Higgins English Indoor League Premier Division

Sat 22nd & Sun 23rd January 2005

 Ipswich v Harleston  Won 3-1, Ipswich v St Austell Won 5-1

 Ipswich v Bowdon Hightown  Won 6-1

Ipswich faced 3 vital games this weekend in the Higgins National league Premier Division, knowing that 3 wins out of 3 would be enough to see them through to finals night at Crystal Place for the first time since January 2001.

Back in 2001 Ipswich made the finals night thanks to 4 goals in their final game v Clifton from 21 year old Lizzy Aldous, this year Aldous is the Ipswich Captain and is still a vital part of the Suffolk side.

Ipswich's first game was against newly promoted local rivals Harleston Magpies. Magpies had started the tournament fighting for Premiership survival but several surprising results saw them with an outside chance of making finals night so this result was key for both sides. With the game tied at 1-1 at half time Ipswich stepped up the pressure and their extra class eventually told as they ran out 3-1 victors.

Next up were relegation battlers St Austell. Last season a depleted  Ipswich lost to the Cornish side and the team knew that they could not afford to slip up again.  Ipswich started with a flourish, the imperious Leisa King dominating the defence, while Jo Ellis Cathy Gilliat-Smith and Lizzy Aldous led the attack. Ipswich were soon 4-0 up and cruising but as the second half started St Austell grabbed a goal back and Ipswich were beginning to look tired. Despite a total of 20 short corners Ipswich only managed to score 1 more goal to make it 5-1 and while happy with the points the Suffolk team knew that they would have to be more clinical if they wanted to beat last years runners up Bowdon Hightown in their last game.

With top 4 placings changing after nearly every game Ipswich were not sure if a draw in their final game would be enough to see them through to finals night and knew that 3 points against Hightown had to be the target.

The game almost started in the worst possible way for the Suffolk team, in the first 30 seconds Leisa King was robbed of possession by Tina Cullen and only superb goal line clearance by Kirsten Spencer kept the scores at 0-0. This seemed to wake Ipswich up and they began to play the patterns wanted. Ipswich opened the scoring first, Cathy Gilliat stealing the ball off a Hightown stick to leave her with an open goal and a easy tap in. The Ipswich second goal was a Jo Ellis special, a clever dodge wrong footing the keeper, followed by a powerful finish into the bottom corner. Ipswich now were controlling the game and with King and Spencer beating Cullen to every ball Hightown looked devoid of ideas.

Captain Aldous then added to  the Ipswich score line, another good finish to make it 3-0. Hightown however did create chances and only some typically world class saves from Beccy Duggan and another goal line clearance from Spencer kept them out. Gilliat-Smith then pounced again to make it 4-0 at the half time break.  The job was half done and Ipswich could sense victory.

While Hightown did manage to grab a consolation goal, Ipswich extended their league twice to make the final scoreline 6-1. A classic display from the whole team that saw Ipswich finish in 3rd place and qualify for finals night for the first them in 4 years.  The other sides to join them are Chelmsford, Hightown and Slough, ironically the same teams, bar Hightown, that qualified 4 years ago.

Ipswich now play Bowdon Hightown again in the second semi final at 1830 hrs at Crystal Palace on Friday 4th February 2005.  Tickets priced at £15.00 for adults and £11.00 for concessions (under 16 and over 65) Can be bought from England Hockey on 

01908 544664

A £2.00 booking fee will apply to each order.

East Premier League

Sat 22nd January 2005

Ipswich 2's v Cambridge City

Won 1-0  (L Philp)

Ipswich welcomed Cambridge City to Tuddenham Road on Saturday fully aware that they needed to improve on last weeks performance if they were going to take all 3 points. With City including no less than 4 ex-Ipswich players in their team it was always going to be a tough game for both sides both physically and mentally. To make things even harder for the home side they also had to contended with losing Karla Waddleton and captain Jo Gray to injury at the last minute.

Despite the setback Ipswich started at a cracking pace, forcing their visitors on the back foot and only some alert goalkeeping by ex-Ipswich player Pippa Hall in the Cambridge goal kept Ipswich's pacy forwards Hannah Golding and Lucy Philp out.

City however are a determined team and after a rocky beginning to the match they began to find their feet. Their game plan was to get the ball to another ex-Ipswich player Lianne Shadrack up front and she forced Ipswich goal keeper Clare Gould into several fine saves. As half time approached the game was finely balanced and ironically it was a City change that seemed to give Ipswich the opportunity to push forward. City replaced ex-Ipswich 2nd team captain Sarah Juggins in centre midfield with Vanya Fairman-Smith and with the hard working Juggins now on the left, the Ipswich midfield duo of Emma Millar and Nicky Kelley began to find more time and space to play the ball.

