Third-placed Pompey Women remain eight points adrift on league-leaders Oxford United following their 2-2 draw at Fratton Park on Sunday.

Pompey Women missed the chance to close the gap on table-topping Oxford after being held to a 2-2 draw against the Us in the National League South.

The Blues recovered from falling behind at Fratton Park to Maddie Brant’s goal in the opening stages, with strikes from Alisha Ware and Amelia Hazard ensuring a deserved interval lead.

But the home side were unable to make the most of the control they had and a second-half Holly Manders header meant the spoils were shared at PO4.

Manager Jay Sadler made five changes from the side that exited the League Cup on penalties against Fulham the previous week.

Hermione Cull returned between the sticks, while there were also spots for Katie Wilson, Georgie Freeland, Hazard and Reanna Blades.

That meant Ella Pettit, Annie Wilding, Summer Hughes, Esta Roberts and Freya Jones all dropped to the bench.

There were a couple of familiar faces in the opposition line-up, with former Pompey stars Riva Casley and Sophie Quirk both starting for Oxford.

The Last Post was played ahead of kick-off before an impeccably-observed minute’s silence to mark Remembrance Sunday.

Pompey got off to the worst possible start when the action began – falling behind with just 27 seconds on the clock.

Brant sent a delivery in from wide on the left, but the ball drifted goalwards, dipping over Cull and into the net.

They soon set about looking for a response, though, and Wilson thudded a free-kick into the wall before Zoe Barratt nodded Ware’s cross over.

Pompey were seeing plenty of the ball and won a few corners, but were struggling to find a way through.

A leveller almost arrived on 13 minutes, however, when one of those set-pieces was cleared as far as Barratt on the edge of the box and her effort was prevented from finding the net by the head of Casley.

They did score moments later, though, courtesy of a superb 35-yard free-kick from Ware that a back-pedalling Beth Wookey could not prevent from dipping into the far corner.

The Blues were well on top by now and came close to finding the lead through a Blades rocket that fizzed just over the crossbar.

And they made their pressure count on 21 minutes with a goal that was similar to Oxford’s opener, as a Hazard delivery from wide on the right flew straight into the net.

That was the cue for Oxford to start trying to impose themselves in the contest, although they were finding little joy in the final third.

It was still the Blues looking more likely to add to the scoring and when Barratt swept a pass out to Blades, her low delivery towards the back post left the advancing Freeland with just too much to do.

The hosts continued to play with attacking purpose following the restart and Hazard sent a header into the arms of Wookey before Blades flashed in another dangerous delivery.

And there was almost another goal from out wide, as Ware’s centre was heading towards the net before being headed from the line by Casley.

Then when Kerry Beattie raced onto a long ball pumped forward and laid it off for Barratt, she hit a ferocious effort that flew not too far over.

Freeland was next to have a go, but her effort was kept out by Wookey as the Blues continued to be frustrated in their attempts to forge further ahead.

With Oxford starting to show a bit more threat, Sadler shored up his midfield on 66 minutes, as Freeland made way for Annie Hutchings.

But the visitors made Pompey pay for not making the most of their dominance by levelling soon after, as a cross from the left was clinically headed home by Manders.

Hughes came on for Hazard as the hosts tried to get back on the front foot, urged on by their noisy North Stand support.

A Wilson free-kick was held by Wookey, as the game became increasingly open, with the action quickly switching from one end to the other.

Pompey pushed forward in search of a late winner and committed plenty of players forward, but had to settle for a point.

Pompey: Cull; Bull (c), Suttie, Wilson (Wilding 90), Ware; Hazard (Hughes 81), Dahou, Freeland (Hutchings 66); Blades (Roberts 90), Beattie, Barratt

Subs not used: Pettit, Johnson, Jones