IF YOU don't usually follow results in the Bellarine league, Portarlington's efforts in 2008 would appear anything but remarkable.

After all, the Demons have just four wins and a draw from 10 games and sit outside the top five.

But in the context of Portarlington's recent history, it has been a groundbreaking few months. Before this season, the Demons had won just 26 games in 13 years.

The extraordinarily bad run of results began after they lost the 1994 grand final to Ocean Grove. The Grubbers went on to win eight flags in a decade. Portarlington has not beaten Ocean Grove or made the finals since.

However, the 134-year-old club has survived. And after previously trying to buy their way out of trouble, the Demons have embarked on a recovery powered by local youth. It is a long-term project, yet the signs are positive.

Portarlington won three of its first four games this season. This included the club's first victory over arch-rival Drysdale since 1994, and a 34-goal effort against reigning premier Newcomb Power.

The victories created a wave of excitement in the pretty seaside community of 3000 people, of which 69% are retirees.

"The canteen broke the $3000 barrier and that's more like a finals canteen for us," said Portarlington president Dick Underwood. "The gate at home games doubled"

Since then a spate of injuries to key players, along with star forward Tom Dewey being called up to play in Geelong's VFL team, has resulted in a reality check. Big losses to Ocean Grove, Barwon Heads and Anglesea have seen Portarlington slip down the ladder.

"We're getting there," said chairman of selectors Phil Lusher. "They'll have a few steps back along the way but generally everyone's absolutely delighted with the progress and the way the boys are heading."

Portarlington's troubles began in the early 1990s, when it spent four seasons near the top of the ladder, while coached by Steve "Stormy" Winter. It beat Drysdale to win the premiership in 1992.

However, when Winter left after '94, the club was deep in the red. That debt was paid off only six months ago. "The bank rang me up and said 'Dick you've money in the bank, there's 70 bucks there'. I celebrated," Underwood said.

"That was a demonstration of one way to win a premiership. But when the money ran out there was a big exodus of players."

Portarlington was reduced to a basket-case by the late '90s, regularly losing by over 30 goals.

"It never entered our heads that the club might not be here," Underwood said.

"We didn't look like having sufficient numbers to field a seconds side yet guys just came down and put the jumper on."

Although still paying off its debt dating back to 1994, Portarlington raised enough money to appoint former Geelong forward Paul Lynch as coach in 2005.

"The idea was that we had a lot of kids with potential and we thought he would lift their skill level and teach them about playing football," said Underwood.

Hiring Lynch made little difference to the Demons' win-loss ratio.

They won only three games and two wooden spoons during the ex-Cat's two-year tenure. Now a group of locals has taken charge. Senior coach David McNamara played in Port's 1992 premiership team. A non-playing mentor, he has instilled confidence in a team of home-grown youngsters.

In last year's final round, McNamara's side confirmed its potential with a nine-point win over Torquay. It was the first time it had beaten the Tigers since 1994.

"It was like a grand final," said Lusher. " There were stalwarts of the club with tears in their eyes because they knew what the plan was and could see what was coming." The confidence gained from that win carried over into this season. But when gun midfielder Brad Colenso broke his leg, then 2007 best and fairest Shaun Wells suffered a fractured finger, the momentum was halted.

A week ago, Portarlington hosted Anglesea, needing a win to climb back into the top five. The cold weather robbed the occasion of atmosphere. Those spectators who did venture out of their cars huddled together in the small grandstand or the brick social room, built with volunteer labour in the late 1970s.

Undermanned, the Demons battled stoically, eventually losing by 39 points. In a Port line-up featuring just one player aged over 26, midfielder Steven Hicks was often at the bottom of packs, before being moved forward, as the need for goals became desperate.

Just 23, Hicks is already captaining the senior team for a third season. Despite the loss, McNamara refused to give up on hopes of a finals' appearance.

"A lot of those injured and unavailable players will be back in the next couple of weeks," he said.

"I still think we'll come home with a wet sail. Our boys have just got to hang in there. If you learn more from a loss then these boys have learnt a lot in the last few years. But they also know what a win tastes like.

"Before they might not have been so upset about a loss. Now when they lose they hurt and that's a big difference, even if Portarlington has to wait another year for a crack at the finals, the club is investing in a junior structure that should ensure a brighter long-term future. If you haven't got juniors you can't survive," said McNamara, whose son plays in the under-10s. "The way petrol prices are going people aren't going to travel down the highway for you so you've got to work on your local kids."

After averaging two successes a year for more than a decade, the club has learned its lesson the hard way.