Souths defeats St Pat's 2-1 in first grade Bathurst Women's Hockey extra-time thriller

Brown's strike came with 3:42 left on the clock in extra-time and triggered scenes of jubilation from the two blues players and supporters.

It gave Souths a 2-1 win over St Pat's a Bob Roach Field.

The match had been locked at 1-all since the ninth minute and while both sides had their chances in regulation time to break the stalemate, a winner didn't come.

That meant golden goal extra-time and while Souths had been in survival mode for much of the final quarter, its players lifted.

It was in the second half of extra-time Brown found herself in space on the right edge of the circle.

She pulled the trigger. The ball flew into the bottom left corner of the goal.

"Well I was thinking 'Where is my player?' but I couldn't hear anything so I just blocked everything out and thought 'Shoot'," Brown said.

"I just had to hit the ball and aim for that far corner because I knew the keeper was out there. I just thought shoot it.

"When it came off my stick my eyes were closed, I was so nervous, then I looked up and heard it hit the backboard, it was just the best sound ever."

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Though it was a sound which broke Saints' hearts, especially as they'd had the better of the chances including seven penalty corners, for Souths it marked the end of an impressive finals campaign.

The two blues had qualified in third meaning they had to survive two weeks of sudden-death hockey just to make the decider. Firstly they beat Waratahs 2-0 then bettered minor premiers Kelso by the same margin.

Souths then hung in to force extra-time - fill-in goalkeeper Daisy Morrissey making a pair of clutch saves - and found something extra to be crowned champions.

"Basically it was seven minutes each way just run your heart out, run your legs off, as soon as we score it's over," Brown of extra-time.

"It means a lot, we got struck out in prem [Central West Premier League] so to win this one means a lot to the girls, it's so good.

"This is my first ever grand final win in first grade, I've been in first grade a few years and we've made the grand final before, we just couldn't get it."

Brown was active in the opening minutes of Saturday's decider, but each time she threatened experienced Saints defender Lucy Weal came up with an excellent tackle.

It was something Weal did throughout the match in a superb defensive display.

Eight minutes in Souths finally got the breakthrough it had been pushing for when earning a penalty corner. From the top of the circle Mandy George blasted home.

However, the lead was short lived. Less than a minute in fact.

Pat's came up with an immediate response, an Isabel Fulton pass finding an unmarked Kristy Ekert who made no mistake.

The Saints twice came close to taking the lead before the quarter-time whistle, both from penalty corner plays. But firstly fill-in goalkeeper Sarah White denied Amy Vanderhel then George made a brilliant stick save to hold out Ekert.

In second quarter the Saints continue to pressure, Savannah Draper making a number of incisive runs, but while drawing another three penalty corners Souths held firm.

In the second half Morrissey replaced White in goals for Souths in a move that was to prove telling.

Though not a regular goalkeeper Morrissey came up with a number of blocks including a pair of sharp glove saves to force the match into extra-time.

That's when Brown scored the golden goal.

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