It’s been a brutal display of scoring and some fine leadership from Ollie Pipe whose team have taken their league apart and secured promotion. Importantly it means that from a Men’s perspective looking ahead and next season all the Men’s teams are likely to be very close in terms of leagues; something that bodes well for the future. Elsewhere this weekend, the Men’s 1s put 3 away for the first time this year but went down 3-5 to Wimbledon making their attempt to stay in EHL a serious stretch now; the same went for the women who fought valiantly but went down 0-1. Scoring has been a real problem for these 2 teams this year and this will inevitably contribute to their final league positions.
Elsewhere, there was an entertaining draw for the Women’s 2s, a good win for the Men’s 4s and the form team on the women’s side, it’s the Women’s 5s. Our depth is one of the highlights this season along with the juniors. Last weekend we fielded U8s / U10s / U12s / U14s across the East and over into the midlands. Some cracking reports below. The Girls U14 took part in the East plate, the Boys U14 are in the nationals, 1 win away from National Final days – so close!

Look out for an update this week regarding coaching opportunities, spring is in the air, good luck this weekend.

U14 Girls
Our U14G took part in the Regional Plate Tournament on Sunday at Rushmere. The young squad experienced 4 games against the best in the region and came 5th out of 8. This was the first time most of these girls had played together and for many playing full pitch. All the sides they played were fully U14s whilst our girls were 95% U13/U12s, so we are extremely proud of them. They far exceeded our expectations and from what we heard from the other club coaches, them too…it was not what they were expecting from an Ipswich U14G side.

Game 1 v St Albans = Win 1-0
Game 2 v Crostyx = Loss 0-2
Game 3 v Bedford = Draw 0-0
Positional Game v Cambs City = Win 1-0

That final game against Cambs City was very exciting and the team really pulled together, dug deep and Izzy’s smart finish gave us the win. The girls learnt lots, mostly about how each other plays and how to beat much bigger and strong girls!

A huge thanks to Rixie and Allie for helping on the side line and to Dave Cooper for securing a “home” fixture, pulling it all together seamlessly.
The girls have an U13’s 7 aside tournament in April, then working to play in the summer league as a development team and then to Derby for an indoor tournament in May.

Anyone in the club willing to share any time with them, these “sponges” want to soak up any hockey masterclasses you want to share! The future is very bright for this young squad.

U14 Boys
Ipswich boys U14 v Belper U14 2-3A dedicated cadre of Ipswich's best future stars and their supporters headed over three hours up the road (perhaps a taste of future national league travel?!). Disappointingly we had to travel with a bare eleven, I'm not sure those that couldn't make it realise quite how good this team is and how far they could go - I'm certain that this would have been the other way round if we'd had a sub to give everyone a breather (sorry for the grumpy coach speech to start with - now on to the good stuff).Smart play, hard work and communication was the order of the day, and deliver in spades they did. Some parents couldn't watch it was that tense.Charlie gave us the start we dreamed of weaving up the pitch, drawing the keeper before slipping it to Elliott on the right post to guide it in. 1-0. They were rattled and we put them under pressure at the back forcing errors. Belper got a scrappy goal back to level it and then another class strike to make it 1-2 at half time. More of the same in the second half with Ipswich making some wonderful breaks which so nearly came off. End-to-end hockey with great defensive work from both sides denied many attacks and Duncan kept anything within reach out. Only a top drawer reverse shot into the corner got past making it 1-3 with about ten to play. Winning a short corner at the other end Ipswich finally got a deserved goal with Benji volleying a rebound in 2-3 with just over five to go. Charlie valiantly battled it out in the closing minutes with their strongest player getting past him again and again but with tired legs we didn't have enough to make any of the chances stick. Elias - chased down every defender on the ball causing countless panic passes straight back to us.

Elliott - strong runs up front causing defenders all sorts of issues.
Charlie - stepped up and had a proper battle in midfield
Benji - those runs, and that volley
Hugo - covering across, and those balls into the D
Alex - keeping cool at bottom of the diamond in midfield and restoring order
James - being a brick wall at right back and next minute appearing down the right wing
AJ - aerials, and some miraculous tackling in our D
Jack - how do you make those intercepts and tackles?
Jake - outstanding tackling and distribution when under pressure

Duncan - using every extremity to keep the ball out of our goalI don't normally pick out everyone like that but it really was the best they've played and although heads were down at the end please focus on all the positives - because that was England Hockey Supra League at its best. Belper admitted that was the best opposition they've faced and wish us all the best for our next match against Sutton Coldfield on 24th March. A must win game if we want a chance of going through to the national finals.

U12 Girls - when the opposition turned up, jaws dropped - they are U14 said the girls, many of them 10! Regardless, both teams put in sterling performances, coming away with 3-2 wins respectively against 2 U13 school teams. Wrinchy and Wardy were incredibly proud and we head off to In2 in great spirit. Good goals in both matches from Ward, Gwynne, Molly and Becka and some sterling defence in the A match from Eliza and Tilly made it super morning. Special mention to Daisy Child as well making her debut! Florence was also spectacular in goals. We've a top group of U12 girls and with some of the U14 girls eligible for the U12 tournaments, it could be quite tasty.

