A RETURNING star picked up where she left off and two new recruits found the target as well to help Bathurst City to a 2-1 win over Souths in Saturday's women's Premier League Hockey season opener.
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After sitting out season 2009, it was striker Kelsey Willott who sealed the win at Bob Roach Field as she calmly converted from a one-on-one 27 minutes from time. It was an effort that showed she shapes as a key member of City's title push.
Lithgow recruits Emily Thompson and Tamika Potter also found the mark.
Thompson was strong in the midfield for City and along with Kelly Baker, should create plenty of chances as the short season - there are seven rounds and three weeks of final - unfolds.
Potter was solid at fullback in a new-look defensive set up which also included another returning talent in Brooke McFadden.
With City assistant coach Taylor Tattersall saying City's new faces "are still finding their groove" after a disrupted pre-season, Saturday's performance is one the squad will improve on as well.
It was Souths who opened the scoring in the eighth minute after sisters Jess (centre half) and Sarah (striker) Watterson combined in their return to a two blues shirt, the latter powering in from the right edge of the circle.
But four minutes into the second period, Thomspon intercepted a pass played from the sideline back into centre field. Showing why she's represented her state, she surged into the circle before hitting the mark with tomahawk.
That put City on level terms and three minutes out from the break they had the lead off the back of their first penalty corner of the match. Potter, who also made an on-the-line clearance in the third quarter, powered her attempt straight and hard. It hit the stick of a Souths defender, but still went in.
In a game where chances were few those finishes were important, as was Willott's touch three minutes after the a resumption of play. A beautiful long ball picked her out unmarked in the circle and she converted for a 3-1 lead.
Souths gave themselves hope when Sophie McCauley tucked the ball away following a goal mount scramble with 20 minutes left, but 3-2 was how it remained.
"I honestly don't know what came over us there at the start, but we just kept our heads and yeah, we won. Every point could be essential, that's what we need to get," Tattersall said.
"It was pretty good, it was pretty close if I'm going to be honest, credit to Souths because they gave 100 percent as well as us."
