It was City’s first loss of the season and they by no means made things easy for the visiting Panthers.

City had come from a goal down to lead 2-1 with 32 minutes gone, the link between skilled duo Lisa Quinn and Brooke McFadden as they transitioned from defence to attack with speed a feature.

However, Australian All Schools representative Hannah Kable showed why she is such a valued attacking midfielder for the Panthers as she bagged the leveller and scored again in the second half.

“I told her it was one of the better games I think I’ve seen her play. Her work rate today was phenomenal, she creates a lot of things for us in the centre,” Panthers coach Dave Marshall said of Kable.

For City coach Nick Klower, there were positives too.

He liked the way his side fought hard for the full 70 minutes with Kelly Baker unlucky not to have finished the match with a brace of her own, while debutante Reita Holmes certainly added starch to City’s defence.

“My girls were fantastic, they don’t give up, but they just unfortunately couldn’t get those final touches which we needed to knock the ball in,” he said.

“They were really good today Lithgow, they stuck to their game plan, they pressed very well.”

Bathurst City goalkeeper Maddy Tattersall, who was named in the NSW Country side earlier in the week, was sharp early on as she parried away an Amanda Saladine reverse stick effort.

But on three minutes Panthers found a way past the talent shot-blocker, Clare Bosman slotting her shot from a penalty corner play into the bottom left corner of the net.

Bosman was again on target when Panthers earned a second penalty corner nine minutes later, but this time Tattersall was able to make the block.

City then quickly countered via Kelsey Willott, who linked up with Quinn, and it took a sharp save from Panthers goalkeeper Bailee Staines to deny her.

But Quinn’s next effort – deflecting the ball from a Baker penalty corner shot – proved too good and it put City back on level terms in the 21st minute.

Both sides continued to probe in attack, Baker making a brilliant tackle when Bosman wound up at the top of the circle, while the experienced Cheryn Van Veen was solid for Panthers.

As half-time approached Baker managed to put City ahead, but with 86 seconds left on the clock Kable came up with a piece of magic.

At full speed, and on her reverse stick, she fired home a left-to-right effort after a penetrating run through the midfield. That locked it up at 2-all.

The intensity continued in the second half and though City was unable to add to its tally they came close – Staines making two quality diving stick saves.

Though City defender Sarah McCusker also came up with a block on the line from a penalty corner play, Panthers found the goals they needed to end the Bathurst side’s winning run.

Firstly Kellsey Charlton capitalised on a nice Saladine pass to make it 3-2, then with just over four minutes remaining, they iced their win.

Emily Thompson made a nice run through the middle, then released Chelsea Marshall down the right.

She drew out the defence then threw a pass back to the middle of the circle where Kable was waiting to convert.

The result came as a relief for Marshall, who was pleased to see his side produce their best hockey of the year thus far.

“I think we really needed to step. from the start of the season we’ve played well with a young team, but I think today the older players really stepped up,” he said.

“We talked about this being game where we had to get the points in to keep us up in that top five area and the elder players really stepped right up.”