The loss leaves the Saints sitting in fourth place by one point, with North United Black and Vic Park snapping at the heels.

It leaves the team in a position of having to win its last two games to make the finals.

The Saints showed it can play excellent soccer and work as a team to dominate the game, but three simple defensive errors cost it the game.

The team was at strength, but still missing the influential Wayne Devlin, who has sustained a serious injury.

The game did not get off to a great start for Daylesford, with Ballarat Red scoring a simple tap-in from a throw-in after more defensive confusion.

The Saints pushed hard and managed one goal in the first half, courtesy of a well-weighted through ball from Ivan Carter.

Carter found Jack Nulty, who out-sprinted the defence and snuck a shot past the keeper with ease.

The defensive line-up of Dwight Beare, Lauries Nulty, Daniel Trotter and Stevie J was solid and stopped any further goals from Ballarat.

The Saints were certainly on top and had last year's grand finalists rattled with their fast passing and superior skill.

The half-time score was 1-1 and the Saints were confident of a win, with the engine room of Carter, Costa, Berrin and the Nulty boys running well.

Costa was running well on the wing, with Jack and Dylan Nulty creating chance after chance.

In hindsight, the Saints should have scored more goals with the strong wind, with many shots going wide or high of the goal.

The second half saw the Saints turn up the intensity and create a series of chances that didn't quite come off.

Discipline has returned to the team, partly due to the return of Dwight Beare and his presence on and off the field. Jenner and Lauries Nulty were also having a great game.

But luck was not on the Saints' side, with Ballarat Red twice chipping the Saints' keeper Nick Jansen from considerable distance with the aid of the strong wind.