HENWOOD Park proved they are likely to be major players in this year's Pascoe Cup competition with a 4-0 drubbing of Wagga United on Sunday.
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The Hawks registered their first win of the season and the co-coaching partnership of Michael Babic and Matt Menser got the monkey off their back with a dominant performance at Rawlings Park.
Henwood Park were able to control proceedings from the opening whistle and created countless opportunities, with Babic frustrated only to find the back of the net on four occasions.
The first two goals came within a minute of each other late in the opening half. Tyler Allen finished a brilliant Matthew Cain run and cross, before Ashley Woehler got on the end of a Cam Weir cross just moments later.
Weir himself turned chief destroyer after the break with two strong finishes helping the Hawks to a match-winning 4-0 advantage.
Babic, who led Wagga City Wanderers to a historic maiden premiership last year, was happy to get the points but was disappointed not to have scored more.
"I'm disappointed with our finishing," Babic said.
"I'm very happy with a clean sheet but we created a lot of chances and to only finish with four. We said last week our finishing was poor and again this week, we got four but we could have got a lot more.
"There's a lot of work to do there."
Babic was happy with the lead-up work that led to the missed opportunities.
"I felt we controlled the game and looked dangerous going forward all the time. We looked like we could create chances and you're always happy if you creating chances, you know the goals will come. You get worried if you're not creating chances," he said.
"The structure of the team is very good. We've introduced some concepts to them that they're still getting used to. We didn't have a very good pre-season so it's going to take a few weeks for it to happen the way we want it to happen but certainly you could see some things in there that we want."
Weir was a standout for the Hawks, while Menser looked at home controlling things from defence and was well supported by a strong game from David Curtis.
While Henwood Park went down 3-0 to Hanwood in the opening round, Babic likes what he has to work with this season at the Hawks.
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"What I'm really happy with is that it's a good group and they're working and they're listening," he said.
"Matty and I have only been with them just over a month and the ideas and the concepts that we're bringing, you can see them wanting to do it and over time, over the course of the year, I think they'll start to get it.
"There is some good young kids there and I'm really happy with the side. I'm happy with the way they apply themselves. We're asking things of them and you can see them trying to do what we're asking them to do so it's very pleasing."
The loss continued a disappointing start to the year from Wagga United, who were without Kai Watts due to injury.
Round two - Pascoe Cup
Henwood Park 4 d Wagga United 0
Tumut 1 drew with Leeton 1
Hanwood 12 d Tolland 0
South Wagga 2 d Cootamundra 1
Lake Albert 2 d Young 1
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