HOCKEY: Clacton 0 Ipswich 6. Ipswich maintained their unbeaten away record in Printwize East League Premier A Division with an impressive victory at Clacton.

HOCKEY

Clacton 0 Ipswich 6

IPSWICH maintained their unbeaten away record in Printwize East League Premier A Division with an impressive victory at Clacton.

With several key players missing, a new-look Ipswich still produced fast attacking hockey to dominate with three goals in each half.

Tenacious midfielder Darren Bosher was soon in the thick of the action, setting up a chance for Richard Fox in the first minute and then combining with Richard Stainthorpe to open the scoring with just five minutes gone.

When Clacton failed to clear the ball from defence, Ivan Smith laid on a through ball to Stainthorpe who slipped the ball past the oncoming keeper for his sixth league goal of the season.

Just before the break captain Richard Fox made it 3-0 after more good work from Stainthorpe on the right.

Victory was all but sealed ten minutes into the second half when slick passing between Andy Swindin and Ivan Smith split the home defence and Bosher was on hand to lift the ball high into the net.

The Ipswich midfield of Matt Walker, James Smith, Ivan Smith and Bosher is fast becoming an awesome unit and they ensured the visitors stayed in control.

The fifth goal, however, was an exhibition of individual skill and determination by Ivan Smith, who picked up the ball deep inside his own half and outpaced four defenders before finishing a 50-yard run with a cool finish.

The rout was completed with five minutes to go when Will Fulker battled his way through and his first-time shot rebounded off the keeper to Stainthorpe, who was cynically fouled. James Walker stepped up to dispatch the penalty stroke.

Sudbury 2 Ipswich ES II 0

SUDBURY consolidated second place in Division Two North with a scrappy but deserved win.

Mick Bromley fed Ashley Toy, who spotted Gavin Ratcliffe running wide. Ratcliffe collected, cut inside the last defender and unleashed an unstoppable shot past the keeper.

However, Sudbury failed to maintain their control and IES had a few chances to equalise.

The important second goal came when Toy got the final touch to a well-rehearsed penalty-corner routine five minutes before half time.

The second half saw Sudbury lack the killer touch from their penalty corners. Their defence looked solid and IES seldom threatened to get back into the game.

Dereham 3 Ipswich Ladies II 3

FOR the second week running Ipswich seconds came back from a two-goal deficit with 25 minutes to go to register a point.

Ipswich paid the penalty for starting half asleep, falling behind in the second minute to a well-worked short-corner move.

Dereham were in total control, moving the ball at pace and causing all sorts of problems.

A sweeping move resulted in another Dereham goal, ex-Ipswich player Marie James finishing off in style as she rocketed her shot into the top corner.

Ipswich were all at sea and needed to make some drastic adjustments, so player-coach Sarah Juggins ordered a few significant changes.

They finally started to play good hockey and at last converted a short corner when captain Emma Millar deflected in a strike by Juggins.

The game became physical and, following a tussle, Jo Gray of Ipswich and James of Dereham were sent off.

When Dereham scored a third goal from a disputed short corner, the visitors' unbeaten record was in jeopardy.

But Ipswich are made of stern stuff and refused to give up.

Another run of short corners saw player of the match Debbie Rawlinson power the ball home to give Ipswich a lifeline.

With ten minutes to go, defender Sally Tyrell hit an unstoppable shot from the top of the D to level matters, and Ipswich pushed forward for the winner.

Dereham stood firm and Ipswich had to settle for a frustrating point.

Ipswich will be keen to get back to winning ways against Gravesend on Saturday.

Long Sutton 0 IES 2

IPSWICH East Suffolk found their old form to bring back the Division Two North points from their trip to Long Sutton.

Brimming with confidence each player impressed, with Avril Adam's keen eye and agility ensuring a clean sheet.

Jackie Gooderham battled for each ball and, after a goalless first half, IES took the lead when Gill Mayhew netted from a short-corner rebound.

Kath Brierley, who like Mayhew had also scored last week, completed the scoring with the second goal.

Clare Pearson on the right prevented a lot of the Long Sutton attacks, as did confident Lucy Edevane on the left.

IES 2nds also won well, beating Sudbury 2nds 5-1.

Castaways 1 Christchurch 2

CHRISTCHURCH came away with all three points in this Premiership encounter at Gainsborough Sports Centre.

With Trudy Sharman returning for the first time this season it was a new-look front line.

The visitors took the lead from a short-corner, when Sharman was first to react to a loose ball and push it over the line.

Castaways began to work themselves back into the game and from an excellent series of passes broke through the defence to slot past Linzi Everett.

Christchurch did not look so fluent on the ball now and manager Julie Button knew she must motivate the players at half-time.

The second half was still a struggle for Christchurch as often they were slower to react to the ball than their opposition.

A series of passes eventually picked out Becky Hudson who eagerly stabbed the ball home from close range for her fourth goal of the season and ensured Christchurch kept up their momentum at the top end of the Premiership table.

Mid-Sussex 1 Christchurch 8

FORGET the G-force, it was the C-Force that propelled Christchurch into the third round of the Women's Vase with Cutting, Clements, Coote and Chapman all on the scoresheet.

From a first breakaway, Melissa Chapman opened the scoring with a fine solo effort. Ten minutes later Val Coote cut through the defence and laid a perfect pass for Debbie Clements to slot home.

Immediately after the restart Mid-Sussex broke away and reduced the arrears. Minutes later Christchurch were awarded a penalty flick and Clements converted to re-establish a two-goal lead. This seemed to spur Christchurch on and Sapphire Cutting met a neat cross to open her account.

Coote burst through from midfield to rasp home a superb drive. Cutting then showed clinical finishing, reaching well ahead of the defender to flick the ball past the keeper. Cutting completed her hat-trick with another stupendous effort before Coote dribbled her way into the D to unleash an unstoppable pile-driver.