DROITWICH hockey ladies maintain their unbeaten record in the league after drawing 3-3 with Kidderminster.
The ladies first team played their first game of the 2016 season in cold weather conditions but they warmed to the occasion as they took an early lead inside six minutes through Caroline Porter Sidell.
Despite having the majority of the possession, Spa found themselves going into the break 2-1 down as two costly errors allowed Kidderminster to claw their way in front.
However, Spa were fastest out of the blocks once again as Sidell levelled the scores only for Kidderminster to take the lead once again.
Louise Warrillow spared Spa’s blushes as she popped up towards the end of the game to slot the ball home following a good team move.
The result sees Spa keep up their unbeaten season, while strengthening their position on second place.
There was disappointment for Spa’s male first team as they were narrowly beaten 2-1 by table toppers Redditch.
With a squad full of new players settling in, Spa pushed the league leaders as hard as they could but failure to create any clear cut opportunities allowed Redditch to take the lead.
After a long ball, the ball slipped its way past the advancing Spa keeper George Robertshaw to give Redditch a 1-0 lead.
Going into the second half, Spa tried their best to level the scores but Redditch made it 2-0 midway through the half.
After one of Redditch’s substitutes was sin binned from a corner, Spa pulled a goal back as from the resulting corner, Simon Baines netted but it wasn’t enough as the leaders held out for a narrow victory.
The two sides’ second teams also faced off against each other with viewers treated to a goal-fest as the two sides shared the spoils in a 4-4 draw.
With Redditch dominating the early stages of the match they took the lead through a well struck penalty corner.
Spa fought back and found themselves in front going into the break courtesy of two goals from centre forward Dave Purchase.
Purchase was involved once again to put Spa 3-1 up after setting up Joe Neal to score but Redditch were not to be defeated.
A goal from open play and one from a penalty corner levelled the tie.
Spa regained the lead once again as man of the match Purchase completed his hat-trick with a fine finish from Nick Bates’ long throughball from the back.
The drama was not over though as Redditch scored their fourth towards the end of the game.
Elsewhere, Spa’s male third team suffered defeat as they succumbed to a 4-2 loss against Solihull Blossomfield.
After Peter Gurr and Zak Allsop wasted chances to put Spa in front, Blossomfield made them pay as they netted two quick-fire goals.
Joe Brett pulled one back for Spa before the break.
Following the interval, Spa did their best to claw their way back into the game but Blossomfield once again restored their two-goal advantage from a penalty corner and a further goal from open play.
In the dying embers of the game Shaun Laight netted for Spa to reduce the deficit to 4-2.
