Saturday’s 2-0 loss to Whittlesea Ranges was perhaps the most disappointing of the season, Ballarat City coach Danny Gnjidic said.
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City slumped to its fourth loss in a row, but it was the manner in which it did that was most concerning.
Gnjidic felt a lack of belief had crept into the group’s psyche, as it loses touch with the eighth-placed Ranges – leaving City entrenched in the bottom two of the National Premier League two west competition.
“Yesterday was one of the poorer performances for the season,” Gnjidic said.
“Yesterday was flat, and there was maybe even a little bit of a lack of belief.
“There was a sense of ‘here we go again’ from the group.
“This was a big game for us...it was a true six-pointer.”
City fell to a 1-0 deficit after 11 minutes against a new-look Whittlesea side, following the recruitment of seven players through the transfer window.
Ballarat’s intensity lifted in the second half, but a late goal on the counter-attack put the result beyond doubt.
Gnjidic said there was no other option other than to find a way to rediscover its best form.
“We need to pick ourselves up pretty quick...because we’ve been dragged into the bottom-end of the table now.
“It’s up to us to get ourselves out of it. I believe we can do it, it’s a matter of getting the players to have that same belief.
“We’ve got to try and get some positive energy into training, then it needs to be taken into Saturday.”
Jake Selby was subbed off before half-time with a hamstring complaint.
