Town continued their strong start to the season with a comprehensive win against London Bees at the AGL Arena, dispatching the bottom-of-the-table visitors 5-0.

Boss Joe Sheehan made two changes to the side that beat MK Dons last weekend, match-winner Natasha Thomas replacing Holly Turner up front and Laura Hartley coming in for Poppy Soper in goal, the latter having picked up a concussion late last week.

Lucy O’Brien made the squad for the first time this season, having missed the first few fixtures through a hamstring injury.

Town began the game brightly, attacking through Peskett and Barker on the right-hand side, and on eight went ahead through Thomas who was able to slot home at close range after Bees keeper Amber Webber could only weakly parry Lenna Gunning-Williams’s initial effort.

Five minutes later, the Tractor Girls double their lead, Summer Hughes breaking down the left and Webber again parrying the ball out to a blue shirt, Sophie Peskett this time burying the ball in the back of the net.

Despite being two behind early, London Bees continued to try and go toe-to-toe with Town and had some limited success with long balls over the top to create half-chances that Hartley was able to deal with calmly.

The Blues maintained control of the game, however, and on 24 made it 3-0 when Thomas scored her second, a header from a Bonnie Horwood corner.

A minute later, the visitors were in at the back but could only head wide from a cross despite two players being unmarked.

On 31, London Bees won a free-kick on the edge of the Town box but could only put the ball wide.

Two minutes later Ipswich had their fourth, Peskett latching on to a ball over the top and racing into the area to square it across the face of goal before Gunning-Williams smashed it in at the far post.

In the 37th minute Town almost made it five, Thomas teeing-up skipper Horwood for a rocket of a shot from distance that sailed narrowly wide.

With a minute until the break, Hughes again was able to breeze through the defence on the left and play a lovely through ball which Ruby Doe couldn’t quite beat Webber to.

Town started the second half with intent and within three minutes had made the first chance of the half, Gunning-Williams not quite able to get her head on a Peskett corner.

Ipswich continued to make a succession of chances with Gunning-Williams, Maisy Barker and Summer Hughes all having shots on goal. On 54 Ruby Doe came close to scoring her first Town goal, the ball crashing off the crossbar.

Sheehan made his first change on the hour mark, replacing Megan Wearing with Leah Mitchell and Town continued to threaten, Gunning-Williams making a blistering run down the left only to see her cross blocked out.

Then Hughes burst into the box after latching on to a wayward backpass before seeing her shot saved, with Doe flagged offside when trying to follow-up.

On 65, both Hughes and Peskett, both of whom had been very good down the flanks, were replaced with Evie Williams and O’Brien, the latter getting her first minutes of the season.

The intensity of the game naturally dropped for the remaining 20 minutes, Ipswich content to keep the ball and dictate play, with few chances created by either side.

Fifteen minutes from time, Natasha Thomas made way for Turner and a minute later O’Brien was played through by Kyra Robertson but her attempt was well blocked by the Bees defence.

On 80 Town scored their fifth of the game and the only goal of the half. Webber failed to deal with a long ball through into the area and Doe calmly rolled the ball into an empty net.

London Bees threatened to score a consolation goal from a free-kick with five minutes of normal time remaining, but Hartley was able to get down low to her left to push the ball out for a corner.

Sheehan used his final substitute a minute later, Abbi Smith replacing Horwood to help see the match out.

The game was a comfortable victory for Town, who were rarely troubled by London Bees particularly in the second half.

The victory means Ipswich have won five out of six in all competitions so far this season, their only loss coming to Hashtag United earlier in the month, keeping them well in the hunt at the top of the FAWNL Southern Premier Division table in the early stages of the campaign, sitting in second, three points behind Hashtag.

The Tractor Girls are back in action at the AGL Arena next weekend against Cheltenham Town in the league, before replaying the fixture in the first round proper of the FAWNL League Cup on 1st October.

Town: Hartley, Barker, Boswell, Wearing (Mitchell 60), Hughes (Williams 65), Horwood (Smith 86), Robertson, Peskett (O’Brien 65), Doe, Gunning-Williams, Thomas (Turner 75). Attendance: 571.

Photo: Ross Halls

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