TENBURY Ladies First XI came from behind to claim a 1-1 draw at home to Bournville in an entertaining Worcestershire Women’s Hockey League Division One tussle.

The hosts began brightly and were unlucky not to score with a lifted shot from first team debutant Harriet Harding.

Bournville responded well and, after Tenbury defender Rachel Croxton-Broome cleared one penalty corner effort off the line, the visitors scored with a deflected shot from their next corner.

Returning duo Emma Weatherall and Naomi Burgoyne combined to set up Harding to coolly slot home the equaliser in the second half.

Tenbury dominated the rest of the game but could not find a winner and despite moving up a place to sixth, they remain one of five teams separated by just three points near the foot of the table.

Elsewhere, Ludlow Ladies lost 6-0 at high-flying Wem and Market Drayton in the Shropshire League despite a fine individual performance from Helen Braden.

Ludlow men’s first XI’s West Midlands Division One promotion hopes suffered a blow as they conceded a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw at home to top-two rivals Stafford.

Tom Blount and Craig Heath had turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead but a fortunate late leveller kept Stafford second, three points above Wolverhampton, in third, and fourth-placed Ludlow.

With three games remaining – and Stafford playing leaders Bromsgrove this Saturday – all is still to play for, especially as an extra promotion place could be available.

Skipper Sam Pratt explained: “There’s rumours that three teams might be going up because Cannock are withdrawing their team (from the division above).

“It’s going to be an interesting end to the season and we have to go to Khalsa (Leamington) on Saturday looking to boost our goal difference and bang some goals in.”