Aldershot & Farnham men’s 1st team were involved in a high scoring draw for the third week running as a see-sawing game with Southampton University ended 4-4 at Wide Lane last Saturday.

A&F started well and a strong drive into the centre left of the circle by Max Long saw him strike a firm reverse stick cross which Ian Metcalfe met with a shin-high volleyed deflection to give A&F an early lead.

But as the students started to settle into the game, they found an equaliser. A rather soft goal for A&F to concede as a ball in the right-hand side of the circle deflected up and over goalkeeper Will Hall leaving Oliver Blaney a simple tap in.

To add more dynamism at the back to counter the student’s pace, Rory Whelan was moved to the centre of A&F’s defence, and he put in a strong performance as A&F had to soak up a period of sustained pressure. However, on a quick counter down the right by Stu Morhall, he crossed into the ‘D’ for Jonny Groves to slap past the onrushing goalkeeper.

A&F made it a double-strike moments later as pressing hard on a Uni sixteen, Morhall pickpocketed a midfielder, charged past a defender and struck across a venomous strike into the far corner from an ever-reducing angle.

A 3-1 lead at half time, A&F were given a half-time lecture that the Uni side would come out hard, but they were masters of their own downfall as some sloppy play created an opening for the Uni to pull their first goal back moments into the second half. They further took advantage of A&F’s defensive frailties to completely turn the game on its head and lead 4-3.

Max Long broke into the ‘D once more for A&F and in a desperate to stop his feared reverse strike was fouled. Metcalfe tucked away the resultant penalty stroke to level the game up.

Morhall came close to winning it for A&F but was denied by a good late save.