Orange United managed to convert just one of nine penalty corner plays in the deferred round five match at Bob Roach Field, while Bathurst City also endured frustrating moments in attack such as beating the goalkeeper only to have the ball cleared off the line by a defender.

Though both camps felt a draw was a fair enough result in a contest which saw a number of momentum shifts across the quarters, they could not help but contemplate what might have been had they executed better inside the circle.

For City it could have been their first win of a tough 2021 campaign thus far.

Skipper Jess Gardner was delighted with the way her young side scrambled in defence, but knows it will take more goals to climb off the bottom of the ladder.

"We've definitely been working on controlling the ball at the back there and not crumbling under pressure and just staying cool and calm and that really paid off," she said. "I just think think that we're lacking is just finishing goals. We've been playing strong all season with a young team, but we're just not connecting to finish.

"We're still quite strong, we get the ball up there and have the same opportunities. It's a very new side, we've got some talented young players there who are improving, you can see it as they play, and yeah, they are versatile, so it's very good to have that for Bathurst City."

United coach Nic Milne, who's side remains in second, said practicing corners will certainly be on the agenda.

"That's one thing that we are going to go to training and do, but that's the way hockey goes I suppose. We had enough opportunities to win, they had a few opportunities too, to not win, it was disappointing," he said.

"In the first quarter City probably could have had us down two or three nil, there were a couple of good saves by our goalie and clears. But then we got on top and then it was back and forward type thing.

"We knew they weren't going to be easy, they're a young side and got a lot of future to come Bathurst City, if they can stick together they'll be a force in the next couple of years."

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While both sides were backing up after tough encounters on Saturday, City going down 3-1 to Ex-Services and United drawing nil-all with CYMS, Milne refused to use that as an excuse.

He knows playing twice on the same weekend is something his squad must adjust to with double-headers scheduled for June 26 and July 10.

"We did have a tough day against CYMS the other day, but as I said to the girls just then, we've got weekends coming up when we've got to play two games on the one day, so this is probably a stepping stone to that. It will help us in the long run," he said.

"If we were out there and lethargic and kind of dawdling around then you probably could blame playing two games in the same weekend, but they all put in a hard effort and the result, 1-all, was probably the way the game should've went."

City had the best chance of the opening quarter off the back of a United defensive error. Looking to switch play, a ball was sent across the face of goal.

However, it struck the post and the ball ended up with Gardner. Her shot was on target, but Rach Divall came up with an on the line clearance.

Forty seconds into the second period City again came close, Kelly Baker working her way into the circle with some slick stick-work but was off-balance when shooting and fired just wide.

Baker again threatened in the 23^rd minute after some nice build up work from Emily Thompson and Kelby Pointin, but it was United who went to half-time with the lead.

With 20 seconds left on the clock, Eva Reith-Snare scored off the visitors' third penalty corner play.

United had six more penalty corner plays in the second half, but were unable to capitalise. Often they could not even get a shot away thanks to strong tackling from the likes of Thompson and Erin Cobcroft.

City's equaliser came in the 43^rd minute as a Thompson reverse stick effort found the bottom left corner.

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