English Hockey League

Premier 1 

Saturday 9th April  2005

Clifton  v Ipswich

Won 2-0 ( K Spencer, C Gilliat-Smith)

Ipswich got back to winning ways on Saturday, a 2-0 victory over Bristol based Clifton ensuring that the Suffolk club retained 2nd place in the league, 3 points behind leaders Leicester, who won 4-2 against Slough and 1 point ahead of 3rd placed Chelmsford.

Ipswich dominated the first 15 minutes playing some top class hockey and unlike last weekend, where able to turn their superiority into goals. Kirsten Spencer rifled Ipswich ahead on the 7th minute, her short corner strike finding the back of the net via the Clifton keepers helmet.  With their tales up Ipswich pressed Clifton and Jo Ellis was unlucky to she her effort fly narrowly wide. Clifton though to their credit stepped up their game and began to deny Ipswich time and space on the ball. Despite earning several short corners the home team found the Ipswich defence in resilient mood and with Becky Duggan in her usual top class form they could not find a way through.

The second half saw Clifton pressing hard for the equaliser and the home side thought they had scored but were denied by a post and Duggan's unorthodox save with her backside!  With such an attacking tactic Clifton were vulnerable to the counter attack and Ipswich finally took advantage on the 50th minute, when Cathy Gilliat-Smith was set free behind the Clifton defence. A lay off to Leisa King at the top of the circle, saw her with time to shoot and even though the keeper did well to parry the first shot she could not stop the tenacious Gilliat-Smith forcing the ball over the line  to make it 2-0.

Clifton now threw caution to the wind and had the majority of the possession in the remaining 20 minutes but Ipswich were determined not to let their hosts back into the game and defended with a renewed vigour that had been missing last weekend.

A pleasing 3 points and with only one league game to go it is still mathematically possible for Ipswich to claim the title but Leicester would need to lose to 3rd placed Chelmsford next Saturday and Ipswich would need a 12-0 victory over relegated Sutton Coldfield. Stranger things have happened!

East League 

Premier A

Saturday 9th April 2005

Ipswich  v West Herts

Won 5-3  (W Turner, C Palmer, Hauxwell (2), R Rutterford)

Ipswich men on Saturday finished off their victorious season by scoring their 100th goal in their 5 - 3 win over West Herts at Henley Road. The match saw again old meeting new players with John Stewart starring in goal for another memorable performance from the veteran player. His tenth minute save from lapse marking at the back showed he really his still very agile as well as alert to danger from quick attackers. Up the other end of the field youngster 16 year old Robbie Hauswell started his second game for the first team and showed just why his an exciting prospect for the future by linking in well with top scorer Andy Cook.

The game was dead locked with West Herts playing a waiting game by half court pressing the home side. Will Turner opened the scoring for Ipswich from a well worked short corner. Chris Palmer cooly slotted home another penalty stroke after a professional foul in the D.

Early in the second half Hauxwell got his first of 2 goals after Ipswich found some space to attack. Even this late in the season Ipswich tactics were to create space and stretch play while pushing men forward from defence....always a risky play leaving defenders
out on their own with the risk of counter attacking.

Ipswich were a bit guilty of playing percentage hockey at the back and West Herts capatalised on clumsy tackling and miss timed clearances, bringing themselves back into the game with three goals, one from a penalty stroke won after Palmer was judged to
have fouled in front of keeper Stewart.  Midfielders started to come through for Ipswich with Matt Walker and Richard Stainthorpe putting shots high over the bar. The final goal of the game bringing Ipswich tally for the season to 100 goals fell nicely
to captain Richard Rutterford who batted down a cross into the goal. 

Next season Ipswich will be taking their battles into national League. Coach Kathryn Macdonald says about the challenges National league will present "What I want now are players who will commit themselves to next year and all the excitement it will bring. we
need to attack National League with all the fine players who won the East Premier League plus our youngsters who have shown such promise over the past couple of games." 

CHAMPIONS

East Vets League