As the end of the season rapidly approaches the club’s intensity has not dropped. The weekend saw some fantastic results for the club, the Men’s 2s thumped North Norfolk and secured promotion as winners of Division 2 and will be in Division 1 next season – one league below the national league feeder. The Men’s 4s had a hard fought victory keeping their promotion hopes alive and perhaps most impressively this weekend, the Ladies 3s beat Harwich 6-0! Tuddenham was very busy all day Saturday and I was most impressed with the ladies 4s in a high quality 3-1 victory over Bury – importantly the club turned out in numbers to support all our teams on Saturday.

We also had some quality junior results last weekend pointing to a very bright future for the club. Thanks to everyone who continues to support the youth, reports below.

Finally, the Men’s 4s will be promoted if they win on Saturday – 5pm, support would be great. Likewise support for the dinner dance – book your tickets online!

Ladies 1s

Ipswich Ladies 1 travelled to their furthest away day to Guildford for the penultimate game of the season. With Guildford winning this on paper, Ipswich were going in with nothing to lose and everything to gain.

The game started with Ipswich coming under the cosh by defending early circle entries from their opposition. Ipswich defended strong and worked hard to transfer it around the back and up the channels.

Ipswich kept up and found the right floating balls to the forwards, with excellent leading from Taylor Ball and joint POTM, Lizzy Wheelhouse. More chances were created with Emma Rix and Captain, Lucy Dunnett short passes in play in the middle, Ipswich built up the pressure on them but couldn’t connect the ball with the backboard.

The second quarter, Guildford won multiple shorts corners but joint PTOM, Ali Barham denied them all of their shots on target with the help of May Percival charging them down too. Ipswich earned their way out and more passing unit play gained them meters up the pitch. Ipswich gave Guildford their first goal with an unlucky own goal tap in.

The second half saw Ipswich fight back and find much success down the right with Emma Williamson and Hollie Dring-Richardson running rings around Guildford. Threatening Guildford’s 23 time and time again, Ipswich were still struggling to get past the keeper. Just before the final quarter, Guildford went 2-0 up with a pass interception and sneaky dink in.

Final quarter, Ipswich put in a massive effort in right up until the final whistle. Ipswich deserved every right to get a goal with the performance each player put it on Saturday.

Ipswich will take that performance and bring it to East London for the final game of the season. Will they secure the win for the final 3 points up for grabs on their home turf at Tuddenham Road?

Ladies 2s No Game

Ladies 3s W6-0

Ladies 4s

W3-1 against a tough Bury team who had turned up for a cup final with 2 coaches and plenty of supporters. Goals from Ro x2 and Lorna from a clever penalty corner. An intense game, hard fought and a pleasure to watch with plenty of support from the side. Well done to all involved – a win next week and the newly promoted ladies 4s could finish 4th. Quite an achievement for Foxy and the team.

Ladies 5s

The weather cleared perfectly for their rearranged match against Colchester 4s. It was a tough first half and they conceded 3 goals and as they left the pitch at half time our spirits reflected the score….but they regrouped and had a good discussion, reinforced their tactics and went back on with fighting energy. They did give away 1 goal in the first few minutes but after that they played excellent hockey and even had a couple of chances at goal: “thanks ladies it is always a joy to captain our team, I feel we are all winners…even when we lose!”

Juniors

Under 10s Crowned Suffolk Champions and qualify for regionals!

Under 12 boys - qualify for regionals.

The In2Hockey U12 tournament was held at IES and five teams had entered. We had been drawn to play four in a row finishing with the much anticipated local derby against IES Reds. With the help of Diggory and Felix from Felixstowe we had a couple of subs which allowed us to rotate and save some legs for the main event.

The first game against Bury was a tense affair as Bury clawed back two to be on our heels at half time, the boys were all getting used to each other as this was the first U12 game since the Autumn, final score 4-2. Second up was Sudbury and the passing was improving as was the goal scoring. Having borrowed an IES keeper for the first game we started the second without a keeper while the kit was on its way from the girls fixture at RHS, which allowed Sudbury an easy goal before half time but that was all and the final score was 6-1. IES Green (or B) were next and was a comfortable 6-0. Otto, Elias and Anthony were all great at intercepting passes up front and then converting with little resistance.

The final and toughest game was the IES Red (or A) team. The first half was fairly frantic end-to-end stuff with goals at both ends, IES worked a couple of goals in while Elias first timed an absolute cracker at the other end. After a couple of umpiring decisions hadn't gone our way and being behind the boys were frustrated and the half-time talk was a rallying call at 3-2 down to believe in themselves. Although close we couldn't get back level and the final score of 4-2 to IES was perhaps worse than the game deserved. All credit to the team though for never giving up and fighting until the end, something to be proud of.

A special mention needs to made for our midfield dynamo of Alex and Otto who were forever up and down the pitch, attacking dynamically with the ball or tracking back to defend, well done.
Finishing second to IES Reds means we've qualified for the regionals and a chance to qualify for the national finals at Nottingham - a tall order with some quality teams to overcome, it will, nonetheless, be a great opportunity to show what we can do.

A real highlight for me as coach was to see our players checking the opposition were ok and apologising when balls had inadvertently hit feet or knees and caused injury. We've some great sportsmen in the making. Well done to all.

Men’s 1s

A 3-2 victory over Cambridge was soured somewhat by 2 rather damaging images. Flynn Wagland collapsed in agony in the first 10 minutes with a potential patella dislocation and Will Chrystal popped his shoulder out. Both ended up in A&E! It meant a squad of 12 had to work tirelessly to hold off a youthful Cambridge team – as league victors, Ipswich did just this. It was not pretty but the job was done. Hunnable scored in a man of the match performance along with Lynne and Cutting. Aside, fullback Josh Fry had his moment to get on the scoresheet but send the ball skyward; it’s still travelling. A rather cruel DoD considering his excellence at the back all year! We wish Flynn and Will all the very best in their recovery.

