But while everything appeared to go to plan, coach Aaron Ford suggested there was still plenty to work on.
The second half was too disjointed for his liking. That said, there were plenty of positives to build on as well.
"Winning, yes. But it terms of it going to plan, well, not quite," he said.
"We started off quite well. We held the ball for long periods of time and the game was beginning to open up for us. But then we probably just lost our flow a little bit.
"And we weren’t able to build 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 passing phases. It just became a little bit messy for both ends. Certainly in the second half it was a lot of up and back and messy hockey.
"We always want more and have high standards. But we are happy enough with picking up the win and now we’ve got a starting point."
That first half will provide the blueprint.
The Alpiners dominated possession and territory and pounced early in the second quarter.
Otago striker James Nicolson skilfully brought a high pass under control in the circle and slammed the shot into the corner of the net.
He then calmly added the conversion to make it 2-0.
"The what?" you say.
Well, the league has introduced a new initiative for New Zealand hockey, which it has borrowed off Australia.
When a field goal has been scored that player will get an opportunity to score another. They take the ball back to the 25m line and go one on one with the keeper, shoot-out style.
The Alpiners added a third goal two minutes later. Black Sticks striker Sam Lane slammed in a penalty corner.
You do not get an opportunity at a conversion from a penalty corner. The idea behind the innovation is to encourage teams to go for goal when they get in the circle rather than trying to win a penalty corner by hitting the foot of an opposition player.
The Alpiners scored three more goals in the third quarter.
Nick Findlay deflected in a cross from Daniel Torr and scored the conversion.
And moments later Finn Ward charged into the circle and pushed the ball into the net to make it 6-0.
Jonty Elmes scored late in the third quarter to pull a goal back for the visitors but the match was lost by then.
Ford has come around to the idea of the conversion.
"I’m on board with the purpose of it. We want to encourage field goals," he said, adding it would help develop a different attitude in the circle and hopefully eventually lead to more field goals at the international level for both Black Sticks teams.
"It also puts players under pressure. And that’s what we want.
"Otherwise they get to the big stage and they’re feeling the heat there. So the more pressure moments we can create in our local competitions, it’s got to be a good thing."
The Alpiners’ next assignment is against the Mavericks in Christchurch on Sunday.
The Mavericks drew 2-2 with the Tridents in Auckland but won the shoot-out 4-3 to claim the extra competition point.
Premier Hockey League Men
The scores
Alpiners 6
(James Nicolson 2, Nick Findlay 2, Sam Lane, Finn Ward)
Falcons 1
(Jonty Elmes)
Halftime: 3-0
