THE head coach of Dunfermline Athletic Ladies believes the club is a “good place to be” as they bid to build on their flying start to the season.

Garry Herkes says that the future is bright for the club and they are in a strong position to nurture talented homegrown players that can lead them to success.

The Pars ladies opened up their SWFL (Scottish Women’s Football League) Division One North campaign with a thumping 10-4 win at Deveronvale on February 18.

They are based at the Fleet Grounds in Rosyth, which are operated by the South West Fife Sports Partnership (SWFSP), which was created with a view to leasing the land from Fife Council – who bought it from the Ministry of Defence for £133,000 in 2014 – and creating a multi-sport facility for Rosyth and the South West Fife Villages.

The first stage in its development was to install a state-of-the-art artificial pitch, which opened on a “soft” basis in November to provide winter training facilities for teams within the West Fife Football Partnership, which consists of Rosyth FC and Dunfermline Athletic Girls and Ladies.

Garry believes that having such a base will be invaluable for the club, and commented: “We are playing and training at the Fleet Grounds as our home, and they are fantastic facilities for us.

“We have an excellent set-up to bring young players to Dunfermline and, with a great youth set-up, the club itself is a good place to be and to play.”

Dunfermline’s opening game in Banff saw them make an excellent start through Lauren Wheatley before they conceded an equaliser.

Morgan Steedman put them back in front before Wheatley grabbed her second and Athletic’s third.

Steedman then got her second of the afternoon when, after hitting the bar from a free kick floated in to her, she followed up the rebound to score as Jodie Ovens soon smashed home goal number five.

Although Deveronvale pulled a goal back, Brodie Wilson netted from 25 yards for the Pars before losing their third of the game.

The hosts then scored a fourth to pull within two of Dunfermline, who lost goalkeeper Lauren Hamill to injury to be replaced between the sticks by midfielder Jenna Sexton.

That didn’t cause them a problem, however, as a hat-trick goal for Wheatley, soon followed by her fourth, put them 8-4 up before a strike from Kerry Walker, and the completion of Steedman’s treble, finished off a fine win.

Herkes added: “It is a great start to the season, with plenty of good goals and link-up play. It was a solid team performance.”

Kick-off on Sunday is at 1.15pm.

Meanwhile, the Pars have been drawn away to Blackburn United, who defeated Bayside Ladies in the final of the Division Two competition after extra time last season, in the second round of the SWFL Division One League Cup.

The tie will be played on Sunday.