Chelmsford 0 Ipswich 0

Slazenger Women's EHL

Premier Division

Chelmsford 0 Ipswich 0

Chelmsford will have to avoid defeat against Poynton on Saturday if they are to guarantee their Premier Division status for another season.

A point from this local derby was enough for Ipswich to narrowly ensure their safety from the relegation play-off spot in what has been a disappointing second half of the season for both sides.

Chelmsford started the stronger of the two sides and almost took the lead when the 47 year-old Lynn Bollington, who has just announced her retirement from the game at the end of this season along with team mate Tracey Willmore, just failed to glance the ball into the net.

After a series of short corners, Chelmsford were awarded a penalty flick when a deflection of the ball towards the Ipswich goal by Charlotte Roberts hit defender Kirsten Spencer on the head. However, having sent the keeper the wrong way, Beccy Alltree saw her flick hit the left hand post.

With this let off Ipswich looked to stamp some authority on the game but a yellow card for Leisa King saw Ipswich limited to ten players for the remainder of the half.

Ipswich upped the pressure in the second half but were kept at bay by tremendous defending from Chelmsford's Hayley Heggie, who intercepted numerous passes.

Ipswich thought they had secured the vital breakthrough when a super cross from the right by King was met by Emma Millar, however her deflection clipped the bar and span out.

Throughout the season Chelmsford's young keeper Helen Fagg has made many amazing saves and she once again proved defiant between the posts when denying Ipswich a certain goal following a close range shot.

With only one minute to go a rushed clearance by Ipswich saw the ball cannon into the thumb of Ipswich striker Jenny Hall and the England Under-21 player left the field in considerable pain. While she has not broken any bones, Hall will now miss the next four weeks with her third serious injury of the season.