The Tigers kept their top-two Goulburn Valley League hopes alive with a gritty 8.10 (58) to 7.13 (55) victory at Euroa Memorial Oval — a result that all but ended the Magpies’ finals aspirations.
“It was pretty inaccurate from both sides,” Tigers coach Ash Watson said.
“We’re pretty happy with the way we played in the first half at stages, but then obviously let them back into the game.”
It was a battle of attrition early and the definition of a game of two halves.
Euroa was wasteful in front of goal and failed to register a major across the entire first half, while Rochester made the most of its opportunities to take a commanding 5.8 (38) to 0.8 (8) lead into the main break.
The Magpies finally got going in the third, slamming through three goals to claw back some momentum.
But Rochester, riding a three-game winning streak, remained composed and held a 23-point advantage heading into the final term.
“Playing Euroa down there, they got their tails up in the last quarter and were pretty hard to stop,” Watson said.
“Pretty lucky to get away with the win in the end.”
Euroa came home with a rush.
In a dramatic final quarter, the Magpies piled on 4.2 (26) to one Rochester goal — surging to within three points in the dying stages.
It was a brave second half, but ultimately not enough to rescue their season.
“They definitely applied pressure and you could tell they were keen for the win,” Watson said.
“They’re particularly harder to beat down there as well.”
A seven-goal-to-three second half showed that Euroa’s best footy can stack up with the top sides.
But inconsistency has been the Magpies’ Achilles heel all year — and in a league as competitive as this, you just can’t afford it.
Rochester’s win keeps them in third on the ladder, now level on points with Echuca in second, separated only by percentage.
It sets up a huge test this week against a red-hot Mansfield, which has strung together seven straight wins — its last defeat coming back in May against the Murray Bombers.
“We expect them to come out super hard,” Watson said.
“Whoever wins this game will be in a better position to finish in the top three. It’s another road trip and playing them away is always a challenge — but we’ll go there with a big focus on pressure and putting some scoreboard heat on them.”
With four games to play, Rochester has its sights set on a top-two finish and enters a critical stretch.
“We knew this block was going to be hard,” Watson said.
“Trips to Euroa and Mansfield, then we’ve got the Swans at home. That’s all we’re focusing on now. If we win all three, it gives us a real chance to finish top two or three.”
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