"WE definitely have a point to prove" - that is the message from Bathurst City skipper Emily Thompson when it comes to the 2023 Central West Premier League Hockey competition.
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While Thompson and her team-mates weren't able to halt Lithgow Panthers' undefeated start to the season on Saturday, falling 4-0 at Bob Roach Field, she feels City was better than the scoreline suggests.
Bathurst City actually earned more penalty corners for the match than the defending premiers, the count standing at nine to six.
Were it not for a brilliant Brenna Crocker save, Belinda Meier would have given Bathurst City the lead inside the first five minutes.
Thompson herself struck the post with a shot, while City also didn't concede a goal during a four-minute period when they were down to nine players due to a pair of yellow cards in quick succession.
Those things give Thompson hope better things lie ahead for City.
"We definitely have a point to prove, we won't give up," she said.
"It definitely felt closer, especially with all our opportunities in the first half. I feel like had we put one of those opportunities in during the first half, it would've been a completely different game.
"So there are good things to take from it. We held our heads high and we never gave up.
"We did hit the post on one penalty corner, so we were very close. In the end I think it just came down to a bit of mis-communication I think. We did test them I think."
Test Panthers is what City did best in the opening quarter.
The hosts earned their first penalty corner of the match after three minutes and Meier's shot which drew a brilliant diving save followed soon after.
Kelly Baker also tested Panthers' goalkeeper as City controlled both possession and set the tempo.
However, a defensive lapse three minutes out from the break saw Panthers take the lead.
Rylee Millar, who was superb in both attack and defence throughout the match, was given too much space inside the circle. Her finish was clinical.
Two minutes into the second quarter Panthers struck again via their first penalty corner, Clare Bosman's shot taking a deflection off a City defender and clattering into the bottom left corner of the goal.
With a 2-0 lead Panthers lifted.
They enjoyed more possession, set a quick tempo, and stretched City as they switched play from side to side with excellent, penetrating passes.
City goalkeeper Maddy Tattersall worked hard to hold them out - denying Millie Leard with a sharp glove save and turning away a powerful Erin Burns drive.
However, 25 seconds out from half-time Leard launched and then finished a counter-attacking move which put Panthers 3-0 ahead.
There was no change to the score in the third quarter, Tattersall, Kirsten Weal and Erin Cobcroft pulling off some good defensive plays for City, while down the other end Thompson hit the post from penalty corner number five.
City continued to press for a goal in the final period, but Panthers showed why it is has the best defensive unit in the women's competition by keeping a clean sheet.
Bosman made a it double for the match when scoring from a penalty corner play late in the piece, the 4-0 win Panthers' fourth in a row this season.
Thompson conceded after the match that City, which sits sixth on the ladder, needs to be stronger on the ball.
But she knows that aspect of their game will come and with the hard work being put in at training, the skipper feels more wins will come too.
"I guess we aren't as physical as some teams, especially that team. We put our skill into it, but we probably need to be a bit more physical," she said.
"But we are a very young side and the physicality will come with more experience.
"Being a young side last year we didn't finish that high up on the ladder, but I think each game didn't reflect that. We were really close in a lot of them.
"We are getting a lot at training and doing a lot of work on our fitness, so it will come."
- LITHGOW PANTHERS 4 (Clare Bosman 2, Rylee Millar, Millie Leard) defeated BATHURST CITY 0
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