In the first seven minutes the Saints found the back of the net three times – speed in attack, slick passing, strong support play and clinical finishing seeing them stamp their authority on proceedings.

Though Souths settled after that early barrage and didn’t concede again until the dying stages, that opening period demonstrated why the Saints lead the competition.

“It was a good start, we did everything we were meant to do in that first 10 minutes,” Saints’ Kristy Ekert said.

“I think we just tried to play to their game too much after that and I think we had what happened in our head last time – when we drew after being three-up.

“We just needed to get that out of our heads and play our own hockey, but we didn’t quite get there.

“I think we’ve had one goal against us in our last four games, so our coach is pretty happy with that. They didn’t have any short corners against us, which is something we’ve been working on in defence.

“We just really wanted to go out there and stay up the top of the ladder.”

Having won four of the last six Bathurst derbies against Souths and drawn another, the Saints laid the platform for another success early.

Just 30 seconds into the contest Amy Glenn released Sarah Watterson down the left flank, she worked her way into the circle then fired in a cross which Julie Hanman slotted home.

Four minutes later it was 2-nil as Pat’s intercepted an attempted clearance on the top of the circle and Ekert capitalised.

The third goal came just over three minutes later, Watterson finishing off a move which included some nice passing between Ekert and Hanman.

Aside from those three goals, the opening 10 minutes also included a pair of Pat’s penalty corner chances and on 12 minutes, it took a brilliant diving stick save from Souths goalkeeper Kate Brown to deny Paityn Simpson as she ran onto a Ruby Clarke cross.

Though Watterson and Clarke continued to threaten with their speed, Souths settled into the contest after that blistering opening from their rivals.

Meg Booth and Nikki Braun worked hard in the midfield while Shannon Fisher made some nice penetrating runs.

Still, St Pat’s tackled strongly and prevented Souths from having any real chances to go to the break with a 3-0 lead.

Nine minutes into the second half Souths had its best chance of contest when Sophie McCauley found herself in a one-on-one with Pat’s goalkeeper Tracey Gunning, but the shot blocker shut her down.

Tahni Isedale came up with a big defensive play for Souths as the clock ticked down when she blocked an Ella Davis shot on the line after she had beaten Brown, then cleared the ball again when Ekert fired in another attempt.

With six minutes remaining, and the memory of Souths’ late comeback in their minds, Saints switched up their structure to have a back four in defence.

The Saints then sealed victory with just under two minutes left off their eighth penalty corner play, Mish Somers finding the mark to make it 4-0.

“It was a shock for them to score in that first 30 seconds, then they got another one then the third one rolled in, but they are a quality team, that’s why they are first,” Souths coach Ian North said.

“But we know we can match them – they are a quality team and so are we, we just didn’t deliver.”