SOME say a story needs to have a good start, middle and end to be considered a fine tale.

If this was applied to Falmouth Ladies' hockey match on Saturday at home to Somerset Gryphons, then they will certainly be happy with the middle but feel let down by the other two sections.

Having gone 2-0 down inside the opening six minutes Falmouth blasted back to move ahead 5-2 with 15 minutes left, only to collapse to a demoralising draw come the full time whistle.

A slow start from the hosts allowed Gryphons to surge into the lead as their quick movement and tactic of crowding the midfield leading to goals from a counter attack and then a neatly worked penalty corner.

Falmouth starting edging their way back into proceedings with Amy Tatlow going close as her shot created by a sweeping run down the right from her sister Rachael was saved well.

Claire Hudson was making the wheels turn in midfield with her passing spreading the play well and finding her targets while at the back, captain Megan Cookson and Viv Cobner were putting up a good fight.

Their improved play was rewarded in the 22nd minute when Sam Dunstan scored after being found free at the back post after a cross from the right.

Amy Tatlow, pictured below, added the equaliser two minutes later with an instinctive finish, flicking the ball past the goalkeeper, after Hudson and Dunstan down the left wing.

Falmouth Packet:

Momentum had now shifted to the hosts and just before half time as Tatlow fired home her second of the match after her sister was given space to run into the box.

Gryphons nearly equalised seconds before the break, but Hannah Bowman pulled off a fine double save to prevent them.

It did not take long for Falmouth to score after the interval as an excellent long pass from Cobner found Rachael Tatlow who set her sister up.

The away side saw a barrage of shots on their goal and had to defended admirably until Tatlow bagged her fourth of the day on the counter attack after a penalty corner.

Going into the last 15 minutes, it seemed Falmouth would just have to cruise their way to victory, but Gryphons had a twist in the tale.

From a penalty corner, the visitors applied pressure which eventually resulted in a goal and soon after they capitalised on a stray pass to make it 5-4.

A frantic finish ensued as the hosts tried to defend their now slender lead while Gryphons upped the ante and smother their opponents.

Disaster struck with two minutes left for Falmouth when they lost possession in midfield and then left an attacker unmarked on the left side of the D, giving her the chance to bang the ball past Bowman.

They nearly earned the chance to travel back to north Somerset with all three points, but Bowman was on hand with an excellent save from a penalty corner.