The Magpies were all out for 272 chasing 5-273 at North Dalton Park, having also fallen just short of beating the Lighthouse Keepers in the opening round.

Balgownie are still just five points out of the top four in sixth, but meet ladder leaders Northern Districts, second-placed University and finals contenders Wests when the two-day format resumes after Christmas.

"We had to bat short after one of our players was called away for work too," Balgownie's Jamie Fleming said.

"So it all went wrong for us, but Wollongong played really well.

"We were right in it at 1-160-odd and then they put the clamps on us. We made a bit of a comeback at the end and almost won it, but it's a tough to lose like that again."

Captain Duncan Maddinson proved the matchwinner with the ball, finishing with 4-40 from 13 overs, while Lachlan Maddinson took 3-71 off 24.3, including the crucial final wicket.

Opener Viraj Keer and first-drop Adam Berwick put Bally on course for victory, but the wickets began to steadily fall after Berwick was out for 58.

It came after Wollongong recovered from 7-84 last week, with Duncan Maddinson scoring 104 and Jason Welsh 71 not out.

Elsewhere, Northern Districts firmed up top spot with a comprehensive 98-run win over Keira at Hollymount Park.

Englishman Elliot Hooper was the top order destroyer on the way a six-wicket haul.

University were two down when they passed Port Kembla's score of 207, before declaring at 5-266, Josh Doherty scoring 91 at better than a run-per-ball, while Ryan Smyth made 81 to ensure first innings points.

The match was called with Port 1-87 in their second dig.

Steve Blissenden took 5-77 in Helensburgh's 24-run win over Corrimal.

A five wicket haul from Pat Hammond spearheaded Dapto to a crucial victory over Wests in Sunday's delayed Illawarra match at Keira Oval.

Zac Churchill led the charge for Wests with his fourth half-century for the season, finishing with 89, as Wests finished 9-200 chasing Dapto's 249.

But Hammond finished with 5-61, in a match reduced to a one-day contest after the farcical scenes last week where play was abandoned at Figtree Oval because of the state of the outfield, following work on the ground during the off-season, which also meant the Figtree Kangaroos AFL South Coast team was forced to play elssewhere.

Talented Dapto junior Jayden Zahra-Smith has set the tone in setting the 249 total, finishing with 86, while Jye Phillips made 81.

Shannon Bonnie took 3-34 in defeat.

The Illawarra competition moves to the Twenty20 format on Saturday, with a double header, before the third round on Wednesday and the final two matches to be played on December 21.

The T20 semi-finals will be played on January 12 and the grand final on January 19.

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