IPSWICH III 2

HARWICH AND DOVERCOURT 8

Suffolk Ladies' League premier division

CHAMPIONS Harwich ended their magical season unbeaten after finishing with a big win at Ipswich.

It was a hard-earned success against strong opposition who will finish fourth in the table.

Harwich plundered 131 goals during the campaign and only conceded seven, in addition to having the top three league scorers - forwards Rachel Griffin (34) and Sophie Southgate (32) and midfielder Sophie Berryman (25).

Harwich were missing keeper Miah Reynolds, Chelsea Dingwall and Fi Wynne but had Josie Brosnan, Nikki Kudela and Caz Greenall returning.

Carolyn Rowland took over in goal.

Harwich started the stronger and forced the home keeper into some early saves.

However, from a break, Ipswich scored from their first penalty corner.

Keeper Rowland stopped the first strike but could not keep out the shot from the rebound.

This woke the visitors up and the brilliant Berryman broke clear and slipped the ball to Southgate to equalise.

Ipswich went straight up the other end and reclaimed the lead with a well-struck shot.

Again, from the start, Southgate broke clear and pulled the ball back for Berryman to calmly slip home.

From this point on, Donna Garland, Tracey Eagle and Josie Brosnan, supported by Caz Greenall, never really gave Ipswich another chance.

Harwich started to play some of their best hockey of the season.

In the ten minutes before half-time, Kudela made it three from close range and the non-stop running of Berryman enabled her to complete her hat-trick to make it five at the break.

As the home side tired, Berryman, Emma Joslin, Kudela and Abbie Henshall took charge.

Southgate was on hand to put the finish to a classy passing move.

Griffin then found her range with two goals before the whistle.

The first was a good strike and the second came when diverting home an excellent pass from Berryman.

Gabrielle Williams started in midfield and then replaced Southgate up front for the final ten minutes.

Harwich could have had a couple more but the young Ipswich keeper kept them at bay.

The club's second team play the first of two games against a very strong Ipswich and East Suffolk third team in Ipswich on Saturday.

These two games will settle the first division title.