Men’s 2s

Despite Stand-in captain JC’s inspirational pre-match team talk, Ipswich got off to the worse possible start, conceding from the push back. A hopeful aerial was pounced on by North Norfolk’s centre forward who drifted past the defence and slotted home. Did we not like that.

Undeterred, Ipswich stuck to the plan and scored from their first attack. Pete Wright’s skilful run and lay off saw Greg Bott spectacularly volley home on his reverse. Ipswich took the lead a minute later when Foxy capitalised on the home side’s complete lack of defending. The hosts chose either to protest with the umpire over the award of an Ipswich free hit or stand and watch whilst Foxy self-passed, dribbled into the circle uncontested, and fire home.

Ipswich’s third came courtesy of a pin point aerial from Felix that Greg ran onto before his tidy reverse stick shot beat the advancing keeper. Bott secured his hat trick after 23 minutes when he directed Henry’s goal-bound shot from the penalty corner into the goal. Greg also had time to claim his fourth of the game when he slotted home after good work from Tommy.

5-1 halftime.

Foxy grabbed his second a minute into the second half after midfield maestro Tommy beat two at ease before laying it on a plate. Tommy scored Ipswich’s 7th goal with a smart deflection on the right post after Giles’ rocket drag flick from the penalty corner. Ipswich scored their 8th goal on the hour mark when goal machine Greg notched his fifth, Pete again turning provider and claiming another assist.

If ever a player deserved a goal it was Pete. Three assists in the game and also three shots that hit the post! In the dying seconds, Ipswich broke again with Pete dribbling into the circle.
Where most would have chanced their luck to get on the score sheet, Pete drew the only defender and then squared the ball to Foxy who lifted the ball over keeper for his hat trick.

Final score 9-1 News filtered through after the game that results elsewhere had gone Ipswich’s way and the M2’s were crowned champions on Div2 NE.

Mission accomplished.

Men’s 3s

Ipswich M3 picked themselves up from last weekend to play IES at Tuddenham Road. Ipswich dominated the game with lots of ball possession and lots of communication. Fred Weller on his return from injury scored one in first half with Robin Sampson scoring the second to make it 2-0 at half time.

The second half saw much of the same with Fred Weller scoring to make it a brace and Matt Lang hitting the net to make it 4-0. Ipswich with a game in hand face a mid table battle for the race for 3rd place and Ipswich will be aiming for this.

Men’s 4s

Ips M4 - one game left and all to play for.

Ipswich knew with two games remaining they had to win to keep pressure on Sudbury above them but also to guarantee best placed 2nd position in the league. Cranes were going to be a tougher team than Bury last week, but if we played the hockey like last week then they wouldn’t be able to touch us. That proved the case because after 20 mins Ipswich were 3-0 nil up.

First goal was a great bit of work by Austin and Freddie who had a shot on goal and it was just creeping wide of the far post until who else but Pete Glading popped up to tap it in. 1-0. The 2nd was a nicely worked short corner between Alex Fletton and the youngsters l, a couple of 1-2s and the Alex hit for home. 2-0. Five mins later and yet again Pete bagged his second goal of the night. Ant stole the ball in midfield, rode a couple of tackles, passed the ball through to Harry who fed it to Pete who slotted home.

A few decent chances for Cranes but nothing to seriously trouble Fraser except one which somehow dribbled over the line with numerous deflections in the D and on the goal line. No-one really knows how that crept in! Half Time 3-1.

Second half was very different for both teams. Cranes stepped up the pressure and Ipswich eased off a little with a few sloppy passes and a loss of team structure. We put that down to too many subs :) Regardless an excellently executed short corner increased Ipswich’s lead. Ant injected to Charlie who stopped the ball and Austin went for the drag flick - bang! Bottom right corner, deadly, keeper had no chance and the supporters/parents went wild. Superb goal 4-1.

At this point Alex F picked up the ball and unfortunately took one stride to many - his hamstring went putting him out the game. Five mins later and Ips had another short corner, the push out didn’t make it outside the D but unfortunately the umpire blew the whistle and whilst Ipswich were complaining Cranes took the advantage and broke quickly with their main goal scorer smashing the ball past Fraser. 4-2.

10 mins later and the ever hard working young Harry Mercer got his first goal for the team. He dribbled and jinxed past defenders and the goal keeper, evading the numerous sticks and tackles to create the space and opportunity to hit the ball into an empty goal. Brilliantly worked and well pleased for Harry. 5-2

The game was a little scrappy now, silly mistakes by all. Ipswich had a long corner and decided to make a defensive substitution at the same time knowing the ball was relatively in safe hands. A poor pass, Cranes broke, passed to The main goal threat again and with the defensive Ipswich sub still getting into place Cranes again smashed the ball into the net. 5-3.

Constant pressure from Cranes for the last 5 mins but Ipswich held firm seeing the game out 5-3. The 3 points were key, there was some good hockey, but also some silly play and a lack of structure/discipline at times which made this game hard work.

A couple of call outs today - Harry Mercer for an excellent goal, and Alex Fletton - only played a couple of games but he’s been instrumental in both, bagging a goal in his second, shame he misses out next week. R.I.C.E. Next week is the last home game of the season against IES 4 @ TR @ 5pm. A must win game….we win, we get promoted!!

Stats – on hold until the end of the season dinner! Final results will be revealed then.