HOCKEY
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Souths coach Ray Winwood-Smith is not the type of mentor who focusses on the scoreboard, but after what his men produced in their Premier League Hockey match on Saturday it was hard not to. They beat Bathurst City 22-0.
While it is not a men's record - Pat's scored 24 goals in a match over a decade ago - the brand of hockey Souths produced at Bob Roach Field was still ultra impressive.
They opened scoring in the third minute, were 3-0 up after seven and from there Souths did not let up in their intensity or desire.
The two blues played at a frenetic speed, they transferred the ball well, provided strong leads and while there were certainly touches of individual brilliance, their team work was also a feature.
"It was clinical, it was fast, the ball moved well. If you asked me to name three things we need to improve on from today, I'd be struggling," Winwood-Smith said.
"I never look at the scoreline, my attitude is always if we play with the structure we want, if we play the style we want, the score will look after itself. Whatever it is, is whatever it is, as long as we are on the right side of the scoreboard at the end of the game, that's all I care about."
Souths were most certainly on the right side.
A penalty corner provided the catalyst for Souths' opening goal of the match in the third minute. While goalkeeper Kris Grant was able to block the first-time attempt and a follow up shot while still on the ground, the ball found its way to Chris Hanrahan on the right post and he converted.
That passage of play typified what was to follow. While Grant and Tom Scott, who padded up for the second half, often blocked the initial attempt from Souths, the two blues simply had too many players in support and were able to put away the rebounds.
Adam Campbell struck again three minutes later off a penalty stroke and when Jono Baillie finished a slick team movement to make it 3-0 in the seventh minute, Souths had laid the platform for their massive win.
By half-time the score read 10-0 in favour of Souths and goal number five was a moment for rival men's Premier League Hockey outfits to take note of.
In his debut for Souths, Edu Garriga Viudes showed exactly why he had played in the Spanish under 21s side. After playing a role in the first three goals, he scored his first with a drag flick from a penalty stroke.
He finished the match with five goals and numerous assists, the highlight coming in the second stanza when he dribbled past a number of defenders and calmly slotted home in a penalty corner play.
"Ed did make a difference, he didn't dominate the game but his control and his calmness in what he did really helped set us up," Winwood-Smith said. "Everyone lifted because of that and everyone had a big part to play in the game."
Five minutes after the resumption of play, Daniel Carter powered in a reverse stick attempt to make it 11-0. He finished with four to his name and his combination up front with Garriga Viudes is certainly formidable.
Goal number 20 came via Mike Stanford with 3:19 left on the clock, while the man who opened the scoring for the day also rounded it out. Hanrahan made it 22-0 - bettering the 21-0 win Souths' women recorded over Lithgow Zig Zag last year - with 63 seconds remaining.
Though Souths were a class above their rivals, City still showed heart. It was something the winning coach acknowledged.
"I feel really sorry for both of their 'keepers, they made a lot of first saves, but that second shot caught them out," he said.
SOUTHS 22 (Edu Garriga Viudes 5, Daniel Carter 4, Mike Stanford 4, Chris Hanrahan 3, Jono Baillie 3, Adam Campbell 2, Bryce Hitchcock) defeated BATHURST CITY 0