HOCKEY: Crostyx 3 Ipswich East Suffolk 2. Another defeat by the odd goal summed up the luck that Ipswich East Suffolk have had all season in Premier Division A of the Printwize East League.

Crostyx 3 Ipswich East Suffolk 2

ANOTHER defeat by the odd goal summed up the luck that Ipswich East Suffolk have had all season in Premier Division A of the Printwize East League.

While this was a game from which the Rushmere-based side were not expected to pick up any points, IES gave their opponents a real run for their money and were unlucky not to have come away with at least a point.

During the opening 15 minutes the visitors pressured the home side into losing possession and then passed the ball well to peg them back. Crostyx contain payers of great skill such as Nicky Duck, Russell Pirie and ex-Old Loughtonians star, Chris Gladman, but these are players who like to dribble rather than pass their way into the circle.

Too often this played into the hands of IES who tackled well and moved the ball at pace and they took the lead following some good approach play down the right wing where Joel Dry was involved in a move that saw sweeper Stuart Gooderham on the overlap.

His cross fell nicely for Dave Taylor to sell the keeper a beautiful dummy and calmly roll the ball into the net. Crostyx pressed and earned themselves a few short corners that looked dangerous, before Gooderham was harshly penalised for a tackle on Duck just inside the 25.

From this routine Gareth Ingram just beat Charlie Farrow, although IES should have restored their lead when Dry sent Sam Gibson racing clear with Taylor in support and only one defender to beat.

However, the pass was delayed and the chance went begging and IES were made to pay two minutes before half-time. Gladman, largely ineffective until now, skipped past two defenders, made the most of a bobble to skin two more and then rounded Farrow for a Maradona-like goal.

IES came out for the second half with great determination and continued to play their pass and move game that caused the home side problems.

Danny Mayhew and Matt Walker's workrate was terrific in closing down the home side's midfield while the rotating front line of Taylor, Gibson, Will Fulker and Tim Caston were making life hard for the

defenders.

Unfortunately, two untimely tackles by Caston earned him a yellow card and Crostyx capitalised when poor tackling allowed Ingram to run straight down the middle of the pitch and fire past Farrow into the far corner.

If the home side thought that they'd broken their opponents they were sadly mistaken. IES upped their effort and took the game back to their opponents. Dry was orchestrating things through the middle with Gibson and Fulker drawing some rough tackles out of the defenders, but despite winning some free hits around the circle and some short corners they couldn't find the breakthrough.

They were also denied two penalty claims, but their excellent build up play was rewarded towards the end from a short corner that appeared to have broken down. The loose ball was picked up by Walker who thumped in a shot towards goal for the alert Fulker to deflect past the keeper.