OXFORD Hawks got off to a flier with two early goals from Kyle Barnes, but had to settle for a 3-3 draw at home to Milton Keynes in South League Premier Division 1 on Saturday.

Pressing the visitors’ defence soon paid dividends in the shape of a 2-0 lead inside ten minutes.

Barnes fired home the first after an incisive move involving Jack Biggs and Alex Williams, and then netted the second from close range.

However, Milton Keynes forced their way back into the game with a goal in the 20th minute after some sloppy marking,

The visitors equalised before half-time, when Hawks unwisely tried to run the ball out of defence only to be dispossessed.

They conceded a third goal inside ten minutes of the restart, the visitors converting a penalty corner from a switch move which caught the Hawks defence napping.

The hosts eventually galvanised themselves and from only their second penalty corner of the game, Biggs fired high into the net with eight minutes left.

However, neither side could muster a winner.

Hawks now go into a run of three tough matches,when they play the top two sides on consecutive Saturdays followed by a National Cup quarter-final at home to National Premier team Brooklands on Sunday, February 5.

Oxford recorded an excellent 3-1 victory at home to Aylesbury in Regional Division 1.

Jonny Campbell’s goal gave Oxford the lead, before poor marking gave Aylesbury an equaliser.

Second-half strikes from Dan Bleach and Niall Devaney – with a drag flick – secured the victory.