The depleted side went down 3-2 to a tough Souths outfit at Maitland Hockey Centre.

With Matthew Magann and Tobin Bush late withdrawals, with a hip and knee injury respectively, and many players backing up from the Rams’ second grade 4-1 win over Souths, first grade were down 2-0 at half-time.

The Rams fought hard in the second half, but shot themselves in the foot with defensive lapses.

“We played well, but Souths dominated the game for large periods, which they always do,” veteran striker Nathan Baker said.

“That’s the style they play – they manage to maintain possession and put a lot of pressure on.

“I think today they didn’t really earn their goals, we turned the ball over to them three times. Just stupid mistakes that shouldn’t ­happen.”

But Baker felt his team were valiant in defeat and that injuries, fatigue and the weather ­affected the Rams’ performance.

“All in all, it was a pretty even game – the scoreline is probably fair,” Baker said.

“It was tough in the heat, we had a few guys that backed up from second grade.

“Probably half our team had already played, we were very short [in numbers] across the club.

“[Souths] had a fresh 16 [players] and we didn’t, probably a fresh five or six.

“I think that was a bit telling in the end, we just didn’t have the legs.”

Baker said Ben Urquart was strong for the Rams, scoring the side’s second goal.

“Our young goalkeeper, Bradley Paterson, was very good between the sticks,” the striker said.

A penalty shot in the second half gave Souths a 3-1 lead before Urquart pegged back a goal for the home side.

In third grade the Rams were smashed 8-1 by Souths.

Maitland’s fourth grade side narrowly beat Souths 1-0. And in the opening match of the day, the Rams’ sixth grade team beat Colts 6-0.