Oxford United Women earned a 2-2 draw away to London Bees in the side’s first pre-season game of the 2019/20 season.

Goals from a trialist and Georgia Timms saw the U’s come from behind to earn a draw against a good London Bees team.

The Bees started the game stronger, controlling the opening 20 minutes but Oxford slowly grew into the game as they adjusted to the heavy grass pitch. Liam Gilbert’s side went ahead within the opening 15 minutes through a trialist – one of five who played throughout the afternoon for the U’s. Excellent work down the right from U16 Carly Johns saw her cross met by the trialist who finished neatly from close range.

The Bees got themselves back in the game shortly after. A miscommunication from the Oxford defence allowed a Bees trialist to run through on goal and finish well past Paris Sercombe in goal.

The U’s worked the game well and nearly found themselves back ahead as the first half came to a close. A trialist spotted the keeper slightly off her line and attempted an audacious effort from 35 yards which was only prevented by the crossbar. 1-1 at the interval and plenty of positives to take into the second half.

Both sides made changes at the break, and as the U’s readjusted to the heavy surface, London Bees took the lead with a lob. Despite her best efforts, Sercombe’s touch was not enough to keep the effort out and the U’s trailed for the first time.

This sparked the away side into life however, as the U’s began playing well and pushing the Bees back for the last 30 minutes. A deserved equaliser came late in the game from good persistence from Timms. Surrounded by three Bees players she span into the area on to her right foot and finished well into the far corner.

It was a good exercise for the team against a strong London Bees side who we wish well for the season.

UNITED (from) : Sercombe, Sims, Beaver, Roberts, Haynes, Williams, Johns, Timms, E, Brown, Walklett plus five trialists