What a way to start the second half of the season.

Ross Hockey Club, who are based in Monmouth, travelled to Rougemont for a friendly game against Gwent.

The last time the sides met back in October Ross were well beaten 3-0.

This time round, Ross played like they had not had a Christmas break and came away with a fantastic 6-1 victory.

Although the result looks like the game was very one-sided this was not the case, the ball travelled from end to end.

Once again Louise Cross put the keeper's kit on again to play againt Gwent due to the regular keeper being unavailable, and she kept a clean sheet in the first half of the match.

With some great defensive work from the back line of Kath Jessup, Kate Hadley, Kim Callard and Liese Brady, the ball was kept out of the D for the majority of the first half.

With the defence strong this allowed the wingers Georgie Taylor Jessup and Christina Stevenson to fly up the wings and cross the ball into the circle.

Becky Pass was the first to get her name on the score sheet with a slip into the left corner.

With renewed energy, Ross pressed forward with Vanessa Ball working tirelessly in the middle driving Ross forward.

Lucy Perkins was the second to get her name on the score sheet for 2014 with a well struck ball in the final seconds of the first half.

The second half started and once again it was Pass who put her name on the score sheet.

Newport seemed to be spurred on at this point and responded with a goal. The next goal for Ross came from a cross into the circle from Christina Stevenson which was clipped by Gwent keeper Florence Meril into her own net.

Ross' fifth goal saw Pass complete her hat-trick and the final goal of the game came from a well crossed ball from player-of-the-match Christina Stevenson.

The midfield of Vanessa Ball, Becky Fortnam and Jess Element continued to support the forwards and battled hard to keep the ball moving in the right direction.

Ross should take a lot from this game and hopefully this will give renewed energy and confidence starting in the league next week at home to Lansdown, 1.15pm at Monmouth Sports Complex.