Ipswich Town Women returned to winning ways following their recent defeat to Oxford United by recording a comfortable 6-1 victory over Chatham Town at the Bauvill Stadium, despite being reduced to 10 women late on.
Town manager Joe Sheehan made one change to the side that had started in Oxfordshire a fortnight ago with Leah Mitchell replacing Maisy Barker in defence, the latter named among the substitutes.
With Poppy Soper still injured, Sheehan was forced to name a bench consisting of only outfield players.
Ipswich started brightly and applied early pressure to the hosts, Lenna Gunning-Williams having two shots blocked inside the opening minutes of the game.
On five, Leah Mitchell saw her shot tipped over the bar by Chats keeper Cara Davies, but was flagged for offside.
Four minutes later, the Tractor Girls opened the scoring, Gunning-Williams collecting the ball in midfield, breaking forward and taking the ball past two players, before curling it from the edge of the box into the top-left corner, with Davies unable to get near it.
In the 12th minute Town made it 2-0. Lucy O’Brien was brought down in the box and the referee didn’t hesitate to point to the spot. Skipper Bonnie Horwood stepped up and struck the ball off the left post and in to extend Ipswich’s lead.
Town continued to dominate the game with Chatham seeing very little of the ball and spending virtually all of their time inside their own half.
On 21 Sophie Peskett, performing to her usual high standard, linked up with O’Brien before driving inside the Chats’ box from the right and force Davies into a low save. Four minutes later, O’Brien’s effort from distance was just wide of the post.
In the 35th minute, Town scored their third. Peskett controlled a crossfield ball from Kyra Robertson wide on the right and sent in a dangerous cross towards Natasha Thomas, who was able to slam home from short range after Davies was able to block her initial effort.
Seven minutes later, O’Brien was again brought down in the box, however, the referee was not inclined to award Town another spot-kick.
But on 44 Town made it 4-0, Thomas again the goalscorer. Peskett was again the creator, chasing the ball down on the right to keep it in play before lacing in a low cross towards Gunning-Williams for an attempt on goal, with Thomas rifling home the goal-line clearance for her second of the game and 13th of the season in all competitions.
A minute later O’Brien again found herself bundled over in the area but again the referee waved away vociferous appeals, much to the consternation of both Town players and the travelling support.
Deep into time added on, Megan Wearing was booked for dissent after conceding a soft foul in the middle of the park.
Ipswich started the second half in much the same way they had ended the first with O’Brien and Gunning-Williams having efforts on goal inside the first five minutes.
On 52 minutes Sheehan made his first change of the afternoon, replacing Leah Mitchell with Maisy Barker.
As the half wore on Ipswich’s intensity dropped and they sat deeper, allowing Chatham back into the game and providing them the opportunity to have attempts on goal. Town still looked a threat on the attack, however, with O’Brien and Gunning-William continuing to get on the end of chances although perhaps not taking them as well as could be.
In the 65th minute Sheehan made a further change, Evie Williams coming on in place of Megan Wearing.
On 72 Davies’s distribution of the ball from the edge of her box fell to Horwood, who attempted to catch the Chats’ keeper off her line only to see her effort float agonisingly wide of goal. Immediately after, Ruby Doe was brought on to replace O’Brien.
Three minutes later, Town were 5-0 in front with Peskett getting on the scoresheet after being played in following neat work from Gunning-Williams and Robertson, cutting the ball on to her left foot on the 18-yard line before striking the ball cleanly past Davies.
With 10 minutes left on the clock, Sheehan made his fourth change, Horwood making way for Nia Evans.
Three minutes later, Chatham pulled a goal back through Breon Grant, who was able to tap home into an empty net following a defensive mix-up between Town keeper Laura Hartley and defender Maria Boswell.
Shortly afterwards, Sheehan made his final substitution, Abbi Smith replacing Gunning-Williams.
a minute form the scheduled end, Chatham almost scored a second but Hartley was able to backpedal to her line and scoop the ball away from danger.
In the sixth minute of injury time Ipswich were reduced to 10 players, substitute Doe receiving a straight red card for lashing out after winning a foul in an attacking area of the pitch.
From the resulting set play Town were able to work the ball to the edge of the box where sub Evans was able to slot home for Ipswich’s sixth goal of the game.
Despite the scoreline, Ipswich laboured for a significant period of the second half, more content to play within their own half at 4-0 up and inviting pressure from the hosts.
The game, however, was essentially won in the first half, Town dominating the game and effectively putting the result out of sight by the break.
Doe’s sending off added a slightly sour note to the end of the game with the Arsenal youngster now set to miss the next three games through suspension.
Ipswich Town, who are up to third, are back in action on Sunday 5th November when they return to Cardiff City, their opponents on the opening day of the season, for the second round of the FAWNL Cup.
Town: Hartley, Mitchell (Barker 52), Boswell, Wearing (Williams 65), Hughes, Horwood (Evans 80), Robertson, Peskett, O’Brien (Doe 72), Gunning-Williams (Smith 86), Thomas.