Ipswich Town Women got back to winning ways after last week’s loss to promotion rivals Hashtag United with a comfortable 3-0 win against AFC Wimbledon at a sunny Plough Lane.
Joe Sheehan made one change from the side that suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to the Tags last Sunday with Megan Wearing coming in for an injured Maria Boswell.
Midfielder Kyra Robertson took the armband in the absence of Town’s skipper, with Sheehan reporting midweek that the knee injury she suffered in Essex was not as severe as first feared.
Evie Williams returned from injury to take a role on the bench, but Isabella Fisher, a sub for the previous match, missed out on a place in the squad.
Ipswich were uncharacteristically ponderous on the ball at the start of the game, moving the ball at a slower pace than usual.
On four, there was a stoppage after an opposition player collided Lucy O’Brien with the midfielder requiring treatment.
The resulting free-kick sailed into the Wimbledon box but went straight to goalkeeper Rosie Kite. O’Brien rejoined the game shortly after.
Six minutes later, the visitors fashioned their first chance, Summer Hughes pinging the ball to Natasha Thomas from the left who then played it through to O’Brien, who took it into the box before it was blocked out for a corner.
After the first set piece was put behind by a Wombles defender, the second effort was a short pass to Sophie Peskett, who drove along the byline and put the ball in for Thomas to head towards goal, only for Kite to punch the ball clear. The ball pinged around the box before the assistant referee raised their flag for offside.
Three minutes later, Hughes got on the end of a loose ball out left and drove to the corner before playing short to O’Brien to cross into the box, Thomas rising but just missing connection with the ball.
The home side created their first chance in the 17th minute, Ashlee Hincks picking out Rosie Russell on the right with a long ball. The number two cut in and looked to put the ball past Natalia Negri at the left post, but the Town stopper was able to palm it away,
The Blues continued to battle and on 24 Ella Rutherford threaded the ball to O’Brien to rush into the box, but a superb sliding tackle saw the ball out for a corner.
O’Brien then delivered a great ball deep into the Wimbledon box, Kite again required to punch the ball to safety.
On 34, Peskett, who’d been unusually peripheral during the half, drove down the right but was brought down and won Town a free-kick to the right of the opposition’s area. Grace Garrad’s delivery found Wearing at the back post, but her headed effort flipped the post before going out wide.
However, seven minutes later, as it looked like the first half would end goalless, Wearing headed home at close range from a superb Garrad free-kick to put the Blues ahead.
Straight from the restart at the beginning of the second half, Rutherford played Peskett in on the right for one of her trademark drives down the flank, but her cross went straight to the outstretched arms of Kite.
But on 51 Town doubled their lead from a set piece, winning a free-kick on the edge of the box which Garrad fired towards the top right corner and in off the underside of the bar.
A few minutes later, Thomas shot from distance but the effort was easily held by Kite.
Soon after, Rutherford was through on goal from a quick throw but her attempt to lob Kite was well over. Garrad then had another attempt from a set piece, this time further out, but her shot was just wide.
On the hour mark, Ipswich made it 3-0, Wearing receiving the ball outside the area on the right and sending a looping effort over Kite, whose outstretched palm could only help the ball along into the net.
Four minutes later, Town almost added a fourth after O’Brien found Thomas on the edge of the area, but the Town number seven fired over.
In the 67th minute, Sheehan made his first changes with Hughes and O’Brien making way for Maisy Barker and Shauna Guyatt.
On 71 Peskett delivered a sumptuous ball into the box but Thomas could only get her head underneath it and ping the ball over.
That was the club record goalscorer’s final action of the match as she and Ruby Doe made way for Lucy Watson and Ellie Bowyer.
As the game moved into its final quarter of an hour, Wimbledon had a rare free-kick which went into the Town box, but the ball was easily held by Negri.
With ten minutes remaining, the referee made their first booking of the game, Hincks shown a yellow card for a rash challenge.
A few minutes later, a mix-up at the back from Leah Mitchell almost saw the Wombles through on goal, but Negri was quickly off her line to smother any danger.
On 84 Sheehan made his final change, Williams replacing Garrad to make her first appearance of 2025.
Town had one more effort in the last minute of normal time, Guyatt forcing a corner, which, after being initially cleared, was sent back in, Watson just missing out on getting her head on the ball. The ref blew up for full time a few minutes later.
The result was a comfortable win for the Blues, who patiently controlled play in the first half before breaking the deadlock with Wearing’s first goal.
The visitors dominated the game in the second half, effectively ending it as a contest with 30 minutes to go with two superb long-range efforts from Garrad and Wearing.
With rivals Hashtag United, back at Aveley after moving their game with Town last week to Canvey Island, coming from behind to win 3-1 against Cheltenham, the Blues remain six points from the summit.
Ipswich do, however, still have three games in hand over the Tags, the first of which is their visit to Gwalia United next week, the third attempt to fulfil this fixture this season.
Following that, Ipswich Town’s next home fixture sees a return to IP1 with the Blues taking on Plymouth Argyle in their second ever league fixture at Portman Road.
Starting XI: Negri, Mitchell, Wearing, Garrad (Williams 84), Hughes (Barker 67), Robertson, Doe (Bowyer 71), Peskett, Rutherford, O’Brien (Guyatt 67), Thomas (Watson 71). Unused: Hartley. Att: 1,136.