PRIOR to Eglinton's season opener, coach Ian Crook stressed to his players the importance of making a strong start to their Bathurst District Football women's premier league campaign.
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It was a message they listened to.
On Sunday at Proctor Park they scored four times in the first half to set up a 5-0 victory over the Millthorpe Tigers.
And it was not just the scoreline that had Crook smiling, there were other areas that impressed the coach as his side played their first match since falling in the 2019 preliminary final nearly 10 months earlier.
There were penetrating crosses and through-balls, strength in the 50-50 contests while in defence, they in the main restricted the Tigers attempts from outside or on the edges of the box.
"Excellent start, very good to blow the cobwebs out, the girls have been really keen, so it was good to see," Crook said.
"I said to the girls that I think it's going to be a very even grade this year and we need to get off to a good start and we were able to do that."
In 2017 when Eglinton made its return to the BDF's top flight, their first win came against Millthorpe with a 3-0 result in the season opener. Since then the two sides have built a healthy rivalry.
But on Sunday Eglinton wasted little time in stamping its authority on the contest. Tayla Brasier had the Tigers' defence scrambling with a pair of excellent crosses from the left wing and while they did not result in a goal, on eight minutes the opener came.
It was a brutal long-range salvo from Lauren Dove which gave Eglinton the lead, her effort clattering into the inside of the left upright and while then rolling back out of the goal mouth, the ball had crossed the line.
Ashleigh Crook - who not only made a number of incisive attacking runs but covered well in defence - combined with Tara Booth to double that advantage in the 27th minute and also played a role in Eglinton's third goal.
After Tayla Slattery had earlier been denied by a diving save from Tigers goalkeeper Dael Bingham, in the 34th minute she used her blistering speed to run onto a long Crook throw in. After working her way into the box, she produced a clinical finish.
Eglinton dealt the Tigers one more blow before the break when Missy Cosgrove's long range attempt dipped, bounced and beat Bingham to make it 4-0.
The Tigers' best chance of the half, and the match, came in the 32nd minute when striker Alexandra Quick and Madison Marmion combined inside the box after being played in behind Eglinton's defence. However, the attempt flew wide.
Eglinton sealed the win in the 71st minute as Booth made it a brace by slotting home on the far post.
"There is a little bit of rivalry there, so 5-0 is good," Crook said.
"There was a lot of talk out there today which was good. It was a good start."
