Cardiff & Met were held to a 2-2
draw at the University of Birmingham as the hosts scored a late equaliser to
rescue a point in a frenetic Saturday night fixture.
With both teams looking to close the
gap on league leaders Exeter University, the match started cagily as both teams
looked to work their way into the match.
Both teams quickly grew in confidence and
it wasn’t long before the match opened up, as Birmingham took the lead in the 9th
minute, courtesy of a well-executed penalty corner from Scott Wall.
This seemed to shock Cardiff & Met into
life and they responded almost immediately, Ronan Taggart equalising three
minutes later as he picked up a bouncing ball, rounded the goalkeeper and
hammered home for his 3rd goal of the season.
The first half continued in a fairly
even fashion as Cardiff & Met failed to capitalise on some half chances and
the home side were especially thankful to their goalkeeper for a couple of fine
saves from Cardiff & Met penalty corners.
Birmingham had some chances of their
own and looked particularly dangerous on the counter-attack, but the Cardiff
& Met defence held strong and both sides headed into half-time with the
score level at 1-1.
Both teams started the second half with
added intensity following the interval, but neither side were able to capitalise
on their spells of possession and create many clear-cut opportunities. However, it was Cardiff
& Met who took the lead in the 52nd minute, when captain Luke
Hawker powered a drag-flick into the top right-hand corner.
They soon found themselves under
increasing pressure and although they successfully defended a barrage of
penalty corners, they were perhaps fortunate when Birmingham had a goal
disallowed, a decision which left the home side bemused.
Cardiff & Met’s resolute defence
was eventually broken in the 69th minute, as they gave away
possession in the middle of the pitch and despite goalkeeper James Fortnam making
an initial save, the rebound fell kindly to a Birmingham attacker who calmly
equalised from a tight angle.
Cardiff & Met then survived a
further scare as Birmingham were awarded a penalty corner in the last play of
the game, but the resulting effort was wide of the target meaning both teams took a share of
the spoils and were left to rue what might have been.
The Welsh side remain 2nd in the table, four points adrift of the University of Exeter.
Next up// Cardiff & Met travel to Olton & West Warwicks on Sunday 19th November (1.30pm PB).
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