Fighting for every competition point possible to keep its finals hopes alive, Souths came from a goal down to lead 4-3 with eight minutes remaining at Bob Roach Field.

But Feds was awarded a penalty corner in the dying seconds and after the siren sounded, defender Ellen van Hoek fired the ball into the net to see the honours shared.

“There was definitely no foot there … there was no breach,” Souths coach Damien Carter said.

“It was a keep fighting game. We led and then we went behind and we got the lead again, but then to get to the end and get that call – to be winning with 50 seconds to go and lose like that, it’s frustrating.

“It hurts, the girls are just gutted.

“At the end of the day a draw is better than a loss, so that’s two points, but it could’ve been four points and that would’ve been fantastic. It’s just frustrating.”

The mood amongst Souths’ players was much happier early in the match as the two blues scored the opening goal.

Ali Stanford made a strong run to firstly draw a penalty corner, then she slotted home off the set play for a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute.

Souths continued to probe with some well weighted through balls in behind Feds’ defence, but the Orange outfit had its moments as well.

Eva Reith-Snare forced a number of turnovers in the midfield and 13 minutes out from the break, it took a sharp glove save from Souths’ goalkeeper Kate Brown to deny Annabelle Tiernay.

Not long after Feds drew its first penalty corner of the contest.

Brown blocked the initial strike, but the visitors kept the play alive and Millah Allcorn came up with the equaliser.

However, the 1-all deadlock did not last long.

Sarah Watterson worked her way into the circle for Souths then crossed to Stanford, who turned the ball into the net.

Her second goal gave Souths a 2-1 lead at the break and it kept the two blues’ hopes of upsetting the higher ranked Feds outfit alive.

Just 90 seconds after play resumed Jess Watterson warmed the gloves of Feds goalkeeper Katherine Cox, Souths then earning a pair of penalty corners.

But Feds lifted in response, Sophie Macauley clearing an Allcorn attempt off the line, while three minutes later Brown had to dive to shut down the same player.

With 20 minutes to go Feds drew level as Eva Reith-Snare converted from a penalty corner and moments later the visitors pushed out to a 2-1 lead thanks to Allcorn.

Momentum was with the the Orange side, but knowing a defeat could end its hopes of a top five spot, Souths rallied.

A brilliant solo effort from Macauley made it 3-all with 17 left, before Jess Watterson’s slick skills set up Stanford’s third.

At that point there was eight minutes remaining.

The clocked ticked down and with 80 seconds left, Feds earned a penalty corner. Another followed immediately after and van Hoek found the mark to lock it up a 4-all.

“I don’t score much at all, I think I may have only scored three this year,” van Hoek said.

“I just thought ‘Let’s do it, let’s do what we normally do’, we train hard on our corners.

“It’s hard when you are playing against such good players. So we said to each other at half-time that we just had to hang in there and work hard.

“When we work so hard and we win, well that was a draw then, but it felt like a win, because we work so hard it’s just an awesome feeling.”

SOUTHS 4 (Ali Stanford 3, Sophie Macauley) drew with CONFEDERATES 4 (Millah Allcorn 2, Eva Reith-Snare, Ellen van Hoek)