Round three in Hockey Victoria's Men's Vic League 3 saw the Gippsland Strikers hit the road for a big away game in a top of the table clash against Latrobe University.
It was always set to be a tough contest, and it didn't disappoint.
Matt Zurrer got the Strikers off to a flying start with a brilliant first-half hat-trick, before Mark Robjant added another to give them a commanding 4-1 lead.
The team looked in control and well on our way to a huge result.
Unfortunately, the Strikers couldn't close it out, with the opposition fighting back hard to level the match at 4-4. It was a frustrating and disappointing result after such a dominant start — a real missed opportunity to take the points.
Despite the result, there were plenty of positives to take away.
The Strikers found the back of the net four times against a side that hadn't conceded all season, ending their clean sheet run.
Ben Knights also stood tall under pressure, making several crucial saves during in the game to keep his team in it.
The Strikers will regroup and refocus for a big home game this week.