Crane 4 Ipswich IV 4

NE14HOCKEY East League

Division 4NE

Crane 4 Ipswich IV 4

Crane showed the drive and determination missing from recent results to break highflying Ipswich's winning streak that stretched back to March 2006.

With Ipswich at the top of the table with maximum points and Crane struggling to emulate the form of last season it seemed as if this fixture should be a straightforward win for the away side in this derby fixture.

The first goal went to form when some good work down the left by Ipswich was followed by a mis-kicked clearance and a great pickup by the forward gave Ipswich the simplest of goals.

However, this lead was short-lived and Crane soon showed they could put a few passes together themselves, Andy Elden finding Bristow who got away from his marker and drew the keeper before slipping the ball to Eric Davy who helped himself to the open goal.

Ipswich stepped up their game appropriately and, while Crane had a couple of half chances, Ipswich re-established their lead and took this into half time.

Both team talks centred on the need to score the next goal and it fell to Crane after good work down the left by Davy allowed Craig Bloomfield to pick up the ball from the keepers pads and slot home.

Ipswich then won the first PC of the game and promptly converted to nudge them ahead again.

This was followed by Crane eventually winning a PC themselves that Bristow deflected goal bound only to be denied by a foot on the line. Bloomfield converted the stroke with confidence and the scores were level again.

The dogged resistance being shown by Crane was troubling Ipswich and they sought to dominate the last quarter of the game and to kill the match off.

This was largely successful and their talented attacking players went forward in droves, only to be repelled by the excellent Andy Elden and Revan Jones who allowed Bloomfield to pick out the pass of the match.

Winning possession from deep inside his own half, Bloomfield unleashed a 40-yard ball that threaded the eye of a needle and left Bristow bearing down on the keeper only to again slip the ball to Davy who slid the ball home.

Crane were in-front for the first time and dreaming of the win, however Ipswich equalised shortly afterwards and Crane had to weather a succession of Penalty Corners at the death before leaving the pitch the happier of the two teams.