English National League

Premier 1

Sat 13th November 2004

Bowdon Hightown v BTExact Ipswich

Won 2-0 (C Gilliat-Smith, L King) 

After a round trip of over 400 miles to Manchester BTExact Ipswich returned home tired but with a great feeling of satisfaction and more importantly with 3 vital points. Last season Bowdon Hightown won the league, the Cup and the end of season play off but this year sees them out of form and after losing 2-0 to Ipswich on Saturday the Manchester based side slipped down to 6th place. 

Ipswich’s plan was to expose the Hightown defence, statistically the weakest in the league shipping 26 goals in 8 games, and take their chances.  The visitors started with a bang punishing the static home sides defence and within 6 minutes Ipswich took the lead. A flowing move involving Jo Ellis and Cathy Gilliat-Smith resulted in an easy tap in for Gilliat-Smith after the keeper was drawn out of position. Gilliat-Smith has now scored 3 goals this season and is an ever growing goal threat for the Suffolk team. 

Hightown were rocked and for a period of 5 minutes struggled to do the simple things with Ipswich pressing for the 2^nd goal however the Suffolk team seemed to relax and Hightown began to regain their composure and Ipswich found themselves on the back foot for the first time in the match.  Some good relax keeping by Ipswich keeper Beccy Duggan kept the league’s top scorer Tina Cullen out but Ipswich did not keep hold of the ball for long enough and again came under pressure. Hightown  thought they had scored only to be disappointed as the umpire rightly blew the whistle for a obstruction on Ipswich defender Izzy Sheldrake. 

Half time saw coach Sandie Lister ask her team for more composure in the key areas and her request for another early goal to give the Suffolk side some breathing space was quickly answered. 4 minutes after the re-start Leisa King fired in a short corner after a good move to see Ipswich take a 2-0 lead.  Hightown now knew they had to bring the game to the visitors and player Coach Cullen stepped up the pressure.  Some great defending  by stalwart Kirsten Spencer, Amy Tippen and Duggan again, frustrated the home side and Ipswich began to create more and more breakaway chances.  The visitors should have made it at least 3-0 but both Tanya Barnard and Emma Millar missed chances after some great build up play. ^{Ipswich though disappointed not to make more of their openings kept on working hard and were more than happy with the result at the final whistle.}

The Suffolk side though again not playing to their full potential were more than satisfied with the 3 points that sees them move up to 5th place in the table. They next play 7th placed Clifton at home and with 3 out of the top 4 having to play each other before Christmas the Suffolk side will want to keep on the winning trail to enable them to take advantage of those results.   

East Premier League

Sat 13th November 2004

Dereham v Ipswich 2's 

Lost 3-1 (J Gray)

East League Div 2 Central 

Sat 13th November 2004

 Ipswich 3's v Southend

Lost 4-1 (V Dixon)

A fine cold sunny day welcomed Southend to Suffolk. Ipswich had first push back but within the first minute Southend demonstrated their intention for the day. With great team spirit they pushed forward and applied intense pressure on the Ipswich defence, who have been so resilient this season. However, within the first five minutes the visitors managed to break through the strong defence and score their first goal. This is becoming a regular pattern as Ipswich struggle to settle into their team roles in the first minutes of the game and are exposed to the opposition. The home team fought hard to find their usual form but the enthusiasm and the high quality Southend team continued to disrupt them. Well into the first half the Southend pressure again broke the defence and they doubled their score. However, Ipswich reacted to this event, pushed forward and with characteristic superb ability, Vicky Dixon brought Ipswich back into the game with a scorching shot from a short corner. The pressure from Southend continued to be intense right up to the half time whistle. 

