King double earns a share of the points

WOMEN'S HOCKEY

Canterbury 2 Btexact Ipswich 2

IPSWICH began poorly and conceded an early goal from a straight shot after a penalty corner. Canterbury were proving difficult to pin down and the Suffolk side took a long time to react.

Eventually Ipswich got possession of the ball and began to put pressure on the Canterbury defence.

Nat Westcar, the Canterbury keeper made some fantastic reaction saves and Ipswich got closer as captain Kirsten Spencer hit the post from a short corner.

Finally an equaliser came when Vicki Sandall dribbled down the left beating at least four Canterbury defenders. She saw Leisa King cut into space in the opposition's circle, slipped her the ball and Westcar was beaten at last.

The game became quite heated as Canterbury were awarded a flick when the ball was deemed to have deflected off Spencer's shin pad en-route to goal. Canterbury's Mel Clewlow put the ball wide and the scores remained level.

The second half saw the home side take the lead again. This time a break down the right by Anna Bennett followed by a quick shot across the face of the goal was deflected in above diving keeper Hannah Robinson.

Ipswich never looked beaten and excellent defending by Jojo Anderson and Hayley Spooner from then on kept the Canterbury attack contained.

Vicki Sandall, Michelle Pleasence and King continued to supply quality ball to the forwards and this pressure led to an Ipswich short corner.

King rocketed the ball into the back of the net and the Suffolk team now had a well-deserved point.

Further controversy ensued when Spooner saved a shoulder height ball off the line using the shaft of her stick. Canterbury appealed that it had hit her body but after consultation a hit-out was awarded.

Ipswich did not play to their best but coach Sandie Lister was pleased that the team never gave up and that the perseverance of the players paid off.

Their home match against Slough on Sunday was postponed due to adverse weather.

Canterbury II 0 Ipswich II 2

A RETURN to Printwize Premier League action saw Ipswich pick up from where they had left off, scoring twice and keeping a clean sheet to take all three points.

As seems usual for Ipswich this season the match was a tale of two halves.

The first period saw neither side gain control of a bouncing ball on a waterbased pitch and despite all the hard work of both teams it really was a scrappy affair.

Canterbury certainly caused Ipswich problems but the Suffolk team's defence were determined to keep another clean sheet and quickly broke down any troublesome attacks.

Some home truths pointed out to the Ipswich side at half time by player/coach Sarah Juggins saw Ipswich start the second half like a new team.

Suddenly the ball was being worked around at pace and composure and it did not take long before Ipswich began to pressurise.

A hard-working run by Juggins – after she collected a ball that seemed to be going out – set up Ipswich's first goal.

Juggins picked out a great run from Jo Gray, who then beat two defenders before unselfishly laying the ball off to the diving Lucy Philp, who finished in style to score her first goal of the season.

Canterbury stepped up a gear but with Ipswich player-of-the-match Dawn Course outstanding as left defender, every attack was broken down.

The result was sealed after a good piece of work by Sophie Sheldrake and Jo Gray. The ball was slipped past the Canterbury keeper to find Ipswich captain Emma Millar alone in front of goal. A simple tap-in made it 2-0, and there was no way back for a Canterbury team, yet to score an open play goal.

Christchurch II 2 IES II 5

A STRONG Ipswich East Suffolk side ended Christchurch's 100 per cent start to the season on a blustery day at Copleston.

The home side were hit but call-ups for the first team for a game between the league's top two teams.

After nine minutes a IES short corner was skilfully flicked in by Pam Jordan.

After 23 minutes a quick break up the pitch caught the Christchurch defence napping and Cathy Cook slipped the ball into the net.

Cook followed up with her second goal six minutes later with the defence short on numbers and despite a valiant effort the ball was round the advancing keeper and forced over the line.

The 3-0 scoreline was maintained thanks to an heroic palm-away of yet another excellent IES shot, and half time Christchurch needed to re-group.

Three minutes into the second half the ever-reliable Joyce Jay drove a shot in from the edge of the D.

For 20 minutes IES were held by a combination of great saves and a solid Christchurch performance.

However, after 59 minutes Christchurch lost the ball in defence and Laura Collinson scored from close range.

Despite being down Christchurch continued to battle and the experienced duo of Joyce Jay and Margaret Gray worked the ball along the by-line and forced the IES keeper into a dramatic last-ditch save.

Unfortunately for IES the ball was trapped under the keeper and Joyce Jay converted the ensuing penalty.

The three-goal lead was regained two minutes later when Sue Nunn crept in to score from close range.

MEN'S HOCKEY

Ipswich 2 Cambridge City 4

IPSWICH slipped to their second successive home league defeat in Premier Division A of the Printwize East League.

In a game that Ipswich will feel they should have won, the home side failed to convert chances and lapses of concentration allowed Cambridge City the opportunities to take all three points.

Ipswich started brightly and in-form striker Richard Stainthorpe was unlucky after five minutes when a goalmouth scramble saw his effort saved on the line by keeper Nick Clarey.

Other chances fell to Richard Fox and Simon Miller and just when it looked that Ipswich would break the deadlock, Cambridge scored.

A superb counter attack started by John Gordon found experienced City striker Nick Knight with time and space to slip the ball past the on-coming Hendy.

Cambridge increased their lead on the half-hour when their first short corner was switched wide and fired in by Will Earl.

For the third time in four games, Ipswich were faced with the task of clawing back a two goal deficit.

Ipswich were dominant in midfield with Paul Calver and Matthew Walker maintaining the structure that Ipswich have been lacking of late.

The introduction of James Smith also provided the home side with extra attacking options and one of his many surging runs led to Ipswich's first goal. He was fouled just outside of the circle, and a well-rehearsed routine saw Miller slip the ball to Fox whose shot gave the keeper no chance.

Ipswich continued to pressurise and had several chances to draw level. Clarey saved well from Miller following another tenacious run and then again from a lively Smith.

The equaliser finally came with ten minutes left courtesy of a fine individual effort by Stainthorpe. The ex-Dereham forward stole the ball off the Cambridge defence and beat two players before lifting the ball high over the keeper.

Ipswich, having battled so hard to gain an equal footing, then proceeded to throw it all away in the last two minutes.

Pressing higher up the pitch in search of victory, Ipswich left gaps in defence that were exploited by Cambridge.

A lucky deflection split the Ipswich rearguard and Mark Moffatt ran on to the ball and beat Hendy at the near post.

To concede such a soft goal after an amazing comeback was demoralising and salt was well and truly rubbed into their wound by Knight, who scored his second with the last shot of the game.

Ipswich can take heart from another gutsy performance and know that if they continue to play like that throughout the season they will almost certainly win more games then they lose.