Spain Park forward Haley Stone (left) is marked by Gardendale defender Hannah Krebs during Friday night’s 5-0 Jaguar victory.

The signs of improvement are there.

Gardendale’s girls soccer team was doing a much better job of clearing the ball from its defensive half, and in its ball movement in midfield.

But the Rockets still lacked an attacking game, and that plagued them throughout Thursday’s 5-0 loss at home to Spain Park.

“We’ve gotten behind early so much that we’re kind of forced to play defense much of the time,” coach Brad Robertson said. “We are starting to get away from that, though.”

Still, Gardendale continues to struggle against over-the-mountain schools, whose teams have been fed by large youth soccer programs for many years. And the Jaguars are no exception.

Spain Park got on the board first with a goal by Mackenzie Dowdle in the eighth minute, off a shot which came through traffic in the penalty area and squirted by goalkeeper Kelsey Brumbeloe.

Midfielder Gillian Garver found the back of the Rockets’ net in the 28th minute on a header off a corner kick to put the Jags up 2-0 at halftime. She then scored again in the first minute of the second half.

Taylor Horton followed up with a goal in the 47th minute, and Abby Brunner scored in the 54th.

The loss puts the Rockets record at 1-5-1, before they go on a long hiatus for education exams and spring break. They are scheduled to play Homewood — which beat Gardendale 1-0 two weeks ago on a stoppage-time goal — on April 2.