IT only took 20 seconds for the Lithgow Panthers to get a goal past Souths at the Cooke Hockey Complex on Saturday, and they didn't stop there, as the score ended up 5-1 in the women's Premier League Hockey clash.
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An Abby Wilson hat-trick in the space of just 25 minutes put Panthers up 3-nil at half time and, despite an improved Souths squad taking the field for the second half, the Bathurst side couldn't recoup.
What was an opportunity to go as high as second place on the ladder was swept away from Souths, who remain in fourth.
Wilson poked a shot home from close range while most spectators were just getting comfortable. It was a sign of things to come.
The Lithgow striker made it two within five minutes when she received the ball right in front of goalkeeper Kate Brown, spun off her and helped the ball into the corner.
Souths lifted in response and the possession started to even out.
At the 20-minute mark Souths had their first chance to score when a Madison Boyce's flick pass got to Ashleigh Corby in the circle, but the striker couldn't bring it under control.
FIve minutes later Wilson extended her side's advantage with a diving reverse stick effort.
Corby got Bathurst's only goal of the game when she got hold of an overhead pass from Ali Stanford and chipped it over goalkeeper Jess Luchetti.
With two minutes to half time Corby narrowly missed a shot that would have gone down as one of the team goals of the season. Souths got the ball into the Panthers circle with some fluid passing off at least six sticks before Corby's diving effort just went right of the post.
Panthers came out swinging in the second half and had a penalty corner blocked, before another shot just went high of the crossbar.
Eventually Roxanne Van Veen capitalised on the pressure to put home an easy shot on the post eight minutes into the second period.
Van Veen had another easy finish 10 out from full-time after Wilson's run down the left side of the field cut up Souths' right side defence.
Souths coach Damien Carter says his team could have made some better defensive decisions to reduce the margin.
"In marking we were giving them too much space. We were standing five yards behind them and they one touch pass and you're in the middle of nowhere. We'll be working a bit on marking for training on Tuesday," he said.
"Positives are that we had some shots. It could have been 3-2 at half-time with that [Corby] ball just missing. It just showed how easy it is to break down a good defence. We managed to get that ball in and it missed by inches on the post.
"5-1 may have flattered them a bit but in saying that they pass the ball so well and create so many chances. We had some good shots in the second half. We have to hold our heads up."
LITHGOW PANTHERS 5 (Abby Wilson 3, Roxanne Van Veen 2) def BATHURST SOUTHS 1 (Ashleigh Corby)
