English National League Premier Division

BTexact Ipswich v Leicester

Saturday 22nd February 2003

Result Drew: 2-2

Scorers: V Sandall, L King

BTExact Ipswich really let 2 points slip away in this league match. With only ten seconds remaining on the clock all they had to do was to keep the ball at the far end of the pitch. Yet it was not to be and Leicester seized their opportunity to salvage a point out of a disappointing performance. Ipswich were looking a much more confident team than of late, with Tanya Barnard and Jo Ellis getting a lot of good ball outside of the Leicester ‘D’ . 

Anli Kotze and Leisa King combined to good effect in the midfield yet sometimes held on to the ball for to long thus denying Ipswich the quick break forward. Hannah Robinson in the Ipswich goal had very little to do as the defence soaked up any Leicester pressure. Ipswich appear to be getting over the recent run of poor performances and as long as the side keep up the work rate the results will start to come.

HEL Cup Quarter Final

BTexact Ipswich v Slough

Sunday 23rd February 2003

Result Lost : 3-2

Scorers: J Ellis , L King

Ipswich fought until the final whistle and if only there had been a few more minutes, it was a case of what might have been. Slough opened the scoring from a short corner, Jane Smith on excellent form. Ipswich were not daunted though and continued to play a possession game, creeping up the pitch whilst switching the play from side to side. The result of these tactics created a break in the Slough midfield and a fine piece of individual skill from Tanya Barnard led to an Ipswich short corner. Kate Hector on the strike forced a save from the keeper and Leisa King buried the ball into the back of the net to put the home side level just on the half time whistle.

 The beginning of the second half saw Ipswich continue to look confidant on the ball and it was Slough who were on the back foot. Up to the edge of the opposition ‘D’ the Suffolk side were excellent, yet it is the last 16yds where they needed to be more effective, either in shots on goal or getting corners. The Slough
defence were very predictable in their block tackling and Ipswich needed to be more thoughtful in their route to goal. The Ipswich midfield were supporting the forwards, yet when Ipswich continually lost possession just outside the ‘D’ it seemed that they were having to do shuttle runs up and down the pitch. Slough used this to their advantage and through a quick break from Mandy Nicholson received a free hit just outside the Ipswich ‘D’. A quick pass to Jane smith who struck the ball first time to put Slough ahead again. The tide of the game turned and Ipswich looked out of sorts in their positioning. Slough were given a short corner and this time Jane Smith flicked the ball over the diving keeper. With 10 minutes to the home side realised that they must keep pushing forward. The resultant pressure led to another corner, Kate Hector’s shot wasn’t cleared and Jo Ellis gave Ipswich their second. With this goal came renewed spirit and Slough were having a tough time defending. But eventually Ipswich ran out of time and it is Slough who go into the draw for the semi-final

 Women’s Printwize East Premier League

Saturday 22nd February 2003

Ipswich 2^nd’s v Chelmsford  2nd's

Result: 6-0

Scorers (S Sheldrake (2), S Juggins (2), J Gray, E Millar)  

Ipswich got back to winning ways in the Printwize East Premier League with a 6-0 demolition of bottom side Chelmsford 2nds.

Ipswich started brightly forcing the visitors, who could only field 10 players, to defend in numbers and it looked as if they were going to run riot. However slack play and too much time spent dwelling on the ball saw the first 20 minutes goalless and Ipswich were beginning to look frustrated. Sarah Juggins finally broke through with a crisply struck short corner shot that sneaked in at the left hand post. Ipswich still were not firing on all cylinders but a few home truths from player coach Juggins at half time saw the team start the second half in a newly determined fashion. Within minutes Ipswich scored their second goal, Sophie Sheldrake pouncing on a rebound shot at goal. The home team poured forward and this time it was Juggins with a powerful shot from the top of the circle that made it 3.  

