AFTER the opening month of the women’s Premier League Hockey season undefeated Bathurst City is setting the pace, but Souths coach Damien Carter feels there is another threat.
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Last Saturday he witnessed firsthand what a Lithgow Panthers line-up including New South Wales representative Abby Wilson can do, Souths suffering an 11-2 defeat.
Panthers began its title defence with a 5-0 victory over Ex-Services, before suffering rare back-to-back losses at the hands of St Pat’s and Bathurst City.
Wilson did not take part in those games due to her state duties, but when she was back in purple against Souths she made a big difference. She struck five times and helped manufacture a host of other attacking raids.
“If Abby Wilson plays for the season, they are definitely a big threat. They aren’t as big a threat without her,” Carter said.
“They are as frigging good side, but without Abby Wilson I might take seven of the goals they got against us off them. If she didn’t score them, she set them up.”
Following that win Panthers are third on the ladder behind Bathurst City and a resurgent Confederates. The Lithgow outfit also now has the best attacking record in the competition.
Yet even without the strike power Wilson provides, Carter knows Panthers are a side not to be underestimated.
“The spread it so well, they spread it out, they stretch you to the outsides then they hit you up the guts,” he said. “Lithgow played great, they do, the spread you, they pick your weakness. They are definitely still a threat.”