The second half continued in the same vein with the whole Southend team relentlessly pushing forward and the Ipswich defence continuing to keep them out, but after a number of forceful attacks, the visitors scored again. The Ipswich team did not gel and despite a number of substitutions failed to find the successful formula on the day. After a brave run from an individual Southend player, Ipswich’s defence had to apply pressure, however the umpire judged the rules were infringed and the visitors were awarded a penalty flick. Southend made the most of this opportunity and extended their lead further, despite a fine save from Mary Ost the ball trickled over the line. Ipswich did not give up and made several brave attacks on the Southend goal but the visitor’s goalkeeper’s skills kept them at bay. Previous visitors’ pack like behaviour has been skilfully exploited by Ipswich individuals, but this week the Ipswich team failed to find the fluidity from defence through the midfield to the forward players so were unable to profit from lapses in the Southend defence. Ipswich must strive to rebuild their team performance, which is required to make them a winning team. Southend deserved to win this match and will be happy with a good win. 

East Premier A Division

West Herts Ipswich

Saturday 13th November

Won 3-1  (A Cook, W Turner, R Fox)

Ipswich travelled to West Herts without any substitutes due to late player withdrawals and still managed to achieve a superb away victory, much to the joy of coach Kath MacDonald who saw her side dominate a resilliant opposition.

Without the calming influence of the flu-ridden Chris Palmer in central defence, Kev Brown stepped in and filled his boots more than adequately, linking up well with defensive partner Asif Rais. Midfielder Simon Miller was also missing, was replaced by the equally quick and skillful Matt Walker, whilst nippy forward Richard Stainthorpe cover for the injured Ivan Smith. 

Any concerns that the disruptions and replacements would affect the balance of the team were quickly put to rest, as Ipswich launched wave after wave of flowing attacking hockey in an attempt to break down a well organised West Herts side. Andy Cook soon put the visitors ahead from a penalty corner after good work from Richard Stainthorpe, and Stainthorpe himself could have made it two minutes later but failed to control a defence splitting pass from captain Richard Fox. 

It was not all one way traffic though, with West Herts tending to attack on the break, but were foiled by the the almost faultless defensive performance of Andrew Swindin, Rais, Brown, and James Walker. Ipswich went into half time just one goal to the good, a scoreline which did not reflect the balance of play. 

The second half was a scrappy affair, with most of the game being played in the middle of the pitch where Will Fulker was beginning to dominate. However, a brilliant penalty corner save from Ipswich keeper John Steward kept the away side in front, and minutes later Ipswich scored the all important second goal when Will Turner tapped over the line from another Andy Cook penalty corner strike. 

West Herts sprang into action from the re-start, scoring from the penalty spot, threatening to make the last five minutes extremely interesting. However Ipswich secured the points two minutes from the end when the aggressive hassling of Cook and Stainthorpe saw Stainthorpe emerge with the ball who found Fox who scored with ease. 

Next Saturday Ipswich face third-placed Crostyx in a massive game for both sides at Henley Road. Ipswich will be hoping to make it eight wins out of eight against their fierce and bitter rivals.

East Division 2 Central

 Ipswich 3's v Sudbury

Saturday 13th November

Won 4-3 (Mayhew, Swindin, Messent, Webb)

A CRISP NOVEMBER morning heralded a fine day of hockey for the beleaguered third team and the goodly portents were increased when the Headless Chicken arrived from his nightly roost a good half an hour late. What possible ill could the Soothsayers’ divine from such fortuitous signs? Quite a bit actually, remember which team we’re talking about…

Sudbury were riding high in the table and Ipswich 3’s expected a tough battle and found with some surprise that they had the means to hammer the visitors. So surprised was the German striker that he was unable to recall how to stop the ball and further seemed unsure of which side to pass to. Whilst there were claims of low sun, new stick and lack of calling ‘tis not only a bad workman who blames his tools but a puerile one at that. In case you feel that this is a harsh appraisal not only did Mr. Mayhew cause the first goal by loose passing but he also transpired to gift the opposition with a pass that Sebborn, no less, would have been proud of and this set the visitors up with a comfortable two goal cushion with around 15 minutes on the clock. This was not an entirely fair reflection of the opening salvos but then ask Lassie’s Korean cousins if life is fair.

