Kangaroo Flat needs to minimise its mental lapses if it's to challenge Golden Square in Saturday's BFNL round 11 clash at Dower Park.
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The Roos are coming off a hard-fought 16-point win over bottom side Maryborough last Saturday, while the Bulldogs have strung together two impressive victories against Strathfieldsaye and South Bendigo.
The Roos had Maryborough on the ropes a couple of times in the second half, but lapses let the Magpies back into the game.
Flaherty said any lapses against Golden Square will hurt on the scoreboard.
"In the round two game they killed us in every aspect,'' Flaherty said of Golden Square.
"Obviously, they've been playing well against other teams in recent weeks, so we know what we're up for.
"We need to eliminate lapses throughout the game and take it up to them as much as we can."
Flaherty said the Roos' best footy can be competitive with the top teams.
"We were really disappointed against Strathfieldsaye a couple of weeks ago,'' Flaherty said.
"Against South Bendigo we were within a goal in the last quarter and then they kicked seven in a row.
"It was a similar thing against Eaglehawk.
"If you can get one or two of those scalps then things can change quickly and your mindset changes.
"Maryborough is a much improved side. They matched Kyneton in most areas, they just had a bad second quarter.
"We knew that game wasn't going to be easy."
Flaherty said the most pleasing sign for the Roos in recent weeks was the continued development of some of their teenagers.
"Campbelll Smith, Pat Murphy, Darcy Kelly have come out of the thirds last year and they're part of the future of the club,'' he said.
"(Against Maryborough) Campbell played on-ball and changed across half-back... he probably didn't rack up heaps of possessions, but his intensity and effort around the ball was really good.
"Yes, these kids are going to be inconsistent at times, but it's important we give them these opportunities."
Square will be without number one ruckman Matt Compston because of injury.
BATTLE OF THE MAGPIES AT CAMP RESERVE
Castlemaine coach Don Moran is hoping for a change of luck as his side takes on Maryborough at Camp Reserve on Saturday.
Castlemaine's only win for the BFNL season came against the winless Maryborough in round two.
On recent form, Maryborough starts favourite for the round 11 clash.
Whie Maryborugh has enjoyed its best stretch of form for the season, Castlemaine is struggling to work its way through a rough patch.
"It's not a grind, I'm just frustrated that we can't get a good run at it,'' Moran said.
"There hasn't been one week where we've finished with the full 22 running out of the game.
"The boys that are playing are giving their all, but at the moment we're so lean on numbers.
"Without having too high of an expectation of where we stand, we should be better this year than what we've shown.
"We are better than what our performances are showing, but we just can't get a good run at it.
"You can't get continuity when you can't get close to your best team on the field."
The battle of the bottom two teams has high stakes in terms of the wooden spoon.
A Castlemaine win would all but guarantee the home side avoids it in 2022.
Maryborough's first win of the season would set up a tight battle between the two Pies for the remainder of the season.
"We'll treat it like a normal game - that's what we do every week,'' Moran said.
"It's another challenge for us."
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