Although her side had victory snatched away from it in the dying stages, Ex-Services skipper Mel Hope was still stoked after Saturday’s 1-all draw with reigning women’s Premier League Hockey champions Bathurst City, which netted the blue and golds their first competition points of the season.

Ex-Services had suffered eight straight losses before the stalemate but Hope said those results oft weren’t good indicators of her side’s performances, adding Saturday’s draw proves the blue and golds can still match it with the competition’s best.

For the best part of Saturday’s round nine clash it looked as though Ex-Services would seal their first win over Bathurst City – although an understrength Bathurst City – since 2016, Shian Duboc’s fifth-minute goal looking likely to be the decisive factor.

It wasn’t to be though, although Ex-Services’ defensive effort was monumental the reigning champions managed an equaliser nine minutes from full-time through Jasmine Bailey, her first goal in the top flight proving a timely one.

“We are disappointed we didn’t hang on for a win, but we’ll take a draw … that was awesome, a brilliant, brilliant effort,” Hope said.

“We should’ve had the win. It was an unlucky call that turned the ball over and turned us around and they got it down there.

“Our scorelines, every game, even though there looks to be a big difference, the games have been incredibly close.

“We have been playing well every week, it’s just been a few slips and the score has gotten away from us. The scores haven’t been an indication of how we’ve played this year, so we’re really impressed with how we went today.”

Bathurst City coach Nick Klower heaped praise on the juniors he enlisted to fill the gaps his side’s eight unavailable players left, making a point of giving the blue and golds plenty of credit too.

“Take nothing away from Ex-Services, they were really hungry for that ball and you can not take that away from them. There were a lot of good clashes out there,” he said.

“The young girls really stepped up, there were five young girls out there who played 60-70 minutes and they hadn’t played a full game of Premier League before in their life or that amount of time.”

Bailey’s equaliser came on the back of a quick, well-executed counter down the left edge, she linked with experienced campaigner Lisa Quinn before finding the back of the net.

It saved Bathurst City from suffering a second straight defeat for the first time in two years, they were beaten 4-1 by Bathurst St Pat’s the week prior.

Ex-Services has been anchored to the bottom of the table all year, but leapfrog Lithgow Zig Zag thanks to the draw.