SOUTHS have hit back to form with a crushing 8-0 win over Parkes in their women’s Premier League Hockey match on Saturday, their second win of the season.
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Having been defeated heavily by Lithgow Panthers in round three, Souths were desperate to not only win, but make up some ground in terms of bonus points and goal difference. They managed to do both in a convincing display.
In fairness to Parkes, they began the game with only nine players and even with the full compliment after 20 minutes, the hot conditions visibly took their toll.
But the manner in which the home side went about things offered no end of encouragement for coach Candice Falconer.
“The good thing was not that we scored the eight goals, but the way we created so many quality chances,” she said.
“To make the most of them was great, but the pleasing part was the way we moved the ball around and set up those opportunities.”
The signs were ominous for Parkes early as impressive goalkeeper Haylea Rogers was forced to make a brilliant save in the third minute from an Ali Stanford shot.
A short time later, Tahnya Isedale got Souths on the board and almost had a second moments afterwards, while Casey Hunter was also denied by Rogers.
A succession of penalty corners failed to pay dividends but after a full-field break Lauren Della Ca converted to double her team’s lead as Parkes struggled to even get the ball into Souths’ half.
With 10 minutes until half-time Stanford got her name into the scorebook, and a 4-0 lead was the reward when Tahlia Cranston put a penalty corner away just before the break.
Within five minutes of the resumption of play the two-blues had back-to-back shots rebound off the post, but Isedale scored her second soon after for a 5-0 lead and the bonus point that came with it.
In the final 15 minutes Souths added another three, Cranston scoring a second while Hunter and Ailie McGarity also found the back of the net.
While Rogers was arguably Parkes’ best despite the scoreline, her Souths counterpart Erin Middlehurst will rarely enjoy as quiet a match as she did on Saturday.
“That was definitely our best performance of the season,” Falconer said.
“From last week I just wanted to see our players getting in front and being a bit stronger on the ball and they did that right from the start.
“Ali Stanford in particular was very good up front I thought.”
SOUTHS 8 (Tahnya Isedale 2, Tahlia Cranston 2, Ali Stanford, Lauren Della Ca, Ailie McGarity, Casey Hunter) defeated PARKES 0
