A four-goal haul from Rockingham debutant Tyson Powell led the Rams to a win over a determined South Mandurah outfit at Falcon Oval on Saturday afternoon.
Three of those four majors came in a third-term blitz that proved the difference in the game as Rockingham made it back-to-back wins to kick off their Dudley Tuckey Cup campaign, taking the game 10.4 (64) to 12.9 (81).
The Falcons will be ruing their lapse in the third, having shown strong signs winning every other quarter for the day.
They were up and about early on with Brody Wemm booting the first of the day.
Cody Nelson would then kick the first of his five goals (following a bag of four the week prior) to open up a two-goal lead for the hosts.
The Rams managed to get within four points at quarter time, before the Falcons broke away again in the second.
Kyle Penny was in hot form as Kyren Gavin and Nelson did the damage on the scoreboard, lifting South Mandurah to a nine-point lead at half time.
But the third term belonged to the visitors.
They piled on seven goals to the Falcons' one in the period, with Kyle Havelberg and Trent Goodrick damaging while Powell proved a threat inside 50.
All of a sudden South Mandurah faced a 25-point deficit at the final change, but they refused to lie down in the fourth, producing an effort that will gave coach Kallen Williams plenty to be optimistic about.
The Falcons tallied four goals to Rockingham's two to round out the game, with Chris Swarts and Zac Moody giving strong accounts.
It wasn't enough to snatch victory from the premiership fancies, but it was a respectable end for a side on the come up.
South Mandurah will travel to Mundijong to take on Centrals next week, while the Rams return home to host Halls Head.
Justin Rake
Sports journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, Fairfax Media.
Sports journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, Fairfax Media.
