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Meet the Tractor Girls ahead of their Portman Road return

Ipswich Town Women are heading back to Portman Road this weekend. _(Image: Ross Halls)_

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Ipswich Town Women return to Portman Road tomorrow. **Ross Halls** introduces you to the squad...

Joe Sheehan's side are having a impressive season in the third tier of women's football and currently sit second in the table.

Three key players will be missing the game in Maria Boswell, Charlotte Fleming and Angela Addison, all due to injury. 

Natalia Negri has been key in goal this season. _(Image: Ross Halls)_

**NATALIA NEGRI - GOALKEEPER**

The 21-year-old is the Tractor Girls' number one, and has conceded just eight league goals all season since signing from Palace last summer. 

Negri came through the Arsenal youth system and spent time on loan at Charlton prior to joining Palace in 2022. She was part of the Eagles squad that won the Barclays Championship last season.

**LAURA HARTLEY - GOALKEEPER**

The 24-year-old is the club's number two and has been at Town since 2023, having joined from Lewes, where she featured in the Women's Championship. 

Hartley began her career at Norwich City, before moving on to join Brighton & Hove Albion's WSL Academy setup, where she started in Brighton's first ever game in the Women's Super League in September 2018. 

Megan Wearing has been a mainstay in the defence. _(Image: Ross Halls)_

**MEGAN WEARING - DEFENDER**

The 19-year-old missed the game last year due to a back injury but has bounced back this season, making her 50th appearance recently, and is a mainstay in the defence. 

Wearing joined the Blues from the Essex RTC in the summer of 2021, initially as part of Town's WSL Academy squad. She has won ten caps for Scotland at U19 level. 

**LEAH MITCHELL - DEFENDER**

The 19-year-old signed her first professional contract at Town last summer after a breakthrough campaign last year, making 25 appearances in all competitions.  

Mitchell is another player who joined Town from the Essex RTC and is a versatile player, who can play across the defence and in midfield. 

Maisy Barker has been solid over the last two seasons. _(Image: Ross Halls)_

**MAISY BARKER - DEFENDER**

The soon to be 23-year-old is in her second season at the club, having joined from West Ham, where she made her Women's Super League debut at the Hammers. 

Barker has been unfortunate with injuries during her young career so far, but has played regularly for the Blues and picked up multiple awards over the last year. 

**SUMMER HUGHES - DEFENDER**

The 21-year-old has been at the Blues since the summer of 2020, breaking into Sheehan's side during the 2021/22 season. 

Hughes can play on both right and left full-back roles and recently made her 100th appearance for the club. 

Grace Garrad has been a regular in the side since returning from injury in pre-season. _(Image: Ross Halls)_

**GRACE GARRAD - DEFENDER**

The 21-year-old joined Town on a one-year-deal last summer after spending last season at Lewes in the second tier. 

Garrad started her career at Arsenal, before joining West Ham and then had a spell in Norway with Stabaek. She can operate in defence and midfield. 

**EVIE WILLIAMS - DEFENDER**

The 19-year-old has been at the club since the summer of 2022, having had a spell at local rivals Norwich City, playing for their ACC. 

Williams had a breakthrough campaign last season and is a reliable figure in the squad. 

Kyra Robertson is a key player in this side. _(Image: Ross Halls)_

**KYRA ROBERTSON - MIDFIELDER**

The 22-year-old will be captaining the side for this game and is a midfield general, who joined Town in the summer of 2021. 

Robertson progressed through Town's academy, having her breakthrough campaign during the 2022/23 season, where she was named Players' Player of the Year and has since made over 50 appearances for the club. 

**RUBY DOE - MIDFIELDER**

The 19-year-old returned to the Blues on a dual-registration from West Ham last month, having previously spent time on loan at Town from from Arsenal last season, before making a permanent switch to the Hammers last summer. 

During her previous spell with the Blues, Doe made 24 appearances for Town, netting seven times. 

Lucy O'Brien is having a standout season. _(Image: Ross Halls)_

**LUCY O'BRIEN - MIDFIELDER**

The 21-year-old joined Town in the summer of 2020, where she progressed through Town's academy and has produced many memorable performances. 

O'Brien is playing a deeper role this season, but has netted eight goals and assisted a further nine. 

**ELIKE BOWYER - MIDFIELDER**

The 18-year-old is another player to return to Town on a dual-registration from Spurs, having spent the second half of last season at Town. 

Bowyer's first spell with the Blues was cut short due to injury and she spent the first half of this campaign on loan at Watford. 

Ella Rutherford has contributed to key goals this season. _(Image: Ross Halls)_

**ELLA RUTHERFORD - MIDFIELDER**

The 24-year-old joined the Blues last summer, having spent the last four years at Charlton Athletic. 

Rutherford has already put in some memorable displays, scoring late winners and key goals this season. 

**SHAUNA GUYATT - FORWARD**

The 20-year-old is another player to join Town from Crystal Palace last summer and has been a solid addition down the flank. 

Guyatt progressed through the youth ranks at Chelsea and helped Palace to the Women’s Championship title last season. 

Sophie Peskett is one of the star players at Ipswich Town Women. _(Image: Ross Halls)_

**SOPHIE PESKETT - FORWARD**

The 22-year-old recently made her 100th appearance for the club, having made her debut as a 16-year-old on the opening day of the 2019/20 season and becoming the club's first professional women’s player in the summer of 2021.

Peskett suffered a torn ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) which required surgery in November 2021, but has been a key player since returning to full fitness. 

She has been electric down the wing this term, scoring 19 goals in 23 games, assisting a further six so far.

**LUCY WATSON - FORWARD**

The 21-year-old signed for Town on loan from Chelsea until the end of the season at the start of the year. 

Watson spent the first half of the 2024/25 campaign at Southampton, having also been part of the Palace side that won promotion to the Super League last season.  

Natasha Thomas is a club legend. _(Image: Ross Halls)_

**NATASHA THOMAS - FORWARD**

The 29-year-old needs no introduction. She's the Tractor Girls' all-time leading goalscorer, appearance maker and longest serving player.

Thomas has 13 goals and seven assists so far this season and became the first Town Women player to win a senior international call up when she played for Jamaica in October last year. 

**RUBY SEABY - FORWARD**

The 18-year-old only joined the club a few weeks ago, signing from Arsenal until the end of the season, making her debut last week in the 2-0 win at Gwalia United. 

Seaby came through the youth system at the Gunners, where she has scored nine goals and assisted eight times in 17 appearances for their U21 side this season.

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