Cambridge South twice came from behind to gain a draw in their final preparation game before the league season kicks off next week. After going 2-0 up South surrendered the advantage and went into the break 3-2 down. A rally at the start of the second half brought them level, before the home side scored a fourth. Five minutes from the end though, the dogged persistance of South paid off as they got a deserved equaliser.

The recent settled weather continued yesterday as Cambridge South Men's 1st XI took on Bishop's Stortford Men's 3rd XI under glorious blue skies and a warm sun. The pitch matched the weather - a new sand-based astro that bore little resemblance to the pot-holed green of the Abbey. And when the match started Cambridge looked sharp and bright, dominating possession and going 2-0 up within 20 minutes. New signing Duncan was playing in the holding midfield role and was dictating play in the middle of the park. Some quick thinking on free hits outside the Stortford D created chances that flashed just wide of the post. Up front Keith and Jorge were creating space well but it was turning into one of those days for the strikers. A typical Baker surge took him past 3 defenders and into the D but the shot fizzed narrowly wide.

After 17 minutes the captain made some changes, bringing on Alex and Matt and the effect was immediate. Rich, Rob and Alex worked a long corner well and enabled Alex to drive into the D along the base-line. Jorge was unable to capitalise on the cross but after some ricochets the ball fell back to Alex and he scrambled it in. Soon after the lead was doubled as the mis-firing short corner routine finally came good - Chris Baker drilling the ball into the net via a deflection from a defender's stick.

At this point it was all South with Bishop's Stortford struggling to gain any possession in our half. Some excellent running by Keith up-front gave the home defence little time on the ball and the harrying forced them into frequent mistakes. Against the run of play, though, they managed to get back into the game from their second short-corner of the game. The strike from the top of the D was going wide but a deflection from Rich's stick put it in the back of the net. The goal gave the home side a boost and as they started to find their rhythm they had a slice of luck to get an equaliser. The ball inadvertently kicked in by a Stortford attacker; unfortunately the umpire didn't see it and so it was 2-2. And a miserable end to the half was complete when South conceded a third goal, this time a fast break by the home side saw them overwhelm the defence and almost pass the ball into the net.

South came out fighting in the second half, knowing that they didn't deserve to be losing. After creating a large number of chances at the beginning of the game they just needed a bit more luck in front of goal but for Keith, it just wasn't his day. After being picked out in the D he was forced wide by the keeper but he kept his cool to turn and lift a shot at goal but it cannoned off the cross-bar and out. The equaliser came instead from another short-corner, this time Jorge planting the ball neatly in the corner of the goal.

The 3 goals had given Stortford renewed hope, though, and they promptly stepped up and started to put the South defence under more sustained pressure. The hot weather was starting to have its toll and it seemed to affect the away side more, but some quick counter-attacking hockey meant that they always looked like scoring another. Unfortunately it was Stortford that grabbed the next goal - a strike from the edge of the D was parried by Lino but he could only look on in anguish as it landed next to the post and spun into the goal.

With five minutes remaining South managed to score again to get a more than deserved equaliser - Rob picking up the ball on the half-way line and running past the Stortford defence before sliding the ball beneath the on-rushing 'keeper.

South will look back on this game and rue the missed opportunities in front of goal, and with 2 of the home sides goals somewhat fortunate to have gone in they'll know that on another day it could have been 4-0 at half time and a much easier game. Let's hope luck's on our side for the league matches!