HOCKEY: East Grinstead 3 Ipswich 3A LAST-minute equaliser from Andy Beresford gained Ipswich a valuable point in their fight to get away from the bottom half of Division Two of the English Hockey League.

East Grinstead 3 Ipswich 3

A LAST-minute equaliser from Andy Beresford gained Ipswich a valuable point in their fight to get away from the bottom half of Division Two of the English Hockey League.

The goal prompted a controversial end to a lively game, although it was not a classic as neither side played particularly well.

Both made errors and gave away possession, but Ipswich will have felt it was two points lost rather than one gained having thrown away a two-goal lead.

The visitors defended well in the first half against a team whose movement could, and should, have created more of a threat and they counter-attacked effectively during the opening period.

Ivan Smith gave them the lead when he deflected an Andy Swindin cross past the keeper and eight minutes after the break, Richard Fox increased their advantage after Simon Miller's determination had won back the ball.

At that stage Ipswich seemed to sit back and allowed the home side into the game and in the ten minutes that followed, East Grinstead scored three times.

Duncan Howarth finished off a short corner move before the home team were awarded a penalty flick, much to Ipswich's consternation, from which Richard Payne equalised.

With their tails up, East Grinstead went ahead when Matt McNeill finished a move in which both Asif Rais and keeper Stuart Hendy felt they had been fouled.

Ipswich kept battling away and with a minute left, Beresford scored his second of the season when he deflected home Miller's free hit.