English National League

Premier 1

Sat 30th October 2004

Canterbury  v BTExact Ipswich

Won 2-0 (C Gilliat-Smith, L King)

BTExact Ipswich wrote their own version of the Canterbury Tales on Saturday as they brushed aside the undefeated Kent side to move within 1 point of the league lead with a game in hand.

The high flying Suffolk side had not beaten Canterbury since November 2001 but this newly assembled Ipswich team are proving to be the surprise package of the 2004 season.

Ipswich did not hang about and  took the lead within 2 minutes, a drilled in free hit by the outstanding Leisa King picked out Cath Gilliat-Smith who's first time deflection left the Canterbury with no chance. The Kent side reacted quickly using the pace of ex-England International Anna Bennet to good effect and only some inspired goal keeping by the Ipswich and England keeper Becky Duggan kept the visitors in front. The home side now had the lions share of possession but Ipswich defended doggedly and despite not playing great hockey the Suffolk side managed to restrict Canterbury to long range shots that often did not hit the target and any that did Duggan dealt with majestically. Her finest stop, a full length leap to stop the ball going in the top corner, even brought rapturous applause from the partisan home crowd.

After a reminder of the key principles at half time from Coaches Sandie Lister and Nick Thompson, Ipswich began the second half in much better form and a sweeping move started by King saw England International Jo Ellis drive down the right and fire the ball across for Gilliat-Smith to again deflect goalwards. This time a Canterbury player had reacted but they stopped the ball illegally on the line and Ipswich were awarded a penalty stroke. King calmly stepped up and dispatched the ball to make it 2-0.

Canterbury look rattled and began to rely on the long ball from the back but they could find no way thorough the disciplined Ipswich formation. The home side though were handed one last life-line when Ipswich striker Tanya Barnard was sent off for deliberately kicking the ball away. Canterbury stepped up the pressure and Ipswich found it extremely hard to get the ball out of their defensive half but the visitors kept calm and when Barnard returned to the pitch with 10 minutes to go the Suffolk side knew they had done enough to claim the victory.

An impressive win for Ipswich and with the 2 teams meeting in the next round of the Cup at Tuddenham Road on Sunday it gives the Suffolk side an important psychological edge.

Ipswich next face 5th placed Leicester at home on Saturday 6th November start 14.00.

East Premier League

Sat 30th October 2004

Ipswich 2's v Sevenoaks

Lost 3-2 (K Waddleton, B Golding)

Ipswich once again put on a display to be proud of, against another team that have suffered no losses this season.

Sevenoaks immediately put the pressure on the Ipswich defense with only the agility of goal keeper Hannah Robinson keeping them at bay, they did however open the scoring with a well worked short corner.

Ipswich were forced to step up their game and were unlucky not equalize when a Karla Waddleton short corner strike hit the bar after a deflection. This spurred the team on and they did equalize, this time Waddleton's strike being unstoppable.

Ipswich's concentration wavered and Sevenoaks went back in front almost immediately.

The second half started much the same as the first with Sevenoaks adding a third. Again this goal made Ipswich take stock and go on the attack, they scored a fine second with Katherine Wrinch clearing the ball out of defence to Hannah Golding who's run took out most of the Sevenoaks defence and goal keeper ending with a pass to sister Beth who slotted the ball home.

Game on and Ipswich continued with the pressure however there was just not enough time left in the game for a equalizer.

East League Div 2 Central 

Sat 30th October 2004

Dereham 2's v Ipswich 3's

Won 3-1 (A Christian, V Hemphill (2))

Ipswich 3s travelled to Norfolk this weekend to face Dereham 2s in the East Div 2 Central Division. Ipswich were unsure of what to expect from the newcomers to the league, but started with confidence and determination, and played a very good first ten minutes.

 Dereham tried to take control, but Ipswich fought back and there was good team play from both sides. After 20 minutes Ipswich took control, through a well-aimed cross from Vicky Dixon that found Vicky Hemphill in the circle who expertly hit the ball home. Ipswich were invigorated by this goal, and minutes later they surged forward again. A good through ball from Vicky Hemphill gave Alice Christian the opportunity to run past Dereham’s defence, go around the keeper and double the score. Ipswich relaxed slightly and allowed Dereham to pull one back before half time. 

