Ives stick eight past opposition

NE14 HOCKEY EAST MEN S LEAGUE 2N St Ives 8 Ipswich East Suffolk 0 ANOTHER excellent display from buoyant St Ives saw them thrash their visitors and clinch their ninth win on the trot. Any doubts about Saints credentials as prospective champions were qui

NE14 HOCKEY EAST MEN'S LEAGUE 2N

St Ives 8 Ipswich East Suffolk 0

ANOTHER excellent display from buoyant St Ives saw them thrash their visitors and clinch their ninth win on the trot.

Any doubts about Saints' credentials as prospective champions were quickly dispelled when Ben Scarrow's hat-trick helped dispose of Ipswich.

It was one-way traffic at the Ivo Centre on Saturday right from the off and it didn't take Scarrow long to slot home from close range.

The home side's corner routines were working well and five more goals followed before half time with Scarrow completing his hat-trick and Derrick Pope also netting.

Paul Swannell was next on the score sheet as he unleashed a tremendous strike which flew through a crowded goalmouth past the goalkeeper.

A tremendous first half was capped when a 30-pass move through the whole team from back to front ended with Dave Land passing to Alex Cade to slide the ball home.

Ipswich reorganised during the break to put up a more solid performance and they did create the odd half chance, but there was no hint of a comeback.

However, Saints rounded off their excellent day through a further two penalty corners - Pope and then Swannell being the beneficiaries.

Solid performances from midfielder Mark Clinton and defender Scarrow meant the man of the match award was shared between them.

St Ives II and Saints III met at the weekend and honours were even at 2-2 in a stirring encounter. James Cahill scored twice for the third team with the seconds' goals coming from a Simon Bollom penalty and James Aubrey.

Saints IV only had a Tim McGlashan goal to show in their 2-1 defeat to Bourne but it was lucky 13 for the fifths as they mauled Rutland III 13-0.

St Ives Ladies defeated Braintree 2-1 with a determined display of hockey. Against the run of play they conceded a goal from a short corner but bounced back with a Louise Smith strike followed by a Mel Wood penalty to get the win.

Saints' Ladies II and III played each other with the match ending in a 1-1 draw. Louisa Scotney scored for the seconds before Val Crack caught the defence asleep and cracked home the equaliser.

* St Neots Ladies III came away from Sandy and Shefford IV with a 3-1 victory. Juliana Dickinson scored two before the break with the hosts replying with a goal just before half-time. The second period was played at pace by both teams but the visitors had the last laugh as Dickinson netted number three to complete her hat-trick.