AFTER eight consecutive games without being able to get the better of women’s Premier League Hockey rivals Lithgow Panthers, Saturday finally saw Bathurst City snare full points.
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For the first time since the 2014 finals series, City managed to post a win over Panthers as the Lisa Quinn coached outfit prevailed 4-1 at Bob Roach Field.
It was close at half-time as City led 1-0 and Panthers had pressured, but the second stanza saw the Bathurst outfit settle into the contest and the goals it needed came.
“I just think the girls were a little bit nervous in the first half and were a little bit jittery and our passes were a little bit off,” Quinn said.
“But in the second half we relaxed and got our rhythm and once we did that, and the nerves went away, we had control of the ball, the passing was spot on and we made the best of our opportunities.
“I don’t think we got as many opportunities as we did against Confederates [2-0 win], but we made more of them.
“It was very exciting, very nice and a relief to be honest.”
Meeting for the first time since the 2016 grand final, defending premiers Panthers began strongly. City goalkeeper Maddy Tattersall made a sharp glove save before her side defended back-to-back penalty corners with three minutes gone.
Instead it was City who opened scoring in the first half via Emma Oxley, before Bec Bosianek doubled the lead in the second half.
Bosianek had her second as City capitalised on a penalty corner play and while Amanda Saladine managed to pull one back for the defending premiers with some 10 minutes remaining, the Bathurst side was in control.
City iced the win with a fourth goal on full-time, Brooke McFadden converting from a penalty corner play.
It condemned Lithgow Panthers to something which has been a rarity in recent times – back-to-back defeats – while City is undefeated after two games.
Having suffered so much over the past two years at the hands of Panthers, Quinn was delighted to see her side pick up the win.
“It was hard work, we had to slog it out and we didn’t back off at any time. It didn’t feel like a three-goal victory, there was a lot of running and a lot of back and forth,” she said.
“I thought we were good enough, but I was waiting to see if we actually were. It was just a massive relief to know we were good enough.
“There really was again no stand out player and some people didn’t play their best game and we still won, that’s what is really exciting for me.”
