Ipswich Town were back to winning ways at Felixstowe, thrashing Billericay Town 5-0 in their first outing at the Martello Ground in 2025 to gain ground on leaders Hashtag United, who drew 2-2 at Lewes.
Blues manager Joe Sheehan made three changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Lewes at the Dripping Pan at the weekend with Maisy Barker, Lucy O’Brien and Angela Addison coming in for Megan Wearing, Lucy Watson and Summer Hughes, the latter dropping out of the squad entirely and replaced on the bench by Ruby Doe, who rejoined the club from West Ham United on a dual registration basis last week having played for Town on loan from Arsenal last season. Former Town skipper Bonnie Horwood started in midfield for the visitors.
Following a late start due to heavy traffic delaying the visitors’ arrival, Town were in control from the off, forcing a corner in the first minute. O’Brien’s delivery found its way to captain Maria Boswell, whose effort was tipped over the bar by Billericay goalkeeper Katie O’Hanlon.
From the second set piece, O’Brien’s deep delivery was headed back across goal by Natasha Thomas but the resulting shot was wide.
Minutes later, Sophie Peskett made a trademark drive down the right-hand side only to see O’Hanlon push her cross-shot back out.
Town continued to pile on the pressure, creating a host of chances with O’Hanlon working hard to keep the ball out of the net. On 16 Garrad’s free-kick from the edge of the box found Thomas in a good area, but her headed effort was blocked out of play.
On 24, a neat move from the home side saw Addison with a chance at close range but her effort was rolled wide.
Ipswich’s efforts were eventually rewarded on the half-hour mark, Addison opening the scoring by firing her free-kick into the top left corner after Peskett was fouled just outside of the box.
Three minutes later Town were 2-0 ahead, Thomas holding the ball up in the Billericay box before playing it out to Leah Mitchell, who was able to square the ball to O’Brien on the edge of the area who lashed the ball past O’Hanlon
In the 35th minute, Thomas picked the ball up on the left and carried it forward to shoot from a tight angle, which O’Hanlon held on to.
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Six minutes later, Ipswich added a third goal after a succession of corners, O’Brien picking up her initial cleared effort and pinging the ball back in the box for Thomas to rise and nod home.
Moments later, Thomas looked to score another header, only to see O’Hanlon block her bullet effort at point-blank range.
As the half drew to a close, Thomas scored her second and Town’s fourth, Peskett driving the ball into the box and picking out Mitchell, who was able to roll the ball for Town’s seven to poke home at the far post.
Ipswich continued to dominate after the break, Barker putting a dangerous ball into the box from the left two minutes post the restart, which couldn’t quite find Mitchell at the far post.
Shortly after, Addison couldn’t quite connect her attempt at an overhead kick with Peskett’s ball in from the right.
On 55, O’Brien’s free kick from the left was almost stabbed home at the back post but the flag was up for offside. A minute later, another neat move saw O’Hanlon forced to tip over Addison’s effort, with the resulting corner sailing past a crowded box and bouncing out off the inside of the post.
Just before the hour mark, and presumably with Sunday’s home game against Exeter in mind, Sheehan made four changes. Boswell, Robertson, Peskett and Thomas left the pitch to be replaced by Elkie Bowyer, Doe, Lucy Watson and Isabella Fisher. Garrad took the armband for the remainder of the game.
The change in personnel changed the intensity of the home side’s game with Town content to sit on their lead and dictate the pace of play. The next effort of note was on 70, Ella Rutherford’s tame shot being easily held by O’Hanlon.
In the 73rd minute, Rutherford made way for Shauna Guyatt and eight minutes after her introduction the sub created a superb solo effort from nothing, which O’Hanlon reacted well to save.
On 82, Billericay defender Ylenia Priest was booked for dissent and sent to the dugout, the referee exercising the rarely used sin bin law applicable in tier three of women’s football and reducing the visitors to 10 players for 10 minutes.
Town pressed their numerical advantage and went back on the attack and on 87 scored their fifth and final goal of the game.
Watson played a corner short to O’Brien who swung the ball into the box and Bowyer raced to meet it and head the ball down and into the net, scoring on her second debut for the club after returning on a dual registration deal from Tottenham Hotspur.
Two minutes later, the Blues almost added a sixth, Fisher seeing her effort tipped out by O’Hanlon.
Town had the ball back in the back of the net in the first minute of time added on, but the effort was flagged for offside. The referee brought an end to the game shortly after.
After a hard-won away point on the road at the weekend, Town were at their best in front of the home faithful in their first home league action of the calendar year.
Billericay goalie O’Hanlon did well to keep the ball out of the net for the first 30 minutes, but once Town broke the deadlock from a superb Addison free-kick, the goals came thick and fast with the contest effectively over at the break.
The 4-0 lead allowed Sheehan to make a swathe of changes at the hour mark and rest key players during a busy three-game week, with the depth in the squad sufficient to continue to keep the visitors at arm’s length.
With Priest removed for the final eight minutes of normal time, Town were then able to press their advantage and add to their already impressive goal difference with a fifth goal through Bowyer.
With promotion rivals Hashtag United drawing 2-2 at Lewes, Ipswich have closed the gap to the league leaders to three points with three games in hand, which includes the now pivotal clash with the Tags at Aveley on March 2nd.
Ipswich Town return to league action on Sunday with the visit of Exeter City to Felixstowe, a rescheduling of the postponed fixture from January 5th.
Town: Negri, Mitchell, Boswell (Bowyer 58), Garrad, Barker, Robertson (Doe 58), O’Brien, Peskett (Watson 58), Rutherford (Guyatt 73), Addison, Thomas (Fisher 58). Unused subs: Hartley, Wearing. Attendance: 461.