THEY got away with a slow start in last round’s Bathurst Group 10 premier league derby but Panthers coach Todd Barrow said his side can’t continue making first half slip ups.
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Panthers travel to face Orange Hawks at Wade Park this Saturday, where the men in black are aiming to avoid the same result they encountered at the ground a fortnight ago.
On that occasion a spirited Panthers second half fightback wasn’t enough to reel in a 22-0 deficit against Orange CYMS.
Last round another slow start, against St Pat’s, saw Panthers forced to do the chasing again.
However the Panthers managed to put their game plan together in the second half to run away with the game at Carrington Park to the tune of 24-10.
Barrow said Willie Heta’s Hawks will be filled to the brim with confidence in front of a home crowd.
“They’ll be pretty confident coming off their win. We’re expecting a very tough game, especially having to play them at home,” he said.
“From what I’ve heard Willie has done a great job at the club and they’re really on the way up.”
It’s the clinical second half play from the derby which Barrow wants to see from the opening whistle against a high-flying Hawks outfit.
“We know what the drama for us is at the moment. We’re just getting a little too far ahead of ourselves. We have to be playing more direct. Trying to get too expansive early on is what’s hurting us.
“If we play like we did in the second half against Pat’s then we’ll be in a good position.
“Nothing [in training] has really changed. We’ve shown at the back of our games that what we’re doing is working.”
Hawks, like Panthers, are aiming to take their third win of the season in Saturday’s game.
Barrow’s former club are coming off a 28-18 win over defending premiers Mudgee Dragons.
Panthers will move Jed Betts into the starting front row spot after Jarrod Seager’s injury he picked up in the Group 10 v 11 clash.
Blake Lawson has not quite recovered to 100 per cent from an ankle injury, according to Barrow, which sees Kyle Byrnes starting at centre.
Barrow is aiming to keep up the three-game win streak he boasts over his former club, who he left to take up the Panthers coaching job in 2015.
Premier league kick-off at Wade Park is 3pm Saturday.