Both sides went out hard after the break and there was more excellent end-to-end play. The second half contained plenty of high quality team play and pressure was applied to both team’s defence. However, Ipswich’s persistence, after several chances, led to Vicky Hemphill scoring her second of the match to put Ipswich comfortably ahead. Dereham tried to fight back, but were unable to change the scoreline. Ipswich were back on form this week, and demonstrated their team skills, showing confidence and determination, providing a deserved win. 

Suffolk Div 1

Sat 30th October 2004

Grasshoppers 2's v Ipswich 4's

Won 3-2 (A Taylor, A Youngman, L Duggan)

Ipswich Ladies 4's took on Grasshoppers 2's this weekend and were looking for their first win of the season, as it turned out Ipswich won 3-2. Ipswich went down 1-0 early on, but with that wake-up call Ipswich got stuck in and started to build the pressure. They then evened the score with a fabulous goal from Anna Taylor shot from the top of the D.
Ipswich then went 2-1 up in the 2nd half with a great cross in from Lucy Ramsden which was converted perfectly by Alice Youngman, this was a great move by Ipswich and really showed the training paying off. The final Ipswich goal came from Lou Duggan who received a nice ball into the D and converted it with great gusto. 

Riding high Ipswich then went into defensive mode whilst the Grasshoppers came at us with all their strength. Ipswich held them for a while but let one more goal in, now at 3-2 Ipswich knew there was no way they were going to let in another goal and lose the lead. The last few minutes were tense but Ipswich held it together and took their first 3
points of the season. Congratulations to the team it was well worked and well deserved.

East Premier A Division

Pelicans v Ipswich 

Saturday 30th October

Won 8-3  (Simon Miller (3), Richard Fox (2), C Palmer, M Walker, J Walker)

Ipswich secured another three points to continue their 100% record in the East Premier ‘A’ division on Saturday. The Suffolk side travelled to Kings Lynn to face newly promoted Pelicans knowing that the rest of the league was hoping for an upset. The postponement of last weeks game meant Ipswich were keen to get back to league hockey but knew that this fixture had all the markings of a ‘banana skin’ game.

Ipswich started relaxed but didn’t sprint out of the blocks as coach Kath Macdonald would have liked to have seen. Ipswich looked every bit the side who hadn’t played for two weeks but calm heads in defence and midfield allowed Ipswich to get a strangle hold on the game and chances were soon plentiful.

After good chances fell to evergreen striker Andy Cook and Captain Richard Fox the deadlock was broken after eight minutes. A slick move on the right hand side between Ivan Smith and Simon Miller split the Pelicans defence and, as so often the case this season, Miller was on hand to calmly slip the ball past ‘keeper James Meyer. 

Despite going a goal to the good, Macdonald was still not happy about the lack of forward runs when on the offensive. The lively Kev Brown was brought on and relished his somewhat unlikely role as centre forward. 

Once the instructions had reached the whole team to attack with more gusto, Pelicans were simply not able to cope with the onslaught. Ipswich created space in the midfield through neat interchanges of passes and great movement off the ball from Brown, Cook, Fox and Smith confused the Norfolk Rearguard.

Ipswich’s Second goal came courtesy of Chris Palmer from the penalty Spot. Umpire David Rose awarded the stroke after another lovely move involving Matt Walker saw Richard Fox released on the left wing. Fox could have shot but opted to lay the ball off to Cook who was lurking at the left post. His effort was stopped on the line by Sam Tilbert’s foot and Palmer’s effort from the resultant stroke for once was dispatched with power and accuracy.

Two goals in two attacks all but killed the competitive edge to the game but Ipswich will do well to score a finer couple of goals this season. The first came from defender James Walker who pursued his own initial pass on the right hand side after finding Smith on the wing. Walker demanded the ball at the top of the ‘D’ to which Smith duly obliged and his drag flick effort into the top corner passed the bewildered Meyer deserved more applause than the home crowd were willing to give.

