Premier DivisionIpswich 1 Bowdon Hightown 6Ipswich were given a lesson in finishing by Bowdon Hightown in a match they were never really outplayed in.

Premier Division

Ipswich 1 Bowdon Hightown 6

Ipswich were given a lesson in finishing by Bowdon Hightown in a match they were never really outplayed in.

The visitors had only ten shots on the Ipswich goal yet managed to convert six of them while the home team once again will reflect on their missed opportunities.

The game started with Ipswich playing the better hockey and forcing Bowdon back into their defensive area. Ipswich gained a run of short corners but, as was the taste of things to come, Bowdon defended well and Ipswich could not find their rhythm.

Ipswich broke the deadlock in the 19th minute when Jo Ellis opened the scoring with the strangest goal of the season. Her superb run down the left hand side saw room created to shoot on her reverse stick. The subsequent miss hit brought howls of annoyance from Ellis, which turned quickly to delight as the Bowdon goalkeeper stepped over the trundling ball to allow it to roll into the back of the net to give the home side the lead.

Just two minutes later though the visitors were back on terms as an Ipswich error allowed Tina Cullen a one-on-one with the Ipswich keeper. Having missed an earlier chance, Cullen made no mistake this time. Six minutes later Bowdon took the lead through a disputed goal that looked to have been shot from outside the circle.

Ipswich looked to hit straight back and Jenny Hall had a gilt edged chance to score her first goal since turning 18 but the visitors keeper was alert and smothered her shot.

Half time saw Ipswich 2-1 down but, despite the score line, Ipswich felt they were playing the better hockey. The second half again saw Ipswich start the brighter but despite several short corner opportunities the home team just could not find a way through the Bowdon defence. To add to the frustration Bowdon extended their lead to 3-1 in the 46th minute.

Ipswich were now chasing the game and at times gaps were beginning to appear that Bowdon took no time in exploiting, adding a fourth goal in the 58th minute.

Bowdon's fifth and sixth goals were added in the last five minutes to give the score line a rather flattering appearance to the visitors.

The teams will now meet again in three weeks time in the cup semi-finals.

Next Saturday Ipswich travel to play top of the table Leicester who know that a win would seal their third league title in as many years.