ASHMOOR faced a University of Exeter team on good form having just made the BUCs Final.

The two sides were evenly matched in the first quarter and went into the break at 0-0. The second quarter sparked into action with Aaron Martin saving twice from good Exeter chances.

Soon after Ashmoor, were unlucky not to take the lead - Captain Jamie Bishop fired a ball into the back post and Jack Dinnie met it with a first-time reverse stick deflection, only to see it saved miraculously off the Uni keeper's helmet.

The game was opening up, and from a turnover Exeter broke and despite a double save from Martin, were awarded a penalty corner for an Ashmoor foot.

Exeter put it away to give themselves the lead just before half time.

Ashmoor were determined to get off to a better start in the second half and produced a stunning third quarter. Initially they rode their luck when Exeter created an overload on the left but fortunately wasted their reverse stick pass across goal.

However, George Galbraith then won Ashmoor's first penalty corner of the game with good skill on the left-hand baseline, and Ben Barnett's effort went just wide. Ashmoor were much more threatening and after some great play on the right flank by Hartley Colbourne he put the ball on a plate for Theo Bennett to equalise at the back post.

This spurred Ashmoor on, and minutes later Fletch Naisbett-Jones won another penalty corner. This time Barnett rifled in his drag flick to give Ashmoor the lead for the first time in the match.

Soon after Tom Conway, who looked lively all match, was released by Dinnie and had his cross found Bennett again it could have been a third goal for Ashmoor. Exeter were still in the game and equalised just before the quarter time whistle, netting the rebound after a save by Martin.

And so to the last quarter, chances came and went for both teams but neither teams could break the deadlock.

Then with just eight minutes on the clock Exeter found Sam Barnett unmarked at the back post, who spun and finished to restore the Uni side's lead. Soon after an overload on the right was well finished to make it 4-2. Ashmoor did their best to try to get back into the match but ultimately ran out of time.

It really was an end-to-end game, enjoyed by the large crowd, with Tom Conway earning the Pallex Player of the Match for his all-action efforts.

Despite the loss Ashmoor stay comfortably in the top half of the National League table.

They finish their EHL matches with a home match at their Totnes base this Sunday, against league leaders Clifton Robinsons who need to win to secure the title & promotion - it promises to be a cracking game, with push back at 2:00pm. All support welcome!

Ashmoor women's team solidified their place in the top-3 in the division with a handful of matches remaining with a well earned win in the Totnes derby against Dart.

Ashmoor absorbed a fair amount of pressure during the first half and had goalkeeper and player of the match Sophie Bruce to thank for keeping the scoreline at 0-0 at the interval.

After halftime, top-scorer Tilly McEwen opened the scoring for Ashmoor, and soon after made it 2-0 with a second, this time from a penalty corner.

Ashmoor were delighted with all three points, but this weekend have a bye, before recommencing with a mouth-watering home game against runaway champions Plymouth Lions on April 11.

In other matches Ashmoor men's 2nd team were narrowly beaten 2-1 by Plymouth Lions. Dan Cowdry gave Ashmoor a deserved lead, but Plymouth pulled it back to 1-1 before half time. The winner was a penalty corner with 15 minutes left.

Ashmoor's men's 3s lost 4-1 at Isca but showed a lot of good improvements in their general play. It was 1-1 at half time with Ryan Bougourd the scorer. There were good performances by joint players of the match Rik Fox & Ernie Hunt.

The men's 4ths were soundly beaten at Exeter in a nevertheless enjoyable game. Joint Players of the Match for Ashmoor were Dave Tomlinson & Harry Easthope.

This weekend the 2s are away at the University of Plymouth 1s. The 3s and 4s are both at home against Teign 1s & Ocean City respectively.