HOCKEY
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WHEN Souths walked off the field on Saturday afternoon it was with disappointment etched on their faces after suffering a 7-1 loss to Lithgow Panthers, yet defeated skipper Candice Falconer still feels her side can match the women’s Premier League Hockey frontrunners.
That is if they can shake some mental demons.
Prior to Saturday’s match, Souths sat second on the ladder and felt they were in a position to challenge Panthers. Playing on their home turf at Bob Roach Field on an afternoon when the two blues were staging a club day were added motivators.
For the opening stages of the contest Souths restricted Panthers well and believed they could spring an upset, but that soon changed.
By half-time they trailed 3-0 and after a just handful of minutes had ticked down in the second stanza, the margin had blown out to five.
“I think we were definitely in the contest for the first 15-20 minutes, we were definitely on par with them. But then I feel we dropped away and they kept pressing. Once Lithgow get on a roll they just keep knocking them into the back of the net,” Falconer said.
“I do think it is a mental thing, they have got it over us, but as soon as we get over that I think we are good enough to match them. We just haven’t done it yet.
“Lithgow have always been such a really good side, we have just got to learn to match them for a whole game.”
Souths’ only goal of the match came off Ali Stanford’s stick from a penalty corner play after the siren.
The two blues were also fortunate not to have conceded more than seven goals, with defenders Kate Stanford and Michelle Somers making good blocks on the line while goalkeeper Kate Brown pulled off three impressive diving stick saves in the final half hour of the contest.
While Souths did have their share of possession in Panthers’ half, they were in the main held outside the circle and when able to get in a position to shoot, did nothing to really test the Lithgow goalkeeper.
“We can play a lot better, we didn’t perform how we all wanted to today,” Falconer conceded.
“The first half we didn’t have a short corner, so to be 3-0 down at half-time I think was okay because we defended a lot and didn’t have a chance to attack. I really thought we could come back from that, but then they just switched on again and we got too far behind.”
The last time Souths managed to beat the Panthers was on July 2, 2011. That game saw sisters Casey and Keely Hunter – now no longer with the Bathurst club – find the back of the net in a 2-1 result.
Falconer was part of the side that day, as were current team-mates Sarah Watterson, Tahlia Cranston, Carly Guihot and Ali Stanford.
Yet the Souths skipper struggles to recall that win and it is easy to understand why. It was one of just four victories in the last nine years against Panthers – the others coming in 2010, 2008 and in the 2007 minor semi-final.
Still, Falconer is steadfast in her belief that Souths have the talent to end their losing streak against Panthers and pressure for the 2015 premiership.
“I think they are beatable, we haven’t done it but I think we can, hopefully we can do it this year,” she said.
“We are a step behind them, but it’s not that big a step. I think we do have the team to make the grand final, but I think Lithgow are still the benchmark.”