| 1'st's |
.Slazenger
England
Hockey League South
Sat:
Ipswich
V
University
of
Exeter
Lost: 1-2
Scorer:
R. Rutterford
Sun:
Ipswich
V Robinsons
Won: 4-2
Scorers:
I Smith, P Messent, K
Dixon
, R Stainthorpe
Ipswich
returned to national league hockey after the long mid-season break and
produced an outstanding performance which resulted in defeat, and an average
one that resulted in victory. On Saturday, a thrilling game at
Tuddenham Road
saw the mid-table home side give the then league-
leaders
University
of
Exeter
a real scare, but were eventually beaten 2-1. On Sunday,
Bristol
based league strugglers Robinsons were the visitors, but despite moving into
a 3-0 lead inside fifteen minutes, the home side were made to work hard for
their 4-2 victory. The win moves the team onto 21 points, matching the total
number of points achieved by the side in the entire 2006-07 season with
eight games still to play.
Saturday’s
result effectively hinged on a poor seven minute period at the start of the
second half in which the students took full advantage. League top scorer
Rufus Victor Thomas McNaught-Barrington has been making a big name for
himself all season, and slammed home a fierce penalty corner in the 39th
minute after some terrible
Ipswich
defending. Just a minute later, Ipswich were punished again, with Ed
Kelleher having all the time in the world to force the ball over the line
after the home side failed to clear the danger.
Ipswich
coach Ian Gall was visibly frustrated with his teams’ capitulation after
what had been a genuinely impressive first half performance in which
Ipswich
had more than matched the high-flying students. The display showed composure
and maturity, and was a million miles away from the performance which saw
them crushed 8-2 by the same team back in September.
Despite
being 2-0 down,
Ipswich
worked hard to get back into the game and their efforts were rewarded in the
46th minute. Ivan Smith beat two men with ease down the right
before crossing to the ever-reliable Richard Rutterford who made no mistake
form close range.
Ipswich
pressed hard in search of an equaliser, but the students were solid in
defence and held on for victory.
Although
the match ended in defeat, there were many positives in the
Ipswich
performance that needed to be taken forward into Sunday’s must win game
against Robinsons, and the team did just that. It took just 10 minutes for
Ipswich
to open the scoring, when Kier Dixon’s powerful drag-flick hit a defender
on the line only for Ivan Smith to tap into the goal. Two minutes later,
Ipswich
grabbed their second of the game after a botched penalty corner routine fell
to Phil Messent, who flicked gloriously into the roof of the goal. It was
not long before penalty corner expert
Dixon
soon added his name to the scorers’ list, firing his set piece effort
under the body of the diving goalkeeper.
Ipswich
were firmly in control, with their opponents looking like the proverbial
injured lambs surrounded by a pack of hungry wolves. However,
Ipswich
foolishly conceded a penalty corner, and Robinson’s pulled a goal back
thanks to an excellent deflection from midfielder Oliver Fuller.
Ipswich
started to play and act like a team under pressure, while Robinson’s
played like a team who were firmly back in the game. With just a minute left
in the first half, Robinson’s winger Scott Mills made the score 3-2 from
another penalty corner.
Ipswich
managed to regain control of the game in the second half and created some
good attacking opportunities, but could not find the finishing touch in
front of goal. Eventually though, the visitors cracked when the in-form
Richard Rutterford fired a superb ball from the left into the path of
Richard Stainthorpe, who neatly deflected the ball into the net to seal
victory for Ipswich.
“All in
all, it was a good weekend” said Captain Ivan Smith. “We were unlucky
not to get anything out of the match against
University
of
Exeter
, and although we didn’t play our best against Robinson’s, we did enough
to get the three points. Sometimes it is ok to win ugly.”
|
| 2nd's |
NE14HOCKEY
East League
Prem
A
Havering
v Ipswich
Won
2-1
Scorers:
A Cook, S Miller
Ipswich did not
play their usual fluent hockey and in the first 20 mins of this game were
under the cosh to a very well drilled Havering side who welcomed back
there South African international from injury.
Despite
the pressure Ipswich defence consisting of Burchy,Underwood,Swindin,Wrinch
and Calver played very well as a unit with the back four soaking up all
the pressure and protecting Burchy well. When called upon Burch made 3
very good saves from backstick efforts from the South African Leon.
With
Havering enjoying a good spell, Underwood was luckily Ipswich's saving
grace in a man of the match performance keeping Leon at arms length. With
the defence playing as well as they were it was down to the flair of
Miller to find a lovely cross field pass to M Walker in space at the top
of the D. Walker drove a fierce strike between Keeper and defence and Cook
was on hand to sweep it in.
Half
time and 1-0 up Ipswich still had more to give but Havering pulled one
back after a good save from Burch from a short corner and then Wrinch
finding a havering striker on hand to put it in after sweeping it off the
pads.