Normal service had resumed with a vengeance and there was distinct wobble. However this is a free scoring side and they bowed to the task and continued to attack with vim. In short order Jurgen redeemed himself by tapping in from his trademark goal hanging position. This was a critical score as it retrospect it turned the game and from this point on Ipswich controlled the game. Still you can’t legislate for incompetence as the managing colossus of Richard Beales was apt to promulgate in moments of despair and Ipswich proved this yet again by loosing possession once again and to let Sudbury run at the defence from a position of strength. 

This was to prove a bridge too far for the back four who foundered under weight of numbers and the ball eventually made it’s way towards the goal. Here a curious phenomenon occurred or at least it did for our goalie; normally one talks of time slowing but here it appeared to speed up for Biggers and Biggers alone as the ball raced along with all the speed of glacial erosion under his arm and his response was to do nothing. Well not absolute nothing as there was a suspicion that he was watching it but in goalkeeping terms he did nothing and so Ippy fell behind a two goal cushion again. 

Yet one still fell that we held control with the defensive unit of Colin, Russell, Flet and Ed essentially comfortable with luck more than judgement causing them difficulties as Storm formed a good defensive shield in front of them and pivoted well into the midfield that saw Aussie, Readie and an ever improving Phil (hands off Birchie) stringing together some fluent passing to feed Fossie and Jurgen with more service than a Portsmouth whore gets when HMS Invincible docks. Bit of a shame that they dribbled just as much instead of joining the rest of the team in a delivering a passing exhibition. And so it was a matter of time before the pressure told and the whirling cyclone that was Storm tucked away the resulting well worked shortie.

This was the final score before half time and whilst Russell probably mutter his typically insipid comments the 3’s thankfully paid no attention to him but listened instead to the burning core at the heart of the Typhoon who preached a message of ethinic cleansing (In a figurative sense, Ed.) 



And so the second half saw an increasingly dominant home side setting up half chance after half chance and when Phil deflected in a precision free hit from Reedie there was little surprise. Controversially the ball may not have crossed the line but it was given which was a welcome decision against the general run of whistling where anything lifted at any height into any player by either side resulted in a hit being awarded to red (Alan, that’s not our colour – we played in blue and purple). It raises a moot point though and if anyone knows whether the inside of the post is over the line then please write to;

Gutter Press,
12 Wedontvalueuropinion Rd
Thanxfourtheloopapershire
Wapping.

Anyway, now that the pedants (Pidge??) have rushed off to scribble an unwelcome missive, I can tell you about the winner which scored at the end of a passage of goal mouth action that any number of blue players could and should have scored before the ball fell to Aussie who had, thankfully, been gifted a simple sweep to the bottom left hand corner for a win.

With plenty of time still to play, there were more chances and pressure each way but one always felt that ISC3’s had more in the tank and the final whistle blew for a 4-3 home win. The first 3 pointer of the season and well deserved at that. Which puts the Gutter Press in the usual and, for them, unnerving position of having to say, “Well Done” on a good day’s work or, as one passing sports fan said, “Thank f*ck for that.”

Friendly

 Ipswich Vets v Ipswich 5's

Saturday13th November

Won 8-1 (Glading (4), Hauxwell (3), Gough )

With 2 lots of opposition calling off during the week the vets were nearly left with no game; the 5th team opposition, Fords also called off and so an internal club game took place. The scoreline does not truly reflect the game the 5th team unfortunately loosing their goalkeeper Kwan injured just prior to the game. Indeed the 5th eleven played very well but were caught by the more experienced vets on the break on several occasions. Hauxwell in particular was left with too much room and he scored twice before Glading struck home from the top of the circle, and Gough sneaked in to add his name to the scoresheet.

The 5th team started the second half in determined mood and were creating chances without getting the ball in the net, Glading picked up a tap in when the unlucky Hicks mis controlled before Hauxwell completed his hat trick from an acute angle. Alex Bond scored a magnificent consolation with a flick from a penalty corner, with keeper Gordon blaming the sun!! before Glading also completed his hat trick with a majestic lob over the defence which even the umpire initially thought had flown wide before the same player completed the scoring with minutes remaining.

Next week sees a return to league action against local rivals Bury St Edmunds.