Ipswich were now unstoppable and Jo Gray scored the 4th with a tap in after beating the keeper. With the Ipswich defense being marshaled superbly by player of the match Becky Lawrence, Ipswich were totally in control.  Sheldrake then grabbed the 5th goal a flick shot placed in the top corner after some excellent build up play. Finally it was Captain Emma Millar that wrapped things up with the 6th goal; a well-worked short corner fed in by Juggins that Millar deflected into the goal. Ipswich were a different team from the first half and were more than pleased with all 3 points and their positive performance. Next week sees them travel to Kent to play Anchorians and Ipswich know this is a match that they have to win if they want to get back in the title hunt.

 Women’s Printwize East Premier League

Saturday 22nd February 2003

St Ives v Ipswich 3rd's

Result: 3-0

Scorers (A Little, F Shaw, V Dixon)  

Ipswich 3s returned to winning ways on Saturday with a 3-0 victory over St. Ives.

Despite early pressure and being awarded several short corners, Ipswich failed to get the final vital touch and the score remained even until midway through the first half. The breakthrough came when Vickey Dixon was felled in the D, compensated with a penalty stroke and calmly lifted the ball into the back of the net.

Although Ipswich were the stronger side, the St. Ives forwards remained a threat, particularly on the break, but sound defensive play from Jenny Kelly, Amy Kemp and Katie Lawrence thwarted most St. Ives attacks for the remainder of the half. Where the home team did manage to get through the defence, Kate Adams, having an excellent game, blocked several attempts on goal. The defence and midfield maintained a high work rate in support of each other to keep the score at 1-0 at half time.

Ipswich remained the dominant side throughout the second half. Di , Louise Fletcher and Nicky Keeley combined well to control the attack up the right. The pressure paid off and Ipswich were finally rewarded when a straight ball through from Vickey Dixon found Fiona Shaw free at the top of the D who placed the ball passed the keeper. 
Amanda Little added a third goal for Ipswich from a short corner in the last minute of the game.

A great bit of teamwork this week, which must be maintained for the rest of the season if the 3s are going to lift themselves out of the relegation zone! 

 Men's Printwize East Premier League A

Saturday 22nd February 2003

Harleston v Ipswich

Result: lost 4-0

Ipswich's impressive winning run came to an abrupt end on Saturday when they were comprehensively beaten by fellow title chasers Harleston in the Printwize Premier 'A' East league. Ipswich came into this game on the back of six straight wins but it was Harleston that dominated from the start.

With sweeper James Walker unavailable through injury, the Suffolk side was forced to make several changes. The experienced Chris Palmer dropped back into defence alongside Asif Rais but the disruption did make the Ipswich set up look uncomfortable. Magpies pressurised the visitor's rear guard and broke the deadlock after five minutes through Stuart Baker from a well-worked short corner routine.

Although Ipswich will be the first to admit they were slow coming out of the blocks, the remainder of the first half was fairly even. Both Teams cancelled out each other's attacks and the game was largely played in the centre of the pitch with few open play chances falling to either side.

Ipswich did come close on the half hour with Richard Fox's reverse stick shot going just wide of the goal following good work from Richard Stainthorpe but it remained one nil at half time.

A ten minute spell at the beginning of the second half put pay to Ipswich's hopes of a seventh successive victory. Again from a short corner, Stuart Baker flicked the ball low passed keeper Hendy. Ipswich went further behind from Harleston's next attack with the impressive Baker completing his hat trick of short corner finishes. 

With an uphill task facing them, Ipswich dug deep but were unable to penetrate the home sides rear guard. The Introduction of Oliver Holloway with twenty minutes remaining added pace to the Ipswich midfield but they failed to mount any significant attacking moves. 

Stuart Baker scored his fourth of the match on the hour, again from a short corner. The Norfolk striker has now scored eight goals against Ipswich this season and is proving to be the difference between the two, otherwise evenly matched, sides. 

Ipswich can take heart from a performance full of effort but on the day their hockey lacked the quality needed to overcome their closest rivals. The Henley Road outfit will be looking to put the memory of a disappointing defeat behind them when they entertain their Essex neighbours Colchester on Saturday. The game could well see the return of Vice Captain Simon Miller who has been out of the side since November after sustaining torn shoulder ligaments in the last encounter between these two sides.