IN the build up to Saturday’s women’s Premier League Hockey match against Bathurst rivals St Pat’s, Souths coach Melissa Bestwick stressed to her players the importance of starting well.

It was a message that sunk in and a message that proved crucial as Souths’ strong start set up a 3-1 victory at Bob Roach Field.

Two of Souths’ goals came in the first 15 minutes and while the Saints lifted and applied pressure – especially in the second half – they could not undo the damage which had been inflicted.

It means the head-to-head record between the two sides for 2015 now stands at one win apiece after Pat’s won their season opening derby 2-1.

“The start was definitely the telling factor, our second half unfortunately was completely different,” Bestwick said. 

“I am really impressed with the girls today, we wanted to be mentally prepared for this and we were, so full credit to them.

“I did harp on to the girls throughout the week about being prepared to take to the field on the front foot and from the word go. We had to because we know Pat’s are a strong side and they always come out firing.

“We wanted to be the ones who were on top this week and I think it showed.”

After just two minutes of play Souths had their first chance of the match when a Tahlia Cranston attempt was cleared off the line by Kate Hamer.

Two Souths penalty corners came within five minutes and while Pat’s managed to repel those, at the 10 minute mark the two blues had the goal they were so hungry for.

A long pass from Sarah Watterson released Emma Siejka, the striker then racing Pat’s goalkeeper McKenzee Newton to be first to the ball.

Siejka got a touch on the ball before Newton could shut her down and it was enough to see it roll past the custodian and into the net.

The Saints had their first chance of the match soon after when earning the first what was to be just two penalty corners for the match – in contrast Souths had eight.

Brigette Evans connected well at the top of the circle for the Saints, but Maddy Boyce was able to block the shot before team-mate Kate Stanford cleared. 

Souths showed how it should be done at the 14 minute mark when Candice Falconer crunched her shot into the back of the net from the set play.

Souths did look the more threatening side for the remainder of the half, Cranston and Ash Corby making strong runs out wide, but they were unable to further add to their tally.

As Pat’s went into the sheds at half-time trailing 2-0, they certainly felt they were still in the contest.

“They started fast and put us on the back foot, but I think they did have a few wasted opportunities. They put us under the pump, but they weren’t really taking all their opportunities,” Saints’ Kirralee Naylor said.

“After that first 10 minutes we stepped up and took a bit of control back, our passes just weren’t strong enough.”

Naylor and her team-mates felt even better when Hamer slotted home a penalty corner strike shortly after play resumed to make it 2-1, but that was as close as they got.

When Evans, who had been a calm head in defence and played a significant role in Pat’s working themselves into the contest, limped off with an injured ankle, it was a big blow to the Saints.

There was still 23 minutes of play remaining.

Karen Fieldus, who replaced Newton in goal for the second half, made good blocks to deny Corby and Siejka, but Souths continued to notch up circle penetrations.

Pat’s were granted a small reprieve when Ali Stanford’s successful deflection off Cranston’s penalty corner strike was disallowed, but they were unable to take advantage.

A Kath Messer attempt which went just high and wide and a shot from Katrina Naylor which was blocked by Nikki Tomlinson was as close as the Saints got to drawing level.

“We felt back in the game after our goal and that it was possible that we could get there ... we just couldn’t do it in the end and it was disappointing to lose Brigette as she holds a lot of our structure together,” Kirralee Naylor said.

Souths sealed the win with a late opportunistic goal from Corby – cleaning up off Fieldus’ pads – the 3-1 result lifting them into the top three.

SOUTHS 3 (Ash Corby, Emma Siejka, Candice Falconer) defeated ST PAT’S 1 (Kate Hamer)