THE Ballarat Red Devils will face one of the toughest assignments in the National Premier Leagues Victoria two competition when they make the journey to face the North Geelong Warriors on Saturday.
The Warriors have dropped just one match this season, and are coming off a tough 0-0 draw with the Moreland Zebras.
The Warriors have proven to be rock solid in defence over the first half of the season, conceding just 10 goals in their first 12 outings this year.
Reds coach James Robinson said while his side was aware of the strength of Saturday’s opponent, they were going into the fixture with the intent of coming away with the three points.
“The mindset within the group is that we can win every game,” Robinson said. “They’re very disciplined in their defensive approach so we’ve got to be aware of that.”
The contest presents an important opportunity for the Reds to cement their place among the top sides in the competition, with just one game separating the top placed Warriors and Ballarat in fourth. While a win would see them sit equal atop of the ladder, a loss could see the Reds slip back to sixth.
The Reds are coming off a rich vein of form over the last two months in which the side won five games in a row before drawing 1-1 with the third placed Whittesea Rangers. Ballarat looked the superior side for the majority of the clash with Whittlesea, controlling both possession and the tempo of the contest.