SOUTHS might not have been able to make it happen on Saturday, but coach Scott Hanrahan has declared that Lithgow Panthers are beatable.
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In winning Saturday's top-of-the-table clash 3-0 against Souths at Bob Roach Field, Lithgow not only extended its undefeated run in the Central West Premier League Hockey women's competition to seven games, but opened up a 10-point buffer.
However, having watched his side match Panthers' tempo for much of the contest and really pressure the best defence in the league, Hanrahan feels Souths can have their measure.
"Yes, I absolutely do see them as beatable," he said.
"I think we were in it right to the end, the last goal that was scored, it was a bit of a nothing goal.
"We stuck to our structure and what we've been practicing at training, it's really paying off and we put them under a lot of pressure."
Souths went into the Indigenous round contest sitting second on the ladder and full of motivation to close the gap on Panthers.
Souths actually drew the first two penalty corners of the contest.
But Lithgow Panthers sit on top of the ladder for a reason. The visitors responded to Souths' early pressure by applying their own, Millie Leard proving a constant threat in attack.
Chances came down both ends in the opening half, Emma Siejka blasting just wide for Souths while Ash Corby very nearly deflected a Sarah White cross into the goal.
It was a penalty corner play that saw Panthers first on the board, Ashley Robinson tucking the ball in on the right post to see her side with a 1-0 half-time lead.
At that stage Souths was still in the contest and in the third quarter two blues goalkeeper Stephanie Hines produced a string of brilliant saves to see it stay that way.
Hines denied both Chelsea Marshall and Millie Leard in one-on-ones and made a superb glove save off a penalty corner attempt.
But with 1:15 of the third period remaining - again off a penalty corner play - Panthers struck. This time it was Emily Cooper who found the mark with a neat deflection.
Though Souths trailed 2-0 and Panthers kept coming, the hosts threw everything into the final quarter to try and get back on level terms.
They couldn't manage it and Panthers grabbed third goal with just 31 seconds left via Leard, but Hanrahan could not fault the endeavour of his side.
"We turned up today, we wanted to play today and it was a really good game, the score didn't reflect the way the game was played," he said.
"I couldn't be prouder of the group, everyone has stepped up, we've had a few injuries along the way and few girls filling in and learning new roles within the team, that's been a recent challenge of ours.
"But these girls all aimed up today, they put a really good effort in and I couldn't have been prouder of the way they played."
- LITHGOW PANTHERS 3 (Ashley Robinson, Emily Cooper, Millie Leard) defeated SOUTHS 0