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English
Hockey League
Premier
1
Sunday13th
March 2005
Ipswich v Harleston
Magpies
Won 5-0 ( L
Aldous (2), L King, E Millar, V Roberts)
Ipswich knew
Sunday was a huge game for both sides. Harleston having been hammered 4-1
the previous day by visitors Doncaster knew that they needed to get something
out of this game to keep them out of the relegation play-offs, while
Ipswich knew a win would send them back to the top of the table.
As in their
first meeting Harleston started strongly but Ipswich too were keen to
apply some early pressure and for the first 10 minutes the game was keenly
contested. The visitors did create several good chances but just did not
have the composure to make a telling shot. Ipswich though stepped up their
game and a superb goal in the 13th minute by Lizzy Aldous, in a move that
she set up and then finished, set the tone for the rest of the game.
Aldous firstly closed down the Harleston defender, forcing the ball into
the path of fellow striker Emma Millar who in turn fed the ball back to
Aldous. A great dummy beat the keeper and a cool finish evaded the player
on the line to make it 1-0.
Harleston seemed
visibly drained by the goal and it was only 6 minutes later that Leisa
King, in front of the watching England Coach Danny Kerry, scored her second
of the weekend to make it 2-0. Given too much space in the circle King
fired in a bullet like cross that evaded everyone including the keeper and
ended up in the back of the goal.
Harleston to their
credit dug in and tried to create chances but the Ipswich defence stood
firm and with Charlie Anderson and Isabelle Sheldrake in particular having
outstanding games the visitors never really got the chance to threaten the
Ipswich goal.
The second half
saw Ipswich's superior fitness come into play and 4 minutes after the
re-start Lizzy Aldous scored her second of the game and her 3rd of the
weekend. Some great build up play by Anderson and Captain Vic
Sandall down the left saw Aldous through on goal. The Harleston keeper
saved well several times from the near post but Aldous was not to be
denied and finally forced the ball home from the tightest of angles.
6 minutes later
it was Millar's turn to add to the goals as she deflected in a fierce shot
by Sandall to make it 4-0. Harleston were now throwing caution to the wind
and did indeed create several one on one chances, but Ipswich Keeper Beccy
Duggan is in fine form and dealt with any danger.
Ipswich though had one last goal to find if they were
to fulfill their targets and that came on the 62nd minute courtesy of 18
year old Vanessa Roberts. Roberts collected the ball superbly and
her cool finish was fitting for the final goal in a match well won by the
home team.
The win saw Ipswich move back to the top of the
table, one point ahead of 2nd placed Leicester . A great weekend for the
team and one that shows the depth of talent and the team spirit in this
Ipswich squad. Scoring 9 field goals in a weekend is impressive in
it's own right, to do so without your 2 top goal scorers is a credit to
the whole squad and support team.
Next weekend Ipswich travel away to Doncaster and
know that they will be in for a tough test against a side fighting hard
for Premiership survival, but Ipswich are on a 11 game unbeaten run and
will be tough to stop.
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