With games against the top three teams and a bye, it has been a tough month for North Ballarat City’s A-graders in Ballarat Football Netball League competition.
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But despite illness and player unavailability, North Ballarat City has come agonisingly close to victory.
The team went down to an undefeated Sunbury by just four goals at Mars Stadium at the start of June, then came just three goals short of toppling second-placed East Point after the bye at Eastern Oval last weekend.
Now North Ballarat City is set to face an in form Lake Wendouree, which sits in third with just the one loss.
But coach Annie McCartin said despite struggling to find stability, she believed the team was on track.
Her players have battled illnesses, while Sacha McDonald does not get released from her Australian Netball League commitments until early July, while Molly Mathews has basketball commitments with Ballarat Rush and Emma Church is overseas for four weeks.
But the absences have allowed the club to blood new players such as 19/under player Poppy Douglass.
“You might drop games, three goals here and two goals there but it will benefit the young ones in the long run,” McCartin said. “And I still know there is a little golden lining coming up when we all get back together.”
North Ballarat City will get a short reprieve from the top sides following this week, with games against Darley and Melton.
