The Batemans Bay Seahawks slipped to fifth on the AFL Canberra third-grade ladder after a tough 13-point loss to the ADFA Rams at ADFA Oval.
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After a tight first quarter that saw scores locked up at 15, the Rams kicked away in the second to open a 21-point lead at the main break.
The contest tightened in the third quarter, as the Seahawks pulled the margin back by two-points thanks to some wayward kicking (1.4) from the home side.
Batemans Bay started the fourth quarter full of energy, as quick-fire goals to Sam Millynn and Shaun Green pulled the margin back to just six points.
However, the Rams showed why they are a serious premiership chance in 2019 as they held the visitors at arm's length to record a 9.14 (68) to 8.7 (55) win.
Seahawks coach, Mick Kenny, said the second quarter ended up being the difference in the game.
"We just had a little lapse," he said. "It was probably just a six-or-seven-minute spell where they kicked three quick goals that cost us the game.
"From there we were sort of chasing our tails. I'm proud of the effort though, we went up there with a few guys out, and weren't rated a chance to get near them at all."
Kenny said after a disappointing performance against ANU the weekend before, it was good to see his side respond in the fourth quarter.
"We knew we needed to start that quarter really well if we were a chance of winning," he said. "Sammy Millynn kicked a really early goal, then Shaun Green kicked one pretty much straight afterwards.
"It felt like we could have run over them at that point, but they managed to wrestle back a little bit of the momentum.
"It was a pretty tight last quarter, and they kicked a goal after the siren off a 50-metre penalty which I won't take into account."
Kenny said he was still confident in his side despite a 2-3 record through six rounds.
"I was more worried last week to be honest," he said. "We went up to ANU with a pretty good side, and put in a pretty dismal performance.
"I told the boys this week that I wasn't too concerned if we left without the four points, I just wanted to see the effort back.
"If we continue to put in that type of effort week in and week out, I don't think there are many teams who'll beat us one we've found our straps.
"Having said that, if we don't beat Molonglo this weekend, we'll be behind the eight ball."
ADFA 9.14 (68) (Goals: J Kelly 3, H Bain 2, M Griffin 2, F Jeavons, J Platell; Best: X Szegi, T Derbyshire, I O'Donaghue-Louis, D Oats, F Jeavons, Z Berra) def. Batemans Bay 8.7 (55) (Goals: S Green 3, B Alves, S Millynn, M Kenny, K O'Malley, R Lee; Best: R Lee, L Dudley, K O'Malley, J Millynn, R Hummel).
In reserve grade, the undermanned Seahawks were no match for ADFA, losing by a whopping 97 points.
Batemans Bay only kicked one goal in the first half to trail by 49 at the main break, and it didn't get much better from there as the Rams ran away with a 19.6 (120) to 3.5 (23) victory.
ADFA 19.6 (120) (Goals: C Mulady 6, D Guilfoyle 4, J Harrigan-Purchase 3, B Shewell 2, A Gordon, W Deveridge, T Booth, S Buckland; Best: B Shewell, D Guilfoyle, J Meagher) def. Batemans Bay 3.5 (23) (Goals: C Carr, A Ireland, C Filmer; Best: G Roast, B Tuan, D Gentner, C Filmer, W Wright).