Not to be outdone, twin Brother Matt Walker was on the score sheet from the next attack. The ball was won on the right hand side after Faulker had intercepted a pass from Pelicans skipper Sean Kerry but was quickly and cynically fouled. Whilst the pelicans defence were still organising themselves, Faulker fired the ball to the top of the ‘D’ and this time Matt Walker was on hand to deflect the ball goalwards with his reverse stick. The ball flew high into the net much to the delight of the Ipswich midfielder who was later named man of the match after tireless work all over the pitch.

Miller claimed his second of the game on the ½ hour with another textbook team counter attack. Matt Walker again released Miller who in turn found Fox on the left wing. Fox again could have shot but was happier to draw the defenders towards him and then pass to Miller on the penalty spot. Miller had time to side step defender Andy Moore before finding the corner of the goal.

The first half still had time for another goal. Ipswich were now attacking at will and Smith and Brown were enjoying themselves on the right hand side. A great piece of individual skill from Kev Brown enabled the ex-IES playmaker to work his way to the by line before passing across the face of the goal to the waiting Fox to score what should be his easiest goal of the season.

With the game won barring a miracle, in the second half Ipswich opted to experiment with a number of different formations and personnel in key positions. Whilst this may have served to monotonise the game, the Henley Road outfit know that a successful league campaign is based on consistency, strength in depth and confidence. Pelicans enjoyed more possession and even managed to rattle in three goals past Ipswich Keeper John Steward. The stand-in keeper was deputising for George Pinner who was away on East duties but in his current form, Steward will be pushing Pinner all the way for a regular slot after Christmas. Despite conceding three goals, Steward could not be blamed for any and the scoreline could have been closer had it not been for a string of fine saves.

Ipswich still managed to score two goals in the second half despite an apparent lack of attacking play. Fox claimed his sixth goal of the season with a fine strike from the top of the ‘D’ and Miller secured his hat trick from the penalty spot after a cynical foul on Fox by Michael Finch. 

Ipswich now sit at the top of the division one point clear from Bedford with a game in hand. Cambridge City travel to Henley Road next Saturday but Ipswich will need to work hard mid-week to ensure this rich vein of form continues. 

East Premier B Division

Ipswich v Bury St Edmunds

Saturday 30th October

Drew 3-3 (J Wrinch, R Stainthorpe (2))

Ipswich were minutes away from victory over local rivals Bury St Edmunds,
before the visitors grabbed a deserved equaliser from a disputed penalty
corner. 

Ipswich had started the game well, and took an early lead from a superb corner strike from James Wrinch - his first goal of the season. Bury were stunned by this early goal, but bounced back by putting the Ipswich defence under great pressure for much of the first half. Ipswich old boy Paul Calver showed that there is still much life in his 38 year old legs, and was involved in all of Bury's best moves. 

Ipswich were playing a counter-attacking game and scored their second when talented youngster Ed Driver slipped the ball through to striker Richard Stainthorpe who ferociously smashed the ball into the top left corner, leaving Bury keeper Charlie Farrow with no chance. Ipswich were again put under great pressure by Bury, but the defence held firm with keeper Tony Burch in outstanding form. 

All of Bury's hard work was rewarded with two quick goals early in the second half, and it seemed that Ipswich were on the verge of falling to pieces. But the Henley road outfit clawed their way back into the match and took the lead again through a Richard Stainthorpe penalty corner. Ipswich had a great opportunity to go into a 4-2 lead when Driver played a sensational ball to Paul Graves. The Ipswich midfielder seemed to have done everything right, but disappointingly hit the ball wide of the mark. Bury were not to be denied and after much pressure grabbed an equaliser in the 68th minute from a well-worked penalty corner. Ipswich remain unbeaten at home, but will see the game as two points lost rather than one point gained. 

Ipswich travel to Colchester next week, and will need three points to avoid edging closer to the relegation zone.