U12 Boys – away at Chelmsford, good preparation for In2 county tournament, expecting big things from a very young team.

U10 Girls
The U10G B team had their first games at Bury St Edmunds ahead of the In2 Cup in a few weeks time. Over the morning the team had two convincing wins over the BSE girls team and a close 2-1 loss to the BSE mixed team. An addition an Ips V Ips girls game was played with A and B players swapped around. Highlights include a very confident performances by Evie Winchester, who combined well with Cleo Littlechild and Freya Welham in attack. Freya Le Marrec made some key stops in defence when needed. Connie Clifton and Lucy Baker were voted players of the day for the respective matches against BSE girls. The team gained confidence through the day and now looks well placed to perform at the In2 Cup.
The U10G A team put in a very dominant performance against BSE girls to start with. They then faced tougher games against the two Ips U10 boys team but stepped up incredibly well to give what Mr Lever described as a “tenacious” effort. In the first game the girls took the lead via great interplay between Darcey Sharratt and Issy Pineo to give Sofia Dean the goal (taking her past 10 goals in 6 games). Both sides looked dangerous with the ball and defended well with the game ended as 1 nil win to the girls.

In the second game against a different Ips boys team the girls came back twice to ensure the game was mostly played at 1-1 and 2-2 facilitating some intense play. Despite a valiant effort from the girls the boys landed a 3rd goal toward to come away with the 3-2 win.
Highlights from the girls included a reverse stick assist across the D from Eliza Card to level the game at 2-2, solid passing across the back between Mae Woulfe and Lily Repton to create space in attack. LuLu Card and Florence Knight came off the bench excellently to match the game’s intensity with a fantastic effort from the whole squad against a strong opponent.

U10 Boys – excellent performance up at Bury and everything is boding well for In2!

U8s – hundreds of them (well it felt that way) at Rushmere; amazing enthusiasm and some real talent on show.

Women’s 1st XI
The Ladies 1 hosted East London in a clash for the 3 points at the bottom end of the league table a very wet Tuddenham Road. The game started off very even with both teams occupying the middle of the pitch well. East London started to piece together the jigsaw slightly better than Ipswich were and gaining more ground. Then piled on the short corners where GK Ali Barham and her PCD team worked hard to run them down. Unfortunately EL found their way through one of the many set plays to go 1-0 up at 12 mins. Second quarter, Ipswich started to build on their game plan better. Ipswich gained lots of metres forward with some great connecting balls through the lines and allowing them to get some circles entries but no outcomes. Some harsh calls also resulting in missed chances and Ipswich started to become a little frantic. Some wayward passes allowing EL to gain the upper hand and counter but Ipswich’s defensive play was solid. Ipswich managing to transfer the ball out better with POTM, Kat Blake, dominating the middle. Half time rolls around and Ipswich having to restart with 10 from a green card in the second quarter. Ipswich held their own well despite the card and managing the game brilliantly. Even with a player down Ipswich were able to still get the ball up the pitch and create another circle entry but another chance came and went. Quite a few chances were offered to Ipswich in this quarter, no one on the end of 2 powerful crosses and an unlucky India North being denied her first National league goal. EL also denied of their second goal with the help of defender, Charlotte Satchwell diving and clearing the ball out before it went over the goal-line. 4th quarter and it’s all or nothing. Ipswich had to convert to get any chance of taking the 3 points.

As the minutes ticked down they were running out of time, so a call was made to go to 11 outfield players. Having never played without a keeper before, Ipswich performed so well and really put the pressure on EL. No chances but to end the game Ipswich had the final chance to equalise. With a short corner won from captain, Lucy Dunnett this was their time. However a skewed injection and a wide shot closed the game out at 1-0 L. Another tough 1-0 loss on the bounce and Ipswich gutted with it. Some excellent play but with no converted chances for the points, a frustrating game to look back on. A huge stat and congratulations to Lizzy Wheelhouse who reached her 351st National League game at the weekend. An immense achievement and something for the younger players of the club to look up to and be inspired!! Ipswich go into the final 3 games with nothing to lose now. Up next is Teddington at TR, having lost to them in an exciting away game back in November, Ipswich are chomping at the bit for these 3 points. And after the last 2 performances, will they make their chances into goals? Come down at support them!!!

