THE Ballarat Red Devils will be out to cause a major upset when they meet the in-form St Albans Saints under lights at Morshead Park on Saturday night.
After a mediocre two months where the Reds failed to register a win, the Ballarat side managed to regain some form last weekend in their 3-2 success against Moreland City on the road.
The round 19 fixture saw the Reds return to their attacking best, with Michael trigger finding his range again with a brace.
Youngster Brandon Lauton was also a success story for Ballarat, playing out of defence for the first time.
Meanwhile, St Albans has steadily worked its way up the National Premier League’s Two West ladder to sit in second spot, preparing itself for a genuine shot at promotion.
The Saints’ attacking flair was on show last weekend when they downed the Moreland Zebras 2-1.
Reds coach James Robinson said the win over Moreland City had instilled some confidence in the Ballarat side ahead of their first home game in a month.
“That momentum breeds confidence, and we know we’re a very attacking-minded team who will create chances,” Robinson said.
“We just need to get those basic defensive principles right and make sure we’re accountable.”
With just seven points separating second from fourth place on the west conference ladder, a triumph over the Saints could help propel the Reds into the top five.
With the Ballarat side expecting to regain a number of crucial players including Charlie King and Daniel Firth in the coming weeks, a triumph over one of the league’s best on Saturday night could see the Reds stage a late charge in the nine remaining fixtures.
