Welwyn Garden City get their season partly back on track after their first loss with a closely-contested draw away to Broxbourne.

The previous week's 3-0 loss to Bedford was the first in six East Hockey League Division Two South West games and while they would have wanted more against winless Broxbourne, the 1-1 draw is better than nothing.

The game started well with both teams pushing forward. The home side came close early on but Welwyn goalie Dan Klinger kept the ball out, helped by solid defending from Neil Kirby and Rob Samson.

The visitors began to grow into the contest with some great wing play from Bryn Evans and George Reilly and after 20 minutes a well played one-two from centre forwards Dave Allmand-Smith and Nate Last resulted in Last slotting home past the on-rushing keeper.

Broxbourne came back almost immediately and after Will Reilly and Klinger thwarted an attack the ball fell kindly for the home team to tap in to tie the match.

The second half was more of the same with many half chances for both teams going astray. One such chance came from Welwyn after good build up play and Stuart Stephen’s attempt was saved firmly.

Welwyn kept pressing leaving them open at the back, solid defending throughout saw them keep the game tied.

One major chance saw Allmand-Smith go around the home keeper only to be fouled for what seemed to be a certain penalty flick and a match winning goal, however, after much deliberation the umpire decided against it, leaving the match at a frustrating 1-1.

They are back at their Hertfordshire Sports Village home on Saturday for a derby game with Hertford, one point and one place below them in the table.

The ladies' first team went down to a 5-1 defeat away to Bishop's Stortford in Division Two South West.

Potters Bar meanwhile moved off the bottom of the table with their first win of the season.

Goals from Simon Tenwick and Matt Turpin in the first-half helped them to a 2-0 away at Waltham Forest and lifted them above Shefford & Sandy.

There was also a 3-0 win for the third team but the ladies were beaten 5-0 at Royston.