Darley showed some final quarter resolve to overcome Sebastopol in the Ballarat Football League on Saturday.
Having dropped their last two games against the top two sides, the Devils needed to work hard to get back on the winners list in round eight.
The Devils led at every break but they weren’t able to break the Burras.
The margin was less than a goal early in the last quarter, before the Devils steadied to win, 10.9 (69)-7.8 (50).
Devils coach Dan Jordan said they had to work hard to come away with the four points.
“It was pretty hard fought and a bit of an arm wrestle, we were happy to get the points,” he said.
“Our last quarters haven’t been great for over a month.
“We found ourselves challenged at three quarter time.”
Jordan said the message at three quarter time was simple, asking his leaders to step up in the final quarter.
He said the last couple of weeks against the Sunbury Lions and Melton, that the response needed hadn’t quite been there when they asked for it.
“They kicked the first goal, but we lifted the pressure and got the game back on our terms,” Jordan said.
“It was a really good quarter and there were some really good signs.”
Will Johnson and Brady Wright kicked three goals each for the Devils.
Defender Matthew Brett was the Devils best.
Jordan said Wright and Johnson looked dangerous in attack in the one-on-ones, with Adam Azzopardi, Brett Bewley and Luther Baker were among the other really good contributors.
After eight rounds, the Devils sit in fifth spot with a 5-3 record.
Jordan said they were fairly happy with that.
“We’re not playing our best football yet,” he said. “Bar the Melton game we’ve been in every game.
“There’s been some that have been a flip of the coin which would have liked to win. There’s a lot of improvement.”
The Devils get a much needed break the next two weeks.
There’s a competition wide bye this weekend due to the King’s Birthday, before the Devils have a bye the following week.
Jordan said they would give the group some time off this week to allow them to refresh knowing they face a lot of the top teams again in the back half of the season.
“We’re confident our best footy is still ahead of us.”
Elsewhere, Melton is back on top of the ladder after it beat Lake Wendouree and the Sunbury Lions suffered their first loss.
The Bloods had a 23.9 (147)-4.6 (30) win against the Lakers with Braedan Kight kicking seven goals.
Bacchus Marsh lost to North Ballarat, 11.13 (79)-9.6 (60), while Melton South lost to Ballarat, 22.16 (148)-2.8 (20).
