The formation involved taking one player from the defensive backline and adding them to the mid-field in order to have an extra attacker, and this technique will be employed by coach Tilly Carbone throughout the season unless there is need for full defence.

And while the move better allowed ANU to score their lone goal according to skipper Stephanie Coates, it clearly paid dividends with a massive eight goals being scored.

"We wanted to come out attacking and take it to ANU so we pushed a defender up into the mid-field to overload the mid-field and put ANU under the pump," said Coates.

"It worked out well as the scoreline indicates."

Canberra United winger Meg McLaughlin overloaded her goal-scoring bag, amassing an incredible five.

McLaughlin was joined by Brittany Palombi and Zoe Szeremet in the forward three, and each enjoyed a stroll in the park with hardly a thing going wrong.

"Because we had that extra in the mid-field it makes it easy cause the attackers get so much more ball service from the mid-fielders," said Coates.

Coates said the three-four-three formation had its risks in defence, and that the side would still need to take care in using it.

"That person at the back of the diamond in the mid-field role will normally be the one to drop back and be that fourth defender," she said.