Women’s 2nd XI
In the opening moments, Bury came at Ipswich with intensity, launching shots on target and securing the first short corner of the game. Ipswich demonstrated resilience, successfully saving and clearing the threat. The momentum shifted swiftly, and within six minutes, Ipswich earned their first short corner. Despite the ball crossing the line, the goal was disallowed. However, redemption came shortly after, with Sophie Sexton hitting the backboard in the subsequent short corner, granting Ipswich a 1-0 lead.The energy continued to surge as Ipswich capitalized on a lovely play down the left-hand side. Chloe's pass to Rixie in the D resulted in another goal, extending Ipswich's lead to 2-0 within the first 10 minutes of the match. Despite Bury's persistent pressure in Ipswich's D, the defensive line held firm.The second half of the match commenced with Ipswich holding a 2-0 lead. Bury, determined to turn the tide, launched a spirited attack right from the start, earning early corners and putting pressure on the Ipswich defense.During the intense competition both teams showed great effort and high work rate in open play. Bury managed to capitalize on a turnover, breaking through for a one-on-one with the goalkeeper and successfully converting to narrow the score to 2-1.The game remained hard-fought, with Ipswich successfully defending multiple corners. However, Bury found an opening and leveled the score to 2-2 with a solid shot from the top of the D.As the match intensified, both teams continued to battle fiercely. Ipswich's defense faced significant pressure from Bury, displaying resilience by putting their bodies on the line. The tension reached its peak as Bury won additional short corners, eventually leading to a penalty stroke after a shot struck an Ipswich foot in the D. In a moment of excitement, Emerald, Ipswich's goalkeeper, made a crucial save to deny Bury's attempt, drawing cheers from the enthusiastic crowd.Buoyed by the save, Ipswich's 2nd team gained momentum, launching several attacks. Emelia's impressive run into the Bury D in the final minutes showcased the team's determination.In the end, the match concluded with a hard-fought 2-2 draw. Throughout the game, Ipswich showcased fantastix teamwork, with players displaying composure both on and off the ball. Midfielders were dynamic, making numerous offers across the pitch

Women’s 3rd XI L0-7
Women’s 4th XI D0-0
Women’s 5th XI W2-0

Men’s 1st XI L3-5

Men’s 2nd XI
After a tough match against top of the league the previous week, Ipswich 2s faced another tough opponent away at St Ives who sat third in the table. The baron wasteland of St Ives offered little inspiration which showed in a slow start for the boys in blue. Unable to find their usual flowing style of play, J.Cs men were restricted to crash balls and the 3D magic of Pete and Max in the midfield to get out of a few sticky situations. Riding their luck at times, Ipswich was soon punished by 2 well worked short corners leaving them with a lot of work to do. Keeping the boys in the game, Callum was forced into making some important saves including an unconventional head-butt and volley combination - one for the fans for sure!The boys responded well, quickly getting a goal back through Pete finishing off a well worked move. This was quickly countered by St Ives bagging yet another corner (clearly they had been practicing). Shortly before half time there was a quick break from the half way line by Paddy who found Windy in lots of space on the edge of the D. Paddy continued his run from centre back to the penalty spot where windy places the ball on a tee for him. Maybe it was the altitude sickness from being too high up the pitch or the lack of grip from shoes which were held together with tape, but the finish left much to be desired, missing the goal ending the half at 3-1 down.

The second half started much better for our 2s with the ball finding a lot more blue shirts. Josh was able to use his rapid pace to make plenty of inroads into the St Ives D creating a lot of chances. With plenty of pressure St Ives finally cracked and the boys pulled another one back through Josh T-G making it 3-2. The boys continued to push with some great build up play straight from the continent from Mikey and Jacob. However St Ives continued to throw bodies forward and after a spell of continuous pressure managed to breach the back 4 scoring a well worked manoeuvre before clinching one at the death. The final whistle went moments later with a 5-2 defeat. 3 games remain for the 2s in their maiden season in Division 1 North. Cambridge Nomads next week where the boys will be hoping to build on some good performances of late and turn those into some valuable point to push them up a very closely contested middle of the table.

Men’s 3rd XI
Ipswich mens 3s v Sudbury 3s 9-1Knowing that a win would seal the league championship Ipswich 3s travelled to Sudbury. With rain lashing the cars on the trip down the sun decided to shine on us for most of the game but more importantly the rain stayed away. Our warm up clearly hadn't done the job as Sudbury worked their way through us, down the right, along the baseline and pulled back for a textbook team goal within the first two minutes. Oops, that wasn't in the script!Waking up, things improved. Led by MOTM TPF wandering his way through the Sudbury defence to draw the keeper and slot our first home. Galvanised into action the rest of the team pulled together to pin the ball in the Sudbury half and keep attacking. TPF got the next and I'm sure a third but apparently not when the scorers came clean after the game. Martin dragged two beauties in from short corners, Sam E a rebound, and Sam B two in open play. Toby also grabbed a tap in on his debut.Martin nearly claimed DOD for his hat-trick goal, beautifully swept in by a defender with a text book leg glance. But Oli claims it for only managing to find a dusty bottle of cava in the wine cellar for the post match obligatory celebration!Top efforts all round and a good way to seal the top spot.

Men’s 4th XI W3-1
Men’s 5th XI L0-2