East Div 2 North 

Ipswich v UEA

Saturday 30th October

Lost 7-6 (Read (2), Simpson (2), Webb (2))

SIX – SEVEN, 6-7, six blinking seven and with that the 3’s are beginning to fall into the loosing habit. Where does one start?… your earnstwhilst meandering hack had been teased out of a happy retirement of ‘phone on the hook, closed curtains, European high art flicks, baby oil and village fete winning garden vegetables on the promise of more points after the third team opened their account last week in Cambridge. 

It was a lovely day for hockey and the opening skirmishes saw end to end passages of play as neither side defended in depth. Chances were two a penny and when the Norfolk students slotted home the first of the day’s many beautiful goals the only surprise was that neither side had scored earlier. One could have imagined a slight droop in the shoulders of the aging (not withstanding Messers Messent and Youngman) side but this merely turned out to be Friday night’s pies settling over blue shorts. 

Through good crisp passing that was dictated by an increasingly authoritative John “Readie” Read (Original name eh? Ed.) linking well with Phil Messent to his left and Carl “no right pass” Simpson to the right to service the clean running lines of Fossie and Aussie and culminated in first Carl Simpson topping a rather limp but never the less worthy goal and then the aforementioned midfield engine himself scoring from the p-spot after being put through by a threaded pass from the ever presence of the lurking threat of the greyhound that is Fossie.

Then the 3’s collectively sat on their sticks until only the hooks could be seen and slipped into spectator mode (and I really do mean thumb up the ar$e, “Oooo that’s a nice pass.” watching mode) and within 17 seconds of the restart the score was an even again with 2 a piece. Whilst this was mildly depressing, the response of the Pie Boys was wonderful to behold as within a few minutes later Readie (yup it’s that man again) slotted what can only be described as an exquisite strike from a rather selfishly worked shortie. 



Further progress was achieved when the Anitpodean import (better known to avid sports fans as Headless Chicken) ghosted into position to re-deflect a chest high deflection over a stranded and admittedly unchallenging UEA keeper. It was then only a matter of time before Carl popped up on to slip home number five hold with all the ease of a banana into a Bangkok stage show "entertainer", and a fine lead of 5-2 was established which was the score at half time.

Before bringing out the hair drier it is worth pointing out that the back four of Russell Williams, Dan “Special Guest Star” Cripps, Sweaty Mass and Ed “Tap tackle and give them the ball back” Youngman enjoyed a bustling and business-like first half, defending well in occasionally torrid conditions as they and back of the diamond Storm gave Biggers an agreeable level of protection. Oh and the recovering Dark Shark took on the special guest start roll after Dan was clonked in the head.

After an insipid team talk that would only be of interest to the insomniacs amongst you, the second half started and whilst it is far to say that those the players with linked pedial digits were fired up, the home side took to the fray again with all the alertness of a proverbial stoned sloth and as such can, in no uncertain terms, be held culpable of the ensuing cluster f**k.

Amongst other things Storm forsook his name and ponced around more like a puff of snow from Father Christmas’s sleigh at Michael Barrymore’s Yuletide swim party than the howling blizzard of old leaving the back four rather exposed who, in turn, responded to the increased pressure by flapping around with, at times, teenage pre-menstrual hysteria which predictably left a little more than Bigger could handle (which lets face it isn’t that much anyway) and very quickly the scores were levelled at 5 each.

Not that the rest of the team have much to be proud of; the marshalling of John was shut down and with this the midfield evaporated as an offensive force. Subsequently a pattern of relentless defending developed, as the Suffolk side were unable to maintain possession beyond a few passes. It was hard work and made harder by the apparent disappearance of Fossie and Aussie “not so much headless, as headless, legless, wingless and generally clueless chicken” Jim up front.

There was the odd high point – Aussie put the team 6-5 during one of only 2 second half attacks, Dan threw up an inch perfect aerial and Biggers, thankfully, pulled off a few saves. However whilst all that is gold does not glitter, Gerald Ratner can testify that plenty of crap sparkles and UEA kept on the pressure to close out the game deserved 6-7 winners.

As one passing sports fan rambled, “If hunger was the yardstick, the visiting students had done their homework and remembered Belsen whilst Ipswich 3’s mind stretched no further back than their last Maccie D’s when they, like us spectators, were left with that full/empty nausea of promise without substance.”