Slazenger England League Premier Division

Saturday 1st March

Clifton  v Ipswich

Lost 1-0

Scorers: 

Within sight of Wales on St David's day Ipswich lost 1-0 in the Slazenger EHL Premier League,  to Bristol based Clifton .  The home team had a decidedly Celtic feel about it, with no less than 7 Welsh Internationals on show. It was also only the second time this season Ipswich had failed to get on the score sheet and it was to cost them dearly.

The game started at a brisk pace, matching the strong winds that swept round the exposed pitch and it was the visitors that created the first chances. Some good play by defender Kirsten Spencer, returning to the club that honed her talents over 16 years ago, saw Ipswich sweep up the pitch  and only last ditch tackling from Clifton denied Ipswich several clear shots. 15 minutes in saw probably the best chance of the game fall to Ipswich striker Lizzy Aldous, who picked off an attempted defence clearance at the top of the circle, but her fierce shot was calmly palmed away by Clifton's Welsh International keeper.

It was then Ipswich's turn to rely on some great defending; Hannah Tallent in particular making 2 great tackles at crucial moments that snuffed out the danger. With Charlotte Lee-Smith in goal also in good form things looked promising for the Suffolk side.

Half time arrived with the score line unchanged at 0-0 and with both teams playing well but not really threatening in attack a draw looked the likeliest outcome. Clifton though continued to test and probe the Ipswich defence and when Hannah Tallent had to go off due to a back injury, the home side took advantage of the change to press forward.   Ipswich though defended expertly and with Spencer controlling the Circle conceding a goal looked unlikely, however at this level it only takes a split second lapse of concentration to get punished.

Clifton's top scorer Carla Dunnett took full advantage of such a lapse to drive into the circle and unleash a fierce shot into the corner of the goal to give the home side the break through they wanted. With 18 minutes left on the clock Ipswich knew they had enough time to get back into the game and they won several short corners but the routine was not working smoothly and the opportunities when begging. Despite some continued great build up play and superb hard work by the team the visitors could not break through a dogged Clifton defence and it all came down to one last throw of the dice when Ipswich were awarded a penalty corner at the end of time, after some neat skills by Jenny Hall.

Ipswich at last got the routine right but their 3 attempts on the Clifton goal were desperately cleared off the line and despite strong Ipswich protests about several fouls the final whistle was blown to hand the Bristol side the 3 points. 

With 9th placed Poynton unexpectedly beating second placed Bowdon Hightown 3-0, 7th placed Ipswich and 8th placed Chelmsford are now looking over their shoulders with concern. A win next week for Ipswich against bottom side Old Loughtonians becomes a vital necessity.

 NE14HOCKEY East League

Div 2C

Suffolk Premier League

Suffolk Div 1

.Slazenger England Hockey League South

Sunday 2nd March

Whitchurch v Ipswich

Lost 6-1

Scorers: R Stainthorpe

Whitchurch avenged November’s 3-2 defeat by Ipswich with a crushing and thoroughly deserved 6-1 victory in Cardiff. Ipswich, who had suffered something of an injury and availability crisis since last Saturday’s superb victory over Oxted, were totally outplayed by the home side, which made the four hour journey back to Suffolk feel like four days. “For all of our effort and running on the field, we just didn’t reach the standard required”, said Ivan Smith, the Ipswich captain. “It was an incredibly disappointing performance.” 

The result was overshadowed by a worrying injury to goalkeeper Tony Burch, who was struck in the chest by the ball in the 67th minute, and immediately suffered breathing difficulties that forced the abandonment of the match. With just three minutes to play and Ipswich five goals down, the visitors conceded the defeat and focused on the welfare of their goalkeeper. Despite the score-line, Burch had another excellent game, blocking no less than six penalty corner efforts. 

Due to the injury crisis and school commitments, Ipswich travelled to Cardiff with just eleven players a situation that proved to be their undoing. The trademark high tempo, “in your face” style that Ipswich employ makes excellent use of rolling substitutions, but with no players on the bench, Ipswich soon found this approach unsustainable after an excellent start. Ipswich were arguably the better team in the opening five minutes, with Will Hearne and Richard Rutterford creating good opportunities. However, Ipswich were soon undone when Alex Keating pounced on a loose ball in the circle to open the scoring for Whitchurch. This clearly settled the nerves of the home side, who firmly grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck. Despite some excellent defending from Matt Stainthorpe, Kier Dixon, Ed Youngman and Royce Waters, Whitchurch were soon two goals up, with Mark Whatling flicking into the roof of the net after a lucky deflection saw the ball land kindly in front of him. Ipswich tried to pick themselves up, and an excellent run from Ivan Smith resulted in a penalty corner. Up stepped drag flick specialist Kier Dixon, but Iwan Williams in the Whitchurch goal pulled off an excellent save diving to his right. Royce Waters was green carded for venting his frustrations at the umpire – it was to be the first of four cards that the player would receive during the match. Whitchurch grabbed their third goal just before half time to effectively kill the match, with Keating again the scorer. 

Waters was given his marching orders shortly after the start of the second half for a poor tackle on Whitchurch midfielder Joe Naughalty, and Douglas Young scored his side’s fourth goal with the best move of the match. Four soon became five when Joe Naughalty got on the score-sheet, but Ipswich pulled a goal back with a field goal from Richard Stainthorpe after a superb run down the right from Kier Dixon. Ipswich seemed briefly revitalised and won two penalty corners, but the in-form Whitchurch keeper denied Dixon on both occasions. Royce Waters returned from his spell in the sin bin in the 58th minute, but quickly returned to his still-warm seat following a truly bizarre incident. The defender tried what could only be described as a tennis smash shot when the ball looked to be sailing over his head, leaving the umpire with no choice but to award a Waters a second yellow card and a word in his ear that he would not be returning to the field of play. 

