Ladies 2's stutter but still get a point!

P&R Ladies 2's gained another point on Saturday and remain unbeaten since the first weekend of the season, but will feel that they lost 2 points in this match.

With instructions from captain Jax to operate a high press for the first 20 minutes and score 3 goals by half time, the game started really brightly with Cleo Browne getting an early goal on 3 mins for the home team - a sweeping slap from the left of the pitch which scared the Hawks defender into a rash swing of her stick and a deflection into her own net.

Things looked even brighter when 12 minutes later Deese Pointon scored with a neat finish after her own work from right inner got her into the D, and the home side were 2-0 up and looking strong with 20 minutes on the clock. A series of Hawks attacks were well defended by the oranges but on 27 mins Hawks got a goal back after a hopeful strike rebounded awkwardly off the inside of the post and a Hawks striker was there to poke the ball home between the wrongfooted P&R defence.

The home side restored their 2 goal advantage almost immediately with Deese Pointon again scoring to leave the score at 3-1 going into half time.

Hawks came out in the 2nd half with fire in their bellies and got back into the game within 3 minutes of the start. A hopeful aerial ball into the orange D was touched on by the Hawks striker in the air and it looped over Flying's stick off the underside of the bar - a flukey goal but it got Hawk's tails up and set the home team on edge and caused them to lose their control on the game.

For the next 20 minutes, P&R tried to find their form from the first half, but whether it was multiple substitutions or a lack of team consistency, the flowing hockey we're used to seeing just didn't materialise, and Hawks grew stronger as the game went on with Flying being called into action more than once to clear the danger.

22 minutes into the second half Hawks got their equaliser with a screamer of a strike and made for a very nervy final 10 minutes. Hawks probably looked more likely to score soon after that goal with P&R looking shaken, but the home side got their juices going again and in the last 5 minutes they piled on the pressure. Despite pinning Hawks in their own half, that final touch just wasn't there to get the vital winning goal and the game ended 3-3.

With the top 5 teams being so close in Div 2, the draw may not be the result the team wanted but they are still unbeaten in the last 5 games and will look to avenge their defeat next weekend away against Buckingham.