After spending much of the first half of the season inside the Saturday Pennant premier division top four, Sebastopol slipped out in early December and hasn't been able to get back in.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It's not panic stations by any means, but with just six home and away rounds to go, the Kookaburras won't want to be letting too many points slip by.
After opening 2020 with a win over Mt Xavier, the team is now just a solitary point behind fourth-placed Webbcona.
Experienced Sebastopol bowler Ian Warner said this Saturday's clash against second-placed Victoria was the start of a tough three-week run for the club, which then has battles against Webbcona and top side Ballarat.
Warner said the stretch would be a telling period for the side, which he admitted had been a bit "patchy" in terms of form this campaign.
But he believed the group had confidence ahead of what will be a difficult battle with Victoria on its home green.
"We are going into the game with a positive attitude that's for sure," Warner said.
Sebastopol is expected to take an unchanged line-up into the clash with the Vics, which lost the last meeting between the two teams back in round four by just one shot.
Ballarat was in great form last Friday night and will be out to continue that when it travels to take on Mt Xavier.
While Ballarat is top of the table, the Mt Xavier outfit is at the bottom following the round 12 defeat.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Ballarat Memorial Sports and Learmonth lock horns in another rematch from last season's division one grand final.
BMS won the decider in 2018-19 and also prevailed when the teams met back in round four this season.
Buninyong fell 18 points adrift of the top four with last round's loss and will be desperate for victory when it hosts Creswick this weekend.
The Bunnies were beaten by the Wickers early in the campaign and can't really afford to drop this game if finals are to be a reality in 2019-20.
The other game in round 13 will be played between Central Wendouree and Webbcona.
Beaten by Creswick last weekend, the Bears are back home for a battle with its fourth-placed rivals.
In the previous meeting this season in late October, Webbcona landed a comfortable 75-56 triumph.