A late goal from PGSOB’s Joe Francis saw the Plymouth side take a share of the points in their top-of-the-table clash with Duchy at Pool School.

After a goal-less first half, Martin Riley gave the Devon side a one goal lead from a set piece only ninety seconds after the break, before Max Chippett responded for the home side. Ben Noakes then gave The Black-and-White a 2-1 advantage before Francis’ late goal levelled the match.

Both sides had opportunities to take the lead in the opening half, with James Vaughn firing wide for PGSOB inside the first five minutes, whilst Chippett saw his goal bound effort from a penalty corner saved well by the visiting ‘keeper. Duchy looked the more likely to open the scoring, but were kept at bay by the solid PGSOB defence, and when Rich Walker smashed wide from a penalty corner just before the interval, the two teams went into the break with the score at 0-0. What would ultimately be a tense second half started well for the visitors when Martin Riley scored with a powerful strike from a simple penalty corner, although the striker’s task was simplified by tame defending from Duchy. It took five minutes before Chippett restored parity, with the Duchy skipper making a fine run to the byline before crossing for Martin Crump. Crump’s shot was well saved by the Plymouth ‘keeper, but Chippett had continued his run and was on hand to turn the ball home for 1-1.

Almost immediately from the restart came another key moment, as Riley crossed for Joe Francis who had the chance to flick the ball into a seemingly unguarded net to restore the PGSOB lead, however a stunning stick save from man-of-the-match defender Ricky Birch brought applause from both sides to maintain the balance at 1-1.

Noakes then gave Duchy the upper hand with his fourth goal of the season on fifty-one minutes, pouncing on Chippett’s saved penalty corner effort to sweep home for 2-1, and had it not been for another fine save from the PGSOB ‘keeper a minute later Wayne Spargo could have taken the score to 3-1 after a cross from Si Rafferty.

Duchy were hampered by poor defending in the closing stages, and PGSOB looked to capitalise, coming close from set pieces on three occasions, and threatening from open play whilst Duchy were down to ten men after Jay May received a yellow card for foul and abusive language.

Finally Duchy were penalised for one too many mistakes in defence, as Francis pounced on a loose ball to slot a weak effort past Warren Pearce in the home net, and the two sides closed out the game to take a point each and remain first and second in the table. Duchy Squad: Pearce (gk), May, Pound, Birch, Walker, Chippett (c.), Ettling, Symons, Rafferty, Roberts, Noakes, Crump, McKenzie, Wilkes, Grogan, Spargo. Manager: K. Bennetts. Man of the Match, sponsored by TSI Group: Ricky Birch.