OXFORD Hawks Ladies eased their fears of the drop when they came from behind to gain a crucial 2-1 win at home to Cannock.

With both teams sitting perilously close to the relegation play-off zone in Investec Conference West, it was the hosts who secured some breathing space with their first victory since November.

Hawks went behind early on to a deflected shot which looped over goalkeeper Jess Hughes.

Hawks reacted with determination and intensity and only a brilliant save prevent Lucy Stewart equalising just before tie-break.

The hosts equalised when Abi Flory and Sandra Roche set up Catherine Reaney, who netted at the far post.

The winning goal came from a penalty awarded after Roche was flattened in the D. Captain Bex Oakes confidently stepped up to score and give the home side victory, much to the delight of the sizeable crowd.

Floor Timmer netted twice as Oxford triumphed 3-2 at home to Southgate 2nd in Division 3A of the South Clubs League.

Beth Williamson opened scoring from a short corner following an an assist from Amy Litchfield, and then set up the hosts’ second goal for Timmer.

Southgate pulled a goal back near the end of the half, but Timmer scored straight from the restart with a fantastic reverse-stick strike.

The visitors added their second late on.

Wallingford made it back-to-back wins for the first time since November when beating Oxford 3rd 2-0 at home in Trysports Three Counties League Premier Division 1, thanks to goals from Charlotte Satchwell and Sasha Withers-Green.

Bicester lost top spot in Division 1 when they fell to a 4-2 loss at Milton Keynes 2nd after struggling top adapt to a water-based pitch.

The visitors trailed 3-0 at half-time and conceded another goal in the second half.

It was not until the final moments that Bicester found their feet, Abbie Stevens scoring twice from a well-struck penalty corner and then a penalty stroke.

They now trail new leaders Marlow on goal difference.

OTHER LADIES RESULTS

Oxford Hawks 2nd 5 (A Bedford, E Wilkins, K Kerr, H Nicholson, H Francis), Milton Keynes 1; Oxford Hawks 3rd 2 (A Richardson, L Newall), Maidenhead 2nd 2; Oxford Hawks 5th 1 (S Butler), Buckingham 3rd 1; Witney 3 (H Dobson 2, K Gatt), Hampstead & W 2nd 2; Witney 2nd 4 (M Hartwell 2, K Fowler, S Hartwell), Henley 2nd 2; Oxford Hawks 6th 3 (L Phillips 2, G Coker), Witney 3rd 1 (G Noton); Oxford Hawks 7th 3 (K Kelly, S Simpson, W Sobey), Bicester 5th 0; Oxford Hawks Kestrels 4, Wycombe Dev 1; Oxford 2nd 1 (A Tse), Marlow 2nd 4; Oxford 4th 0, Marlow 3rd 2; Oxford 5th 1 (S Bennett), Amersham & C 3rd 3; Oxford 6th 0, Marlow 5th 1; Oxford 7th 3 (E Burke, H Wong, A Horrowitz), Thame 3rd 4; Wallingford 2nd 3 (F Brown 2, C Passau), Reading Rockets 3; Phoenix & R 2nd 5, Wallingford 3rd 2 (L May, A Lissenden); Wallingford 4th 7 (E Seymour 3, A Clements, B Bell, M Alexander, H Wood), South Bucks 1; Bicester 3rd 3 (J Hulme, J Giles, T Moore), South Berks 4th 1.

Girls: Oxford Hawks U18s 2, Clifton Robinsons 5.