SWINDON Town Ladies were forced to settle for a third 2-2 draw of the season against their West Ham counterparts this afternoon, after the hosts stuck late on.

Georgia Walters netted in the 14th minute as she benefitted from a good press from Town early on but the lead lasted just four minutes before the Hammers restored parity.

Steve Robertson’s side were back in front before the break when Walters was fouled in the box and the striker picked herself up to slot home the resulting penalty.

However, Swindon were unable to hold on as the hosts threw the kitchen sink at a tiring visiting side a nicked the point with five minutes left on the clock.

“To be fair, the last 20 minutes, they (West Ham) really piled it on in search of the equaliser and the girl has scored a worldy,” said Robertson.

“We looked like we may have run out of a bit of puff towards the last 15 or 20 minutes, which was always going to happen as we haven’t been playing regularly.

“I can’t ask for any more from them really. They all worked their socks off and all came off absolutely shattered.

“They stuck to the game plan and if we had nicked the third, I think it would have been game over.

“It doesn’t really benefit either team but we can take a lot from the performance.

“We’ve got to learn from it and the reality is it keeps us above them in the league on goal difference and if you told me that before the game started, I would have taken that.”

The result leaves Town level on points with West Ham, with goal difference separating the two sides, having played the same amount of games.

Queens Park Rangers prop up the FA Women’s Premier League Southern Division, with two games in hand, but with three points separating the bottom three and just three games left, Robertson is confident they can secure their league place before facing their West London rivals on the final day.

“It’s still all to play for,” he added.

“I’m confident, if we can get enough games in between now and the end of the season to keep us fresh, that we won’t have to rely on the QPR game.

“I think we have got enough in our armoury to stay up before then.”