The second half started with Ipswich determined to take the initiative and several players really stepped up their game. Ipswich Sweeper Katherine Wrinch began to frustrate Shadrack with her timely tackles and with centre back Charlie Anderson marauding forward at will City were finding it increasingly hard to get and keep possession of the ball.  As the half wore on the game became more and more frenetic with neither side willing to give and inch.

With time running out and the game heading for a draw Ipswich dug deep one last time. Emma Millar picked the ball up just inside the half way line and with the City defenders backing off, drove her way into the left hand side of the circle and shot for goal. Her off balance shot was going wide but a full length dive from determined striker Lucy Philp saw the ball poked home on the far post to make it 1-0 to Ipswich with 1 minute to go.  An accidental clash with Philp and a City defender during the goal celebration unfortunately saw tempers boil over and also saw city captain Lianne Shadrack sent off for dissent.

Ipswich saw out the remaining minute and gained a highly valuable win that moves them 6 points clear of the relegation zone and within 3 points of 7th place .

Next weekend sees Ipswich travel to leaders Maidstone and with the team in this form hopes are high of another good result.

East League Div 2 North

Sat 22nd January 2004

Brentwood v Ipswich 3's 

Lost 1-0  ()

Ipswich travelled to Essex this weekend to play Brentwood, who are flying high in the league table. Ipswich fielded another changed team this weekend due to illness and injury however, this seemed to have no effect on Ipswich’s play.

Brentwood had first push back and started off the match positively, going on the attack and nearly scoring the opening goal of the match. However, Ipswich soon tightened their defence and kept the strong Essex side at bay. It was not until half way through the first half that the visitors had a chance to score after some forward flowing hockey, which resulted in several short corners. Brentwood dealt with the threat and dispatched the ball through to their attackers resulting in more assertive play in the direction of the Ipswich goal. At half time the score was 0:0.

After the break both teams realised the score line had to change and they both had chances with Brentwood being more successful. Ipswich tried to fight back but the attacking chances they needed eluded them, and the match finished 1:0 in the favour of the home team.

This was a very creditable performance from Ipswich who have struggled to find their form in recent matches and with some of the regulars back to support the team next week they should be able to get back to their ‘winning ways’.

East League Premier A

Sat 22nd January 2004

Dereham v Ipswich

Won 9-2  ( R Stainthorpe (3)  W Faulker , M Walker, A Cook(3), K Brown)

Ipswich men travelled away for a second week in a row, this time to west of Norwich to play bottom of the league Dereham.

With England U18 goalkeeper George Pinner back in goal this fixture for Ipswich was never really going to stretch the league leaders. However due to injury quality striker Ivan Smith was unable to be selected to play giving further opportunity for Richard Stainthorpe to secure pitch time and impose himself on the game, this he did by scoring Ipswich’s first goal, a carbon copy of one scored last week against Blueharts where Andy cook’s crossed ball was deflected by Stainthorpe into the goal.

Will Faulker scored again from a short corner, then shortly before half time Matt Walker who started in the defence moved into midfield and found himself one on one with the goalkeeper and sidestepped to coolly score his second of the season. Tim Allen for Dereham closed the gap scoring in the Ipswich end.

 3-1 at half time and the only real frustration for both teams was the constant whistle blowing from both umpires who made hard work of what was never going to be a crunch match and if they had allowed the game to flow more the score line could have been greater and played in better spirits.

Ipswich vets v Waveney

Sat 22nd January 2004

Won 5-0  ( Glading (2)  Read, Cutting, Bryce)

With a significant number of regulars injured or unavailable the vets were pleased to welcome Steward back in goal from the first team and late recruits Cutting and Read from the 3rd eleven for this usual competitive game against Waveney at Harleston. Ipswich started brightly and dominated the early stages but were finding it difficult to create clear cut chances against a resolute defence. Ipswich however were rewarded for their persistence when Read converted; Bryce with his close control and speed was causing a lot of problems down the right and he added to the score slotting home from an acute angle when the Waveney defenders expected a cross. Waveney however, were always dangerous from midfield where the ex Ipswich duo of Sampson and Crane were dominating, looking for their Dutch centre forward who gave Steed plenty to do all all game.


A half time move to the water based pitch seemed to unsettle both teams as they came to terms with the change of bounce and pace. Waveney continued to push forward but when the defence was breeched they found Steward in fine form. Against the run of play Ipswich increased the lead when a Read free hit found Glading unmarked in front of goal and he slammed the ball home. Cutting further increased the lead finishing clinically after another run from man of the match Bryce. Glading completed the scoring in the dying seconds, his mis-hit shot deflecting off the keeper when the ball trickled across from the left to give Ipswich a very flattering scoreline.

Next week sees a home fixture against Harleston Vets a team they have failed to beat in the last three encounters.