The Cats looked set to continue their impressive recent run of successive victories at Moon Oval after controlling much of the momentum of the opening half.
The visitors burst out of the blocks with the first two goals of the afternoon through William Emanuelli and Dan Tuddenham to establish a nine-point quarter-time advantage, 2.3 (15) to 0.6 (6).
The visitors maintained that edge through the second term, with the sides matching each other goal for goal.
Jack Osborne, Isaac Dowling and Will Wood found the scoreboard for Mooroopna, while Hugh Hamilton, Andy Henderson and Kyle Waters kept Rochester within striking distance.
At the main break the Cats still held sway, leading 5.5 (35) to 3.2 (20) but the pendulum swung dramatically after the main interval.
Rochester produced its best football of the afternoon in a decisive third quarter, slamming on 5.5 while restricting Mooroopna to 2.3 following the break.
Felix Fogaty ignited the comeback with three crucial goals for the term, while Hunter Wileman and Hugh Hamilton also fired past the sticks as the Tigers stormed to a six-point lead at the final change.
With the contest hanging in the balance entering the final quarter, Mooroopna refused to go away.
Osborne kicked his second goal and Keelin Betson added another as the Cats continued to press, but Rochester's composure held firm in the closing stages.
Darby Wileman and Andy Henderson provided vital late goals as the Tigers secured a valuable 10.16 (76) to 10.8 (68) victory.
Fogaty finished with three goals and was a constant threat in attack, while Hamilton and Henderson each contributed two majors. Kyle Waters, Darby Wileman and Hunter Wileman also chipped in as Rochester spread the scoring load.
For Mooroopna, Emanuelli and Osborne each kicked two goals, while Liam Adams, Keelin Betson, Isaac Dowling, Dan Tuddenham and Will Wood added strikes of their own.
After trailing for much of the afternoon, Rochester's dominant third-quarter surge proved the difference to end Mooroopna’s recent purple patch and providing the Tigers with a significant confidence boost after last week’s defeat to Seymour.
Looking back over the performance, Cats coach John Lamont gave a balanced assessment of how his troops fared.
“We were pleased with the opening half, we had the game on our terms and Rochester - to their credit - kicked a couple of goals just before half-time,” he said.
“It was costly and it started a trend that continued in that third quarter where Rochester got right on top around the stoppages and put our defence under pressure.
“I thought our defence played really well but they were put under a fair bit of pressure in that third quarter and subsequently we gave up five goals for the quarter.
“We got two back late in the quarter, so the game was there in the last quarter and we kicked three goals - one of them on the siren - but we just couldn’t take our chances.
“Rochester were probably on top but it’s a bit of a missed opportunity for us as we had the game on our terms.
“After half-time, third quarter in particular, we just let ourselves down, I felt.”
Outlining the positives to take from the loss, Lamont was pleased with what he saw from his side in the first-half.
“There were plenty of positives first-half but we frittered away that third quarter, we probably didn’t play smart enough in that fourth quarter,” he said.
“We’re bitterly disappointed that we weren’t able to finish the game off - I’m sure Rochester would have felt similar if they had been beaten.
“But our pressure was pretty good at the same time, we rushed a few points, so we’d done enough in general play to win the game but didn’t close it out.”
Next up, the Cats will host Benalla in round 11, while Rochester’s next game is a home clash with Shepparton United.
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