Jodie Hill came into goal for The Pride for her first appearance of the season and Annie Laight came back in to defence. There was also a first appearance of the season for Loren Kitching - and this game marked Aimee Healy-Raynor’s 50th appearance for The Pride.

The hosts were on the front foot in the opening five minutes during which Pride Park were somewhat tentative, and unable to string passes together. However, they soon started to get into the game and to push Amber Valley back

In a devastatingly clinical spell of 30 minutes Pride Park scored six goals, including a hat-trick by Daisy Bowen who opened the scoring after 10 minutes with a looping shot from the corner of the penalty area - and almost added another three minutes later when she latched on to a loose ball, sidestepped a challenge and hit a first time shot from the edge of the area that came back off the crossbar. Not to be denied, she did score a second after 14 minutes, when she ran on to Beth Jones’ through ball and hit a low shot from the edge of the area that beat the keeper at the near post (2-0)

Amber Valley responded, and went close after 18 mins, when their player cut in from the left, the ball broke free under challenge to a striker but her snap shot wide went just wide of the far post from 8 yards.

Deliveries from corners were also a threat and an inswinging corner after 22 mins was punched away by Jodie Hill, the clearance completed by Annie Laight to Beth Jones, who held the ball up well under pressure, turned and ran, only to be sandwiched between two defenders on half way. From the resulting free kick Annie Laight’s terrific delivery to the far side of the area was crossed from the bye line by Tash Collyer, and headed in at the far post by Emma Gittins (3-0) - a bit of a collector’s item as it was not only her first goal for The Pride but also the first time she has ever scored with a header.

Daisy Bowen completed her hat-trick after 32 minutes when she nipped in ahead of and sidestepped the defender to hit a shot across the keeper (4-0)

Three minutes later it was 5-0 as Tash Collyer’s cutback found Beth Jones in space on the penalty spot, and at the second attempt she drilled her shot into the corner.

Amber Valley pulled a goal back after 37 minutes, when a super cross from their left, from about half way inside the Pride’s half, dropped over the defence and was slotted home from six yards. It was a disappointing goal to concede but the quality of the cross made the goal.

With not long left before half-time, it was important Pride saw out the remaining minutes and didn’t give Amber Valley any encouragement. They went one better - an inswinging corner was collected well by Jodie Hill, and from her kick upfield Beth Jones and a defender were tussling for the ball from the half way line on the run, as a second defender came across and took Beth’s legs from under her just inside the area. The penalty was despatched by Tash Collyer to restore Pride’s five goal margin (6-1)

As impressive as the first half was from The Pride, and it’s possible to wax lyrical about the performance and the goals, the second half performance was just as impressive as The Pride managed the game - epitomised by a moment in the second half when Amber Valley threatened to break beyond the centre backs Annie Laight and Eliot Sayavong, but they did exceptionally well to delay and hold up the attack, while their teammates recovered and got behind the ball very quickly, and the danger was averted.

Amber Valley had more attempts on goal in the second half - six - than in the first half, but Pride were still creating chances, although not able to be as clinical with them as in the first half.

The closest to another from The Pride was when Summer Evans held off a defender, turned and her shot beat the keeper but rebounded off the foot of the near post and across goal - and Tash Collyer’s curling shot drifted just wide of the far post from 20 yards.

Pride executed their game plan very well on a difficult pitch and continue an extremely good opening to the campaign.

There was a split vote for Player of the Match, which was shared between Daisy Bowen - unplayable in the first half and rewarded with a hat-tick, and Annie Laight who competed well and was composed on the ball with some excellent distribution - but, in truth, this was another good all round squad performance.

There’s no fixture for The Pride next week, so the next game is in two weeks at Moorways when the visitors are Buxton (Sunday 19th Oct KO 1.30pm).