The crisis affecting the Jedinstvo water polo team continued to deepen, while the gradual loss of players went on. Goalkeeper Zlatoje Marić, who had often been „half the team“, left Novi Bečej and joined Odred from Kikinda, dealing another major blow to the club.
After failing to finish among the top six teams in the qualifying competition, Jedinstvo did not compete in the Serbian League. Instead, at Dunavac in Novi Sad, the team took part in a playoff for seventh to ninth place, together with Vojvodina from Novi Sad and Radnički from Ćuprija.
The following results were recorded in the competition:
- Vojvodina – Radnički 3–0
- Vojvodina – Jedinstvo 7–0
- Jedinstvo – Radnički 2–4
Final Standings of the 1964 Consolation Group
| Place | Team | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7th | Vojvodina (Novi Sad) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10–0 | 4 |
| 8th | Radnički (Ćuprija) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4–3 | 2 |
| 9th | Jedinstvo (Novi Bečej) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2–11 | 0 |
These results and the ninth-place finish further discouraged both the players and the club management. Many gradually began to lose hope in Jedinstvo, and the crisis became increasingly difficult to overcome.
Meanwhile, Kikinda's Odred, strengthened by the arrival of goalkeeper Zlatoje Marić, convincingly won first place in the Serbian Championship. The Kikinda team won all ten of its matches without dropping a single point, finishing with an impressive goal difference of 46–10.

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