Ballarat Red Devils promotion chance on offer

05 May, 2010 11:51 PM

THE Ballarat Red Devils' chances of moving into Football Federation Victoria state league one have doubled after it was announced the team that finishes second in state two north would earn a potential play-off for promotion.

The federation has announced the teams that finish second in the state league two south and state league two north divisions, will play each other for a chance to dislodge the third-from-bottom team in state league one.

The winners of the two state league two competitions will automatically qualify for promotion at the expense of the bottom two teams in state league one.

If the Red Devils finish second, and beat the runner-up of state league two south, they will then play a sudden death tie with the third-from-bottom team from state league one for promotion.

To achieve that, however, the Reds will need to start winning matches, starting with Brunswick City this weekend.

"We can't worry about what everybody else is doing; we need to get ourselves in the points and move up the table, Haymes Red Devils coach Dale Harris said.

"We welcome the play-off place and we still have plenty of time to get right back in the mix. It's a long season, some 22 matches, and apart from Port - at the moment - everybody is taking points from

each other. We need to start this weekend by getting a win at Brunswick."

This is the first time in five seasons the play-off match has been offered.

The Port Melbourne Sharks are clear favourites for the Reds' division, sitting on top of the table with 12 points from four played after winning all their matches.

The one-up system that has been used for the past five seasons in state two made it the only league in Victoria where this happens, making it the toughest league to earn promotion from over the past five years.

Ballarat has only managed two points from its past three matches, despite playing well.

http://www.thecourier.com.au/news/local/sport/general/ballarat-red-devils-promotion-chance-on-offer/1822206.aspx