Looking forward to an early season break the Cougars lined up in Plymouth last week to play bottom placed side Bombardier before a weeks rest over the Jubilee.

Looking to improve on recent results KS started slowly but soon settled into their game as they began to pass the ball around with confidence with Claire Jones and Will Symons solid at the back in front of keeper Tony Paul.

With Mikey Dennis and Oli Balchin holding the middle KS began to create chances in front of goal, their pressure soon earning several short corners which were fired agonisingly wide by Jones and Nic Bowes.

Bex Darke, Abi Bell and Bowes were frequently in acres of space in the wide half positions and were running circles around their markers on the occasions when balls were distributed to them. Helen Symons inspired up front as she regularly twisted and turned her way into the D and won several short corners for the Cougars.

As half time was called the Cougars still hadn't broken the deadlock, despite having the majority of the pressure as chances were narrowly missed by Chris Guard, Helen Symons and Ash Wyeth up front.

Taking the team by the scruff of the neck new captain Gemma Harvey laid out her plan for the second half, taking responsibility for leading the squad is no easy task as sometimes there is no room or time for democratic discussion in the precious minutes of the half time break. It's the mark of a good Captain when they are prepared to make judgement calls as games develop in order to provide direction and focus for the team and Harvey excelled with her concise team talk when it was most needed.

Soon into the second half and against the run of play a bad umpiring decision gave Bombardier a free hit just outside the Cougars D, taken quickly and driven in whilst the Cougars were still adjusting Bombardier scored a messy goal to take the lead.

Determined not to let this affect their game the Cougars battled on with spells of superb passing and possession as they looked to even the score with more short corners and narrow misses bringing them ever closer.

After a strong spell the ball was laid out to Wyeth deep on the right, with the Bombardier defense pulled out of position on the left his pinpoint pass into the space behind the back line saw Guard collect on the run, control and smash into the far corner past the advancing keeper to level the score.

Despite continued pressure the Cougars were unable to find the winning goal and the game finished with a disappointing 1-1 draw which didn't reflect the majority of pressure they had delivered throughout the game.

With such a strong core on pitch and with a recurring theme developing of matches being hotly contested in the middle the Cougars need to focus on utilising the space and talent they have in their wide halves of Darke, Bowes and Bell combined with accurate early passing in order to dominate their opposition for the remainder of the season.

As a positive the Cougars are playing some of their best possession hockey this season and with the ladies element of the mixed side looking particularly strong this year and the short corner routines already working smoothly things bode well for the start of the Womens season in September.