While City played the match at Bob Roach Field with no substitutes, they did well to restrict the Saints to four goals in the opening half.

City also scrambled well in defence as Pat’s converted from just five of 19 penalty corners, skipper Luke McIntosh making five superb blocks on the line.

But as City fatigued and Pat’s settled into the contest, the goals came.

Co-captain Jaden Ekert finished with a hat-trick, Tobbie Muldoon, Brent Naylor and Josh Toole each bagged a double, while Justin Mellor, James Martin, Luke Thorncraft and Aaron Conroy also scored.

“We are trying to work on things with the way we play and the first 15 minutes we were adjusting to that, but after that we played really well,” Ekert said.

“We are the type of side that can play both sides of the field, we don’t have to isolate ourselves to one side. But we did that for 15 minutes straight to start the game, we kept going down the left.

“After we stopped doing that and started using either side, starting splitting them down the middle, we really gave our inside forwards and our strikers a lot more room.

“We have made a conscious effort in the last couple of weeks to not only change the way we play, but be clinical. They had one guy make five saves off the line – if he doesn’t do that it’s 18-0.”

City lost Tim Miller after just seven minutes when he was struck on the arm defending a penalty corner play. He took no further part in the match, which left his side with no substitutes.

Pat’s dominated possession, but they were unable to make that reflect on the scoreboard for most of the first half.

Aside from McIntosh’s heroics for City, Grant Gunning made some smart tackles and at one stage launched a counter-attack which resulted in Brad Miller blasting a shot across the face of goal.

Jayden Hunt also worked himself into a one-on-one which Pat’s goalkeeper Taylor Newton was able to save.

But in the final 10 minutes of the half, Pat’s started to click as they switched up their attacking focal points.

It helped them to a 4-0 lead at the break.

“That is the first time we have started off a game that strong and done better in the first half than we have in the second half,” City assistant coach Shane Jackman said.

“They got the simple things right. They talked, they coordinated themselves, we didn’t have four people marking the one man.

“But then I think a combination of mistakes, no subs, fatigue and all those frustrations built up and we fell away.”

Four minutes after play resumed Pat's had their fifth goal as an Ekert drag flick from a penalty corner flew into the top left corner of the goal.

Naylor powered in a reserve stick shot then set up Martin as the Saints began to create more space.

While City goalkeeper Tom Scott made a string of sharp saves – including a stick block off a penalty corner – the Saints got on a roll.

Toole put the score into double figures with 10 minutes and 46 seconds remaining, while substitute Conroy sealed the win with a 13^th goal from a penalty corner after the siren.