Portarlington takes first steps on long road back

PORTARLINGTON coach Kellie Aquilina had no qualms at the start of the year, saying her team was “starting from scratch” in 2018.

Seven weeks into the BFL netball season, results have backed up her statement.

The Demons sit bottom of the table, winless, and with a percent- age of 25.44 look a long way removed from the team that only missed playing finals last year by percentage.

But Saturday presents Portarlington’s best chance yet of securing an elusive four points, taking on fellow cellar dwellers and winless outfit Newcomb.

“It’s been a bit of a rough start to the season and we knew it was always going to be difficult but hopefully we can pull off our first win of the season, and that is the aim,” Aquilina said.

“I think the thing we’ve been lacking is scoreboard pressure and we’re struggling in the attack end. If you could take away the scoreboard we’ve been competitive, we just can’t get it over the line.

“We’re going to go in with our normal structures and game plans and we’ve been working on trying to convert and put that scoreboard pressure on, so we’re definitely going to be focusing on that this week.”

The Demons have yet to score more than 22 goals in a game this year and have conceded scores in excess of 60 on four occasions.

But Aquilina said morale was high among Portarlington players.

“They’re working very hard, they’re obviously very disappointed they haven’t had a win and that some of our scorelines have blown out, but the girls are happy within themselves and where they are going,” she said.

“We knew from the start of the season it was going to be a tough year, but we’ve got our own goals and they’re focusing on team goals that we’ve put in place and if we can reach those by the end of the season we’ll be happy.

“They’re doing all right with team morale and are working hard every week and that’s all we can ask of them.”