Following a strong performance against Oxted the week before, Wimbledon welcomed Holcombe to KCS Sports Ground for a floodlit match on Saturday.

Holcombe came into the game lying second in the league a point ahead of Wimbledon in third and have over the last three years been competing at the top of table so would be a very hard test with their strong mix of former internationals and young players.

From the outset the game was played at a good tempo and high quality and this would continue throughout the game.

Wimbledon started brightest but it was soon apparent that there was little between the teams as both sides were comfortable at passing in front of their opponents but finding it hard to break down strong defences in the final third of the pitch.

Even when Wimbledon went down to ten men when Dominic Graham was awarded a yellow card for a strong challenge on 22 minutes, the game remained tight.

Both sides came into the game with strong penalty corner routines but only managed to get one each in the first half with both comfortably saved.

Wimbledon’s best opportunities feel on the break but they failed to capitalise on a couple of good opportunities whilst a number of half chances in the dee were quickly snuffed out.

Holcombe’s best chance of the half came right on half time when the ball fell to Holcombe’s former England international David Matthews after an initial save by Hamish Coates but an excellent rebound save kept the game scoreless.

The second half started in a similar pattern with neither side able to find that extra quality to open the scoring.

Wimbledon was having more of the possession but a long aerial on 45 minutes, Dominic Graham was deemed to have been played the ball above shoulder height and received his second yellow card.

The resulting penalty corner saw Holcombe go ahead with a bit of good fortune. Seb Malti had charged down the first shot but the ball broke kindly for Holcombe at the top of the circle and the resulting strike was diverted in by Shaun McIntyre.

Wimbledon reacted well and were level within four minutes. Despite being down to ten men, after a period of good possession, Wimbledon were able to win a penalty corner and Sam Pike fired in an unstoppable shot bringing a loud roar from the good size crowd. The game returned to its similar pattern of great defending cancelling out good attacks and although both had half chances it appeared that the game would finish level.

However, it almost did not when with two minutes remaining Holcombe were awarded a penalty corner. The flicked corner was saved by Rob Moore on the line and with three quick passes Wimbledon were in the Holcombe dee but despite an advantaged in men, a defender was able to make a last ditch tackle to ten yards.

The game was a good advert for hockey with teams committed to trying to play attacking hockey but it was the defences’ day with the back fours of both teams playing very well.

The draw was a fair result but left both teams rueing the missed opportunity as it resulted in both falling down to fourth and fifth in the table as those teams behind won and losing ground on leaders Southgate who also won.

Wimbledon finish the first half of the season with two away games the first being at Old Loughtonians on Saturday and will be looking to get six points to stay in touch with the leaders at the top of the table.