Ipswich
welcomed back Skipper Reed, who after absence was relatively quiet and ineffective
(monk), but did provide a moment of brilliance to win a 50-50 in the
middle of the park and getting through another challenge to then slip a
pass into Miller on the top left of the D, who coolly (miss hit) a shot
in the near post to give Ipswich a win.
Ipswich
face bottom club Harpenden to the cage on Saturday losing Wrinch to the 3s
but welcoming Woodgate back from vacation and Keano out of retirement.
|
| 4th's |
NE14HOCKEY
East
League
Div
4NE
Holt
Harlequins v Ipswich 4's
Result:
Lost 3-1
Scorers: Reed
On the long trip to Sherringham
Ipswich were confident the game would be called off due to the fact much of
Norfolk was under snow.
However the North Norfolk coast was
bathed in radiant sunshine and not a drop of snow was in site. Mind you it
was bitterly bitterly cold and Sebborn deemed it a 5 shirt game.
That may account for his general lack
of mobility throughout the game. Ipswich were more or less at full strength
with only the Totem missing. Holt's 5 players who played in the first game
were relieved when they noticed this - as the Totem had scored 8 in the 14-0
win.
It didn't take long for the quick
thinking Ipswich team to notice this was a much improved Holt team. Them
having a goalkeeper was a bit of a clue.
In the first half Ipswich sliced Holt
open repeatedly but to say the finishing was atrocious is a grand
understatement. Reed, Scarff and Thomas hit sitters wide. Reed proved that
the Enigma Gallagher is not the only person who can't hit the goal from a
foot on his open stick but can score impossible reverse stick swishes from
the top of the D. One nil to Ipswich.
Ipswich were not however playing well
and after the captain took Sneddon off Ipswich conceded and would have done
so again but for the umpire giving a short corner a nano-second before the
ball crossed the line.
Stern words at half time with the game
neatly poised at 1-1.
To the say the second half was one way
traffic would be an understatement. And as you might have guessed from the
end result it was all about Holt playing well and Ipswich having their worst
half since 2005. At the end only one team deserved to win and it was Holt
who ran out three one winners. How they are towards the bottom of the table
is impossible to fathom ....
Of the Ipswich team, Kwan played okay
but the rest .......... mmmmmmmmmm ..... the less written about them the
better.
Things are now looking tight at the
top of Division 4NE with two teams now within three points of the 4th XI.
|
| 5th's |
NE14HOCKEY
East
League
Div
6NE
North
Walsham 3's v Ipswich
5's
Result:
Won1-0
Scorers:
Fisher
After a riveting two hour drive
through the frozen Norfolk tundra, Ipswich 5 arrived in the picturesque
seaside town of Cromer in a "we havn't come all this way not to
win" mood.
They were up against a youthful
Walsham side who were capable of playing some attractive hockey. The boys
were cheered on by a large contingent of loud mother's, the umpire included.
Her and the Ipswich team did not see eye to eye on many decisions and a lot
of early chatting back from Ipswich after some reasonable decisions lead to
them later getting penalised for some rather more marginal offences.
Nevertheless, Ipswich started
brightly, and the usual tendency to attack down the right continued, with
some good short passing moves bringing Ipswich into the Walsham D with
regularity. However, like at the start of the season, Ipswich did not
threaten the outstanding Walsham keeper anywhere near enough and even the
master of Payne could not find a breakthrough. Eventually, Alan Fisher was
able to flick the ball in calmly over him as the keeper attempted to slide
out at a loose ball after a blocked shot.
In the second half Ipswich looked a lot
more comfortable but again chances were squandered, miss of the day going to
Messen's beautiful airshot; although his overall performance had been solid.
The half dragged on and as promised the cards started flying and Snake was
yellowed for questioning whether it was wise for the umpire to play the
advantage when he had the ball on his own goaline following a corner...a
win's a win.
|
| Vets |
NE14HOCKEY
East
League
Div
6NE
North
Walsham 3's v Ipswich
5's
Result:
Won1-0
Scorers:
Fisher
Shefford & Sandy had conceded the
match because after a bruising encounter the previous week, they could only
muster 8 fit players. To their very great credit however, they traveled with
8 men and we were able to supply 4 extras so they even had a sub!
It was an excellent game played in
good spirit but with the hard but fair attitude you would expect from a
Shefford team. Possession was pretty even but in the first half Ipswich
finishing power proved decisive, Foster opened with a well placed shot past
the stranded keeper,Tew crashed in a magnificent thunderbolt from a short
corner, Curzon's persistence resulted in a shot finding the corner and then
he turned in a another short corner from Glading's shot.
The second half found Ipswich with
less possession and Shefford were able to create chances, indeed guest
Wheaton pulled a goal back when his powerful strike from the top of the
circle was saved by Steward but the ball looped up and crossed the line.
ipswich completed the scoring late on
as Askins with a typical run from midfield had his initial shot saved but he
converted the rebound and at last Glading notched one with a deft deflection
at the near post from Curzon's cross.
Next week the vets travel to Pelicans
in the league and then the over 50s visit Chesterfield in the cup and so a
very busy weekend.
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