Lack of pace hurts Rams

A fleet-footed Mandurah took advantage of Rockingham's lack of pace through the midfield to kick four consecutive goals late in the final term and seal an upset 73-71 win over the Rams.

Rockingham led by eight points entering the fourth quarter and kicked the first major of the term but could not contain the Mustangs' dynamic on-ballers in the closing stages of the game.

Mandurah forward Jay Walton made the most of his side's midfield dominance, kicking a hat-trick of fourth-quarter goals to put the Mustangs into the lead, before Craig Stewart added another to provide some breathing room for the home side.

Ram Steven Kenny reduced the deficit to three points with four minutes to play but Rockingham were unable to find another goal before the siren.

Rockingham coach Peter Chidlow said the game was there to be won.

"But what probably beat us was their leg speed through the middle," he said.

"They hit the front and then bottled it up, and at the end of the day we were beaten by a whisker."

Chidlow said the deciding factor was a lack of composure rather than a lack of match fitness. "I think the desperation was there and the week before we ran out the game fine, but we need to work on playing tempo football rather than rushing it in those close game situations," he said.

"We had a tendency to rush things rather than set them up and wait for opportunities to develop."

The first-year coach said complacency may also have played a role in the unexpected loss to an unheralded Mandurah.

"I think we maybe underestimated Mandurah to our own peril," he said.

"They've been the whipping boys of the Peel Football League for a long time but they seem to have recruited really well and look to be much more competitive this year."

While disappointed with the loss, Chidlow said he was reasonably happy with Rockingham's start to the season and he believed the Rams had definitely taken a step forward from last year.

"There is definitely an improvement; last year we got blown away but this season we're there or thereabouts and I'm confident we're going to do well," he said.

"We've got good numbers at training and that was a real focus for us in the off-season, adding depth to the playing group so that every week we have a competitive side."