Lucy O’Brien netted her first career hat-trick and Paige Peake and Anna Grey scored once each as Ipswich Town Women won 5-2 away at Keynsham Town this afternoon.
Town took the lead in the seventh minute when Peake headed home from Abbie Lafayette’s corner, then O’Brien made it 2-0 when she turned the ball past the home keeper.
The 18-year-old scored her second and Town’s third in the 28th minute from Natasha Thomas’s pass.
Keynsham pulled a goal back a minute after half-time but O’Brien completed her hat-trick in the 58th minute after beating a couple of defenders and shooting over the keeper.
The home side made it 4-2 with nine minutes remaining but sub Grey added the fifth when she rebounded O'Brien's saved shot in the 88th minute to secure the Blues’ victory.
Town remain top of FA National League Southern Premier Division by six points from Oxford, who have a game in hand and who beat Chichester & Selsey 3-0 at home today. Southampton are third, a further four points back but with four games in hand on the Blues having not been in league action today.
Town: Quantrill, Hughes, Smith (King 55), Peake, Lafayette, Hubbard, Horwood (c) (Egan 55), Robertson (Grey 55), O’Brien, Biggs (Barratt 63), Thomas. Unused: L Jackson.