Despite a valiant second-half fight back, Bourne Deeping Ladies 1s earned their second loss of the season away to Cambridge University 3s, 2-1.

Fresh from their second win in a row, the Dragons came up against a tough opposition in Cambridge University’s 3rd team, and while they avoided the worst of the weather, a few missed chances meant the two-sided battle ultimately went in favour of the home side.

Cambridge University opened up the scoring 10 minutes in to the game, breaching the dragons defence with a breakaway from midfield to birth their first goal with a strike in to the bottom left-hand corner.

The Dragons regrouped to hold off a high-pressing Uni team for the next spell of the game, which included an exceptional save from the gloves of keeper Elyza and two solid clearances from man of the match Kerry Fisher, but they were unable to capitalise on two penalty corner chances to level the score.

A great play up the wing from Helena Darragh gave the Dragons another chance as she advanced the ball to Ella, but the University team held strong and caused the defence to track back to stop one of their multitude of first-half counter-attacks.

But they couldn’t hold out for long, and it was the hosts who added the second goal of the first half with a well-worked piece of passing and a strike from the top of the D that narrowly squeezed through the legs of the Dragons keeper to double their lead and end the half 2-0.

The half-time team talk inspired the Dragons to rise like a Phoenix from the ashes and burst back in to action, and they quickly began to regain control of the play, displaying a form closer to that of the previous two winning weeks.

To their credit, the Dragons defence stopped any real chance of shots from the opposition for the next 35 minutes, and their efforts were rewarded as Emily Murray made it past three players before passing to Ella in the D, who found the back of the net to halve the deficit.

Dominating the play, the Dragons had their first chance to draw level with the first of three second-half short corners, but each shot was stopped to deny the visitors.

Another chance for the equaliser came after some quick distribution from the midfield found the stick of an open Sara Morgan-Walters, but she was momentarily possessed by a baby giraffe and her shot slipped by the left post as she lost her footing.

In the end, the time ran out for the Ladies 1s, but thanks to a brilliant second half there are plenty of positives to take in to next week’s game.