Ipswich Town Women 3-1 Plymouth Argyle Women - Match Report
Sunday, 23rd Mar 2025 16:05
Ipswich Town Women leapt to the top of the FAWNL Southern Premier Division after comfortably beating 10-woman Plymouth Argyle 3-1 in their Portman Road showcase, while title rivals Hashtag United lost 2-0 away against Gwalia United. Town got off to the perfect start with Lucy O’Brien putting them in front after 104 seconds, then Natasha Thomas made it 2-0 on 26 and Sophie Peskett made it three on 57, prior to the visitors being reduced to 10 when skipper Panagiota Papaioannou was dismissed for two bookable offences, then netted a late consolation through Charlotte Whitmore.
Manager Joe Sheehan made two changes from last week’s 2-0 win away against Gwalia United in Wales.
Shauna Guyatt dropped out of the squad having suffered a knock in that game and was replaced by O’Brien, who started on the left.
All-time top scorer and appearance-maker Natasha Thomas was also back in the XI as the central striker with Lucy Watson dropping to the bench.
Natalia Negri was in goal with Leah Mitchell at right-back and Summer Hughes on the left, while Megan Wearing and Grace Garrad were the centre-halves.
In midfield, Kyra Robertson skippered in club captain Maria Boswell’s absence through injury and was partnered by Ruby Doe.
Behind Thomas, Sophie Peskett was on the right, O’Brien the left and Ella Rutherford, watched from the stands by her influencer partner GK Barry, the number 10.
Forward Angela Addison missed out through injury, while teenager Kaci-Jai Bonwick was on the first-team bench for only the second time.
It took just 104 seconds for the Blues to take the lead. Following Leah Mitchell’s throw on the right, Thomas twisted and turned before sending over a cross from the byline which Pilgrims keeper Lily Felgate palmed out to O’Brien, who gleefully accepted the gift to settle any Town nerves.
The Blues went close again in the fourth minute when Peskett got away on the right and flashed a ball across the edge of the six-yard area with Thomas just unable to get a touch.
On eight, with Town well in control, Thomas flicked a Peskett cross from the right through to Felgate.
The Blues, with sponsor Ed Sheeran in the crowd, maintained their dominance and on 14 O’Brien burst down the left and crossed low towards Thomas but the ball was cut out inside the six-yard box and keeper Felgate cleared.
Two minutes later, O’Brien fired a low shot towards Felgate’s right post but the visitors’ number one claimed with comfort.
Plymouth threatened for the first time in the 18th minute from a free-kick midway inside the Town half, but the ball in was half-cleared and Roxylea Thomas’s effort from distance looped harmlessly into the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand.
In the 22nd minute, Peskett sent over a cross and Thomas rose high at the near post but not high enough and the ball flicked off her head and out to the left.
But the Jamaica international didn’t have to wait too long to get on the scoresheet at Portman Road for a second year, the 29-year-old having netted twice in last year’s 5-0 victory over Chatham.
In the 26th minute, after a patient Blues build-up, Mitchell fed Peskett on the right and the winger sent over a cross for Thomas, who bravely headed into the net as Felgate sought to punch away.
Six minutes later, Plymouth skipper Papaioannou got her name in referee Fabio Roque’s book for a late challenge on Peskett on the right. Garrad whipped over the free-kick and Mitchell headed wide, tripping over O’Brien as she did so.
On 39, O’Brien sent over a corner from the left and Scotland U19 international central defender Wearing looped a header onto the top of the bar at the back post.
Two minutes before the break, Peskett back-heeled the ball into O’Brien’s path on the left and she broke into the area before crossing low towards Thomas, however, Felgate was first to the ball.
Moments before one additional minute was announced, O’Brien again crossed from the left, this time after a short corner had been played back to her, and Garrad headed wide at the near post.
The whistle was greeted by applause from the home support with the Blues having been dominant from O’Brien’s early opener onwards. A second goal was only a matter of time and Town could and probably should have gone in even further ahead at the break, while Natalia Negri in the Blues goal was still to face a shot.
Seven minutes after the restart, Thomas should have made it 3-0. Following another short corner routine on the left, Peskett whipped over a cross and the Lowestoft-raised striker looped her header well over.
