Altona suffered a 2-0 loss to finals-bound MCC in the Hockey Victoria women’s premier league at the Altona Hockey Centre on Saturday.
Consecutive losses to top-four teams has shown the Seagulls are just a class below the teams that will be fighting it out for the premiership in September.
One team that is well and truly in the mix is Footscray. The Bulldogs consolidated their spot in the top eight with a 9-0 shellacking of Waverley away at Hedley Hull Field.
It was a goal feast for the Bulldogs players with five individuals getting on the scoresheet, including a hat-trick to Olivia Colasurdo and doubles to Esther Fithall and Monica Singh.
Footscray will travel to MCC for a blockbuster on Saturday, while Altona makes the short trip to Essendon.
In men’s premier league, Altona has jumped up to fourth after a 6-3 hammering of MCC at home. The Seagulls spread the goals around with Pat Phillips the only multiple goalscorer with two.
Altona will take plenty of momentum on the road to Essendon on Sunday.
Footscray secured a finals berth with a narrow 2-1 win over Waverley. Rufus McNaught-Barrington and Liam Braithwaite found the back of the net for the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs play MCC on Saturday.