Disappointed with leaking 32 points against Mudgee in round four of the Peter McDonald Premiership, Betts issued his players a challenge to improve their defensive attitude.

They delivered on that challenge as they restricted a Hawks side that had been averaging over 20 points per game to just a single try at Carrington Park.

"I don't really care about the 46, it's the four points I care about, especially after last week," Betts said.

"We spoke about it at training on Tuesday, about how we were going to change that, we knew it was an attitude thing. So everyone bought into it this week and the attitude was a lot better.

"That's what we've based our team on the last four or five years, our defence. We did give a few penalties away there on the fourth or fifth [tackle], but I wasn't too disappointed with that because I knew I could back our defence."

Hawks' sole try came in the 51^st minute, but the 42-point loss did not reflect how much attacking ball the Orange side actually enjoyed.

In the first half Panthers twice gave away penalties on consecutive sets and dropped a bomb metres out from their line on another occasion.

But Deryne McKenzie being held up over the line was as close as Hawks got to points before the break.

Hawks also pilled on the pressure in the final four minutes, but Panthers willed each other on in defence and held them out.

"We spoke about it at half-time, about how we didn't want to switch off because they're a pretty classy team," Betts said of Hawks.

"If we gave them a sniff they would have come back hard."

Panthers' first try came seven minutes into the clash after being given a piggyback down field by a penalty.

The ball was spread to the left wing where noted finisher Desi Dolan crossed for the first of his four tries.

"Desi knows how to find the line, that's for sure. He loves a try, so he'd be pretty happy with four," Betts said.

That attacking movement was a sign things to come with Panthers steering plenty of football down its left edge.

Left centre Jeremy Gordon was the next to score following a brilliant run from Josh Rivett, the fullback breaking numerous tackles as he carried the ball deep into Hawks territory.

When a kick in behind Hawks' defence set up Doolan's second, Panthers found themselves up by 14 with 28 minutes gone.

There was more to come.

Hawks were penalised on the next set to gift Panthers more territory and Hudson White punished the mistake with a weaving run from dummy half to score.

Another piece of Rivett brilliance iced the first half effort as he made a one-on-one strip on Hawks fullback Jake Blimka then put Tom Lemmich over between the sticks. Willie Wright converted to make it 26-0.

"I was pretty impressed with our start, like the whole season we've been starting poorly, so that was a positive," Betts said.

Doolan had his third try seven minutes after play resumed and while Hawks finally got on the board thanks to the fast feet of five-eighth Ryan Manning, Panthers replied.

Wright crossed, Doolan made it four for the match, then came a long range special. Keelan Bresac kicked the ball along the ground after a Hawks knock-on, Aiden Ryan scooped it up and ran 60 metres then found Rivett in support.

Wright converted that last try, making his personal haul for the match 14 points and putting the score at 46-4.

In the final four minutes Hawks pressured in search of a late consolation, but Panthers' defence stood firm.

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