While City’s win at Bob Roach Field keeps it on top of the ladder heading into the final round, Exies knows a victory against St Pat’s in which it scores plenty of goals may not be enough. The Orange outfit also needs Lithgow Panthers to beat Confederates.

Still, one of Exies more experienced players in Leanne Kennewell is not giving up hope despite City being too good for her side.

“It makes it harder for us, but we’ve always done things tough. We have made it harder on ourselves, but that’s the way we like to play, leave it to the last minute,” she said.

“There’s a reason why they [City] are on top of the ladder. They just came out all guns blazing and we weren’t prepared for that.

“But I think we stuck it to them there in the second half, we stepped it up.”

Exies did make things tougher on City in the second stanza after trailing 4-0 at the break, goalkeeper Erin Horan producing a string of good saves.

But City did dominate possession and chances, with nine penalty corners to go with the eight it earned in the opening half.

Certainly City coach Lisa Quinn was delighted with the effort, especially as her side had drawn with Exies earlier in the season.

“I honestly didn’t expect it to be a 5-0 win, I knew they were coming out to fight for a position in the semi-finals, so in my mind, that’s like a grand final for them, they have to win,” she said.

“But we, in all honesty, have been playing so well, I think we’ve played some of our best hockey in the last couple of weeks.

“We’re really polishing up all our shots on goal, our passing and our talking and we are really moving forward for the finals, and I’m excited about that.”

Though City was missing NSW Country representatives Maddy Tattersall and Kelsey Willott for the match, the returning Brooke McFadden bolstered the midfield.

City’s intensity was obvious from the get-go, earning four penalty corners inside the first seven minutes.

While 15-year-old Annaleise Kukla, who played goalkeeper in the opening half for Exies, did well, the possession and chances told.

Bec Bosianek opened scoring from a penalty corner play before both Quinn and Jess Hotham found the mark to push the score out to 3-0.

Ten out from the break fullback Andrea Seymour powered in from City’s seventh penalty corner to make it 4-0.

Exies did earn a pair of penalty corners before the break, and two more in the second half, but its chances were few.

City sealed victory five minutes from time via Kelly Baker.