic goaled at the 75-minute mark to make the score 2-0.
Red Devils' key playmaker Shaun Romein was red carded four minutes later, leading to an entire collapse of Ballarat's defensive structure.
It was Romein's first match back from suspension and he was given two yellow cards in the space of 11 minutes.
The Red Devils have now been left a player short in three of their matches this season.
Sharks star Nicholas Krousoratis put the match beyond doubt with two goals at the 89 and 90-minute marks.
Red Devils coach James Robinson was brutally honest in his post-match assessment of the game, saying he and his players were "hurting".
"We're going to have a strong review process of what's gone on out there," Robinson said.
"We're going to take it on the chin - that's not good enough and we need to rectify it."