Four points are just that as Rochester squares its Goulburn Valley League ledger

The first quarter — although, in all likelihood, one could say the first three quarters — would be best described as dour as Tatura failed to get on the board in the opening half-hour.

James McPhee was at the double early and his pair of first-term majors proved the difference even at the long break, with one goal coming for each side in the second stanza as Tatura entered the sheds with 1.1 to its name.

While the game never truly broke open — much of that Rochester’s own doing with some woeful inefficiency around goal — the host kept Tatura first at arm’s length, then a progressively more comfortable distance.

It absolutely should have been simpler with the Bulldogs having closed to within 10 points early in the final term.

A pair of quick-fire Wil Hamilton majors just about put paid to any hopes of a Bulldog smash-and-grab before McPhee’s third came as a long-awaited sealer, the Tigers finally prevailing 7.16 (58) to 5.5 (35).

Time will tell whether the Tigers will be able to settle into a more positive rhythm going forward, having experienced a bit of everything across their opening month of football.

A confidence-boosting win at Benalla preceded a late capitulation against Kyabram and a total fadeout when matched up with Shepparton before earning a scrappy win at home.

It gets no tougher than their next task, though, with Echuca waiting in the wings for a meeting between the competition’s northernmost clubs.

As for Tatura, the glory of Chaz Sargeant’s after-the-siren winner against Seymour has long since faded, having put up scores of 5.4, 5.4 and 5.5 in its three straight losses since that fateful day.

There is quite possibly no worse outfit to run into at this current time while struggling for offence than Mooroopna, which has scored freely throughout the campaign, but that is the stark reality awaiting Paul Barnard’s men this week.