A 3-0 defeat to Pascoe Vale at the weekend has compounded relegation concerns for the Goulburn Valley Suns.
With seven games remaining, the Suns are winless and cemented to the bottom rung on the NPL2 ladder.
It was yet another demoralising defeat on Saturday — the Suns powerless to resist a Rams onslaught at CB Smith Reserve.
Riki Foster-Hosoai got his side off to a flyer with an opener in the 11th minute, before Aydin Mustedanagic put his side two to the good six minutes later.
Bilal Habib more or less put the game to bed with the Rams’ third in the 70th minute.
Suns president Mic Criscera said a positive result was always going to be hard to come by on Pascoe Vale’s home turf — the Rams suffering defeat there on only one occasion this year.
“It’s typical of a tough season; it was always going to be a tough game at Pascoe Vale away,’’ Criscera said.
“I thought the boys accounted well for themselves in the second half of the first half and then first half of the second, kept themselves in it and created some opportunities.”
Lee Blackburn, who has assumed the role of interim first team coach for the remainder of the season, inserted Suns youngsters Brandon Giaccherini, Harun Aktas and Stefan Pigatto early in the second half, but their energy and attacking flair was unable to translate to the scoreboard.
Another early goal put the Suns on the back foot in the opening stages on Saturday, as has become a theme for the side this season.
With his two recruits Samuel Hanley and Kevin McEvoy featuring, Criscera said locking down a familiar first team squad was the goal as the Suns fight to avoid relegation.
“We’re trying to get back to basics, we’re conceding too early and too easily,” he said.
“All new players need time to settle in, we haven’t had a settled side all year which is typical of a difficult season.
“We’ll hopefully get Adam Gatcum back from injury in the coming weeks which will further strengthen our backline and hopefully free up a few players.”
Jamie England took over the captain duties again on Saturday, with skipper Matthew Lelliott a notable absentee.
The Suns are back at McEwen Reserve this Saturday for a match-up with ladder-leader North Geelong Warriors.