There was a decidedly unfamiliar feeling surrounding Bathurst City's slow start to the women's Premier League Hockey season but Saturday's upset, away win over competition leaders CYMS could well be the powerhouse side's turning pint.
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Bathurst City player-coach Lisa Quinn described her outfit's performance in the 3-1 victory as their best of 2019, the win also pushing them well and truly into the finals frame again.
With Confederates getting beaten and Bathurst Souths forced to share the points with Ex-Services, Bathurst City has moved into a share for fourth with the two former sides, they're in a three-way deadlock on 14 competition points.
That was probably the best we've played and we're right in contention for that top four place.
- Bathurst City player-coach Lisa Quinn
Quinn's early goal paved the way for the victory and Casey Miles put the finishing touches on with a brace, Bathurst City keeping CYMS scoreless until the final quarter.
Kayla Russell did eventually give CYMS something to cheer about in the final term after a barrage of desperate attacking play, but it wasn't enough to shake City's composure, who defended stoutly for the remainder to claim a boilover, two-goal win.
It was just their second victory of the season, although they've played out three draws as well, while it was only CYMS' second loss of the year.
The green and golds do hang on to top spot though, although they're in a share for it with Bathurst St Pat's, after Lithgow Panthers were stripped of points.
Although Panthers defeated Confederates on the weekend, it was discovered they'd played an unregistered player earlier in the year against CYMS. They actually lost that game 2-1, but the result changes to a 5-nil defeat and they had four points stripped as well.
That change gave CYMS a handy little goal difference boost as well, which keeps them slightly above St Pat's in those terms.
"That was probably the best we've played and we're right in contention for that top four place," Quinn said of her side's win on Saturday.
"We tried to stay out of the midfield, they're very strong there. After a poor first five minutes we quickly turned it around and we had a fairly good amount of attack.
"Our passing around the midfield was exceptional. We got the ball out wide and we were linking up well with our strikers. Our defence came through, cleaned up and didn't let them have any runaways."
Panthers' win over Confederates, also at Orange Hockey Centre, came by way of Amanda Saladine, Chelsea Marshall and Clare Bosman goals.
- BATHURST CITY 3 (Casey Miles 2, Lisa Quinn) def ORANGE CYMS 1 (Kayla Russell)
- LITHGOW PANTHERS 3 (Chelsea Marshall, Amanda Saladine, Clare Bosman) def CONFEDERATES 0
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