In the 55th minute, Peskett crossed from the right and the ball scuffed off Thomas’s head and struck a defender, momentarily running loose before being cleared.
Two minutes later, it was 3-0. O’Brien slid in to win the ball from Ella Kuyken, skipper Robertson moving it on to Rutherford, who smashed a powerful strike which Felgate couldn’t hold and Peskett won the foot race to reach the loose ball before slamming into the net.
Peskett, who like Thomas also scored in last year’s game against Chatham, almost created a fourth as the game moved towards the hour mark, exchanging passes with Rutherford on the right before cutting back to O’Brien, who turned the ball over the bar.
After Kuyken, who had suffered a knock when challenged by O’Brien ahead of Town’s third goal, was replaced by Georgie Knott, a Rutherford pass was deflected into the path of O’Brien on the left of the box but her low shot flew just wide of the far post.
Town made their first change in the 65th minute, Maisy Barker taking over from Hughes at left-back.
Peskett made a direct run from deep to the edge of the Plymouth area on 67 but her shot was too weak to trouble Felgate. A minute later, Rutherford shot wide from the edge of the box, then on 71 the Pilgrims replaced Ella Stephens with Imogen Crawford.
Two minutes later, it was almost 4-0. Thomas sent Barker away down the left and her cross from the byline found Peskett, whose effort towards the corner of the net was well-saved by Felgate, who got down to her right to push the ball onto her right post.
Thomas and Rutherford made way for Watson and recent signing Ruby Seaby in the 74th minute, both departing players receiving warm ovations from the Portman Road crowd. Moments later, Plymouth’s Thomas was replaced by Lois Edwards.
Town switched Doe for Elkie Bowyer with 10 minutes remaining before the Pilgrims were reduced to 10 when skipper Papaioannou was shown her second yellow card and then a red for a foul on Seaby on the Blues’ right.
Watson’s free-kick looped over everyone and hit the far post. Garrad headed it up in the air and Bowyer nodded over from close range when she should have scored.
Seaby diverted Peskett’s left-wing cross wide at the near post, before Plymouth pulled a goal back via their first shot on target in the 83rd minute.
Negri scuffed a pass out to the right, the ball landing at Whitmore’s feet and the Pilgrims forward unerringly found the empty net, much to the keeper’s frustration with her afternoon otherwise as quiet as any she could have experienced.
Plymouth swapped Kathryn Dickson for Erin O’Shea with five minutes left on the clock, before Watson’s shot was well saved by Felgate down to her left and Peskett blazed the rebound over.
The Blues were continuing to dominate and create opportunities but not without some nervousness at the other end.
On 89, Georgia Wilson unleashed a 30-yard effort which Negri had to watch all the way over her bar.
Just before the fourth official announced five additional minutes, Seaby crossed from the right and Peskett’s low shot was saved by Felgate to her left. Two minutes into time added on, Evie Williams took over from Garrad.
Moments before the whistle, following a corner, Watson hit a powerful strike from the edge of the box which Felgate saved and then also stopped sub Williams’s rebound.
The Blues were in charge from start to finish playing slick football throughout and really should have scored more than three goals
Plymouth’s goal came out of the blue from an error which was uncharacteristic of the overall display.
There was further good news for the Blues with title rivals Hashtag United having been beaten 2-0 away against Gwalia United, a result which moves Town to the top of the table on goal difference with two games in hand on the Essex side.
Town: Negri, Mitchell, Garrad (Williams 92), Wearing, Hughes (Barker 65), Robertson (c), Doe (Bowyer 80), Peskett, O’Brien, Rutherford (Seaby 74), Thomas (Watson 74). Unused: Hartley, Bonwick.
Plymouth: Felgate, Dickson (O’Shea 85), Thomas (Edwards 76), Papaioannou (c), Pomfret, Whitmore, Sara (Jarvis 56), Wilson, Stephens (Crawford 71), Kuyken (Knott 61), Smith. Unused: Weeks, Orchard,. Att: 10,807.
Photo: Matchday Images
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billlm added 16:07 - Mar 23
They have just gone top, well done,||
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Generic added 16:07 - Mar 23
Championship so close you can smell it…||
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