Reduced to ten men for the second time, Ipswich tried to play for some pride, and resisted more Whitchurch sorties into their half. Eventually though, Laith El Khatib volleyed a ferocious effort into the ribs of Tony Burch, only for Whatling to tap in the rebound seconds before the match was abandoned. 

The result means that Ipswich still hold onto sixth place in the league, with Whitchurch only one point behind them. Importantly, Ipswich are still eight points clear of the relegation play off spot, and nine clear from automatic relegation. The return of Asif Rais and Mark Wheelhouse from injury coupled with the availability of school players means that Ipswich should have a full squad to choose from for next week’s crunch game with Kent-based Holcombe, who sit 3rd in the league. 

A big thank you to both Lois Panting – who travelled with the team as the manager & physiotherapist – and Whitchurch goalkeeper & medic Iwan Williams who both made sure that Tony Burch received the attention he needed in what looked like a worrying situation. 

NE14HOCKEY East League

Prem A

Wapping v Ipswich 2's

Drew 3-3

Scorers: S Miller, A Cook (2)

NE14HOCKEY East League

Div 2N

NE14HOCKEY East League 

Div 4NE 

Norwich Union v Ipswich 4's 

Result: won 2-1

Scorers:  G Scarff, H Thomas

On a sublime St David's day Ipswich travelled to Norwich to take on the Union. The selected team broke new grounds for age records with 32 year old Colin Sneddon as the third youngest player (your reporter is not sure which of those two facts is the most remarkable). Even the team's ex-chairman was in the younger half of the 12 man squad.

Anyway one of the day's highlights occurred at the end of a productive warm up when the aforementioned Sneddon hit Reed's stick (lying on the ground for some reason) further than he did the ball.

The game started breezily. Norwich tried the aerial route with little success. Then Scarff with adroit style snaffled the opener from his normal 2.67 feet and in doing so scored the teams 100th goal of the 2007 / 08 season - for the second season in succession according to the teams statistician (Scarff himself). Shortly after Thomas miss-controlled a hit from outside the D and turned to see the ball beat the keeper into the corner. 2-0.

Captain Godbold thereafter proved his worth to the team by taking himself off and Norwich Union promptly stormed back into the game. Thankfully Kwan was on fire (well at least smoking a little) and they were repelled through to half time.

With various rallying cries at half time about retaining concentration it was perhaps unsurprising that Sebborn's push back missed all his colleagues and had to be rescued by Whetton from under Kwan's nose.

Norwich Union upped the tempo in the second half and scored a goal mid-way through the half which piled the pressure onto the experienced Ipswich defensive unit. The last 15 minutes was dominated by Williams dribbling the ball out of defence and then finding a rugby-esque far-flung touchline to ease the pressure or Williams walking with little speed back off the pitch to fetch the ball then back to the 21 yard point to take his 16 yard hit. But hey ho experience paid off and the umpire was happy throughout.

So the clock was wound down and the game was won 2-1. Man of the match for the first time this season was probably the club's token Welsh ex-chairman.

Rather than provide Scarff with his prize for scoring the 100th goal, captain Godbold was last seen taking his wife out - on the team kitty allegedly - for a posh meal in a delightful lilac hooped top (and yes it was on Mr not Mrs G). No accounting for taste .... but maybe it explains some of his selection decisions this season.

Next week the revenge game against Cranes ..... but the 4th XI are still at the top of the league - however there are still two other teams fighting for the two promotion spots and only four games to go. How exciting!

NE14HOCKEY East League

Div 6NE

Ipswich 5's

Result:

Scorers: 

Vintage Cup-Quarter final

Vets

Ipswich v Isca

Result : Won 2-2 APS

Scorers: Wake, French

Ipswich welcomed Isca from Exeter to Tuddenham Road in this quarter final of the over 50s cup and eventually won through as they did in the previous round on penalty flicks. Ipswich started well and were very much on top in the early stages but without creating any clearcut chances and gradually Isca began to dominate the midfield. Midway through the half the visitors took the lead following a penalty corner awarded in controversial decision and some loose defending, but Ipswich still felt with they were in the game and pushed forward to gain an equaliser. Shortly before half time however, Isca increased their lead following a goal mouth scramble.

At half time the visitors must have though they had the game in the bag, but Ipswich made some tactical switches which resulted in a much more dangerous Ipswich attacking formation. This was eventually rewarded with the award of a penalty flick despite Irwin having the ball in the net; Wake converted to give Ipswich hope. As Ipswich pushed forward chances were being created and believe returned that they could win, Glading's deft deflection from Wake's cross was well saved and then the home team won a series of penalty corners, French converted one to pull Ipswich level. The same player fired inches wide from

another corner and Wake was unlucky to see his effort also fly inches wide. The Ipswich defense performed admirably to keep the Isca attack at bay, but Ipswich now looked the most likely to get the winner, with time run down the dreaded flicks arrived.

Having won in a similar situation in the previous round , Gray, French, Hampton and Whetton stepped up to convert confidently allowing Steward in goal to be the hero of the day as he made 2 superb saves to put Ipswich into the semi finals.