HUDDERSFIELD Dragons Ladies survived the heat and a fierce fightback from Newcastle to grab a point from a 3-3 draw at Lockwood Park.

The game began really well for the Dragons who held possession for the majority of the first 15 minutes, making some great passes and moving the ball around well.

And when Langstaff received the ball at the top of the D she swept the ball in to put Dragons one-up.

Soon after, Blackburn drove the ball down the right and played a brilliant cross ball to Higginson who notched the second goal.

From that point, however, Newcastle found their attacking feet and hit back with three quick strikes to leave the Dragons trailing.

Dragons began to move the ball around the back and when they attacked again they won a short corner, from where Blackburn found Fillingham at the top of the D who, in turn, knocked it back to Blackburn to finish and send the teams in level at 3-3 at the interval.

Both teams battled hard in smouldering heat during the second period, with Dragons dominating the field and having many shots on goal but, unfortunately, they were unable to put any away.

Skipton 2 Dragons II 2

AFTER a fantastic start to the season the previous week, the Dragons were raring for another three points, and it looked like it was going their way again after an early goal by Jenny Ramsden gave Huddersfield a well-deserved lead after applying a great deal of pressure on the Skipton defence.

Huddersfield continued to dominate and a great strike from Katie McColl gave the Dragons a two-goal advantage.

However, Skipton were then awarded a penalty corner, and despite a great dive from player of the match Nic Todd, it slipped past to put the home side back in the game.

The second half continued with the Dragons applying even more pressure on the Skipton defence, but unable to find the back of the net again, as both luck (and the umpire) did not appear to be on their side.

A debatable decision gave Skipton the breakthrough to level the match, and after another penalty flick award in their favour, it needed a fine stop from Todd to deny Skipton a winner.

Dragons continued to dominate up front, while Todd pulled off a couple of fantastic saves to keep the scoreline level.

Team: Todd, Eade, Tunbridge, Durrans, Luxford, Pinder, Hargreaves, Dobson, Herring, Ramsden, Peyman, McColl

Bingley Bees 6 Dragons III 1

A TOUGH game for Dragons, not only facing a well-organised opponent but dealing with heat that would have been more suited to the Sahara!

Bingley looked strong from the start and the visitors took time to settle before finding their form and creating a string of opportunities.

Bingley were strong on the attack and capitalised on their breaks with three goals in quick succession.

Dragons never gave up and Becky Mallinson took a fine long corner sending it out to Laura Bates who found Lisa Lawton in the circle, Lawton getting a superb touch on the ball to get the visitors on the score sheet.

Dragons were under constant attack in the second half, although newcomer and player-of-the match Erin Maynard-Connor kept the visitors in with a chance but they were unfortunately unable to capitalise, and in the end the scoreline did not reflect the hard work and determination of the third team.

Team: Livesey, McCallum, Roberts, Clark, Mallinson, Bailey, Bates, Walters, Maynard-Connor, Dunne, Lawton, Casson

Huddersfield Dragons Men V 4 Boston Spa 2

BOSTON struck first with a skilful tap-in at the far post, following a short corner after Dragons had spurned one or two early chances.

This setback, however, seemed to motivate the Dragons and Martin Laithwaite pounced, beating the keeper to the ball when it ran loose in the middle of Boston’s D.

And then when a Spa defender’s shoulder deflected the ball over the bar, Laithwaite made no mistake with a very assured penalty flick conversion. There was time for a third Huddersfield goal before the break when captain Conrad Dales produced an absolute pile-driver from a narrow angle.

In the second half both teams tired in the heat and the game slowed down. Huddersfield adding a fourth goal when Gary Clarke was first to a rebound with a reverse-stick shot into the roof of the net.

But it was Spa who had the last word when, following a short corner, they scored with a ferocious shot which gave the defenders no chance at all.

Team Renfrey, Ridings, Donovan, Wood, Kullar, Laithwaite, Bland, Dallas, Maddocks, Dales, Clarke, Chaman, Flavin, Nathan