Tractor Girls Up to Second After Fourth Straight Win Sunday, 5th Mar 2023 16:59 by Matt Makin Ipswich Town Women continued their fine run of form in the FAWNL Southern Premier Division with a fourth straight win, comfortably dispatching Plymouth Argyle 3-0 in front of more than 500 fans at the AGL Arena in Felixstowe this afternoon. Town manager Joe Sheehan made two changes from the side that had beaten Billericay 1-0 in midweek with Bonnie Horwood and Anna Grey replacing Kyra Robertson and Sarah Brasero-Carreira, the former dropping out of the matchday squad. There was a welcome sight on the bench as club captain Blue Wilson returned to the squad for the first time since an ACL injury she sustained early last season with Nia Evans also coming in to the 16. Town started the game brightly, creating a chance in the second minute. Grey was able to cross to Freya Godfrey in the box, whose shot went just over and dipped on to the roof of the net. Ten minutes in, Plymouth made a foray forward but put the ball well wide of the Blues’ goal. A minute later, Lucy O’Brien’s strike from distance was spilled by Pilgrims keeper Jasmine Read, who was able to collect on the second attempt. Ipswich were in control from the early stages of the game, dominating possession and spending lots of time in the Plymouth half. On 16 minutes Sophie Peskett was able to turn two opposition defenders and play in Godfrey but the forward was blocked before being able to pull the trigger. Shortly after, Town went close after some neat work from Peskett and Grey worked the ball to Bonnie Horwood in the box, whose shot went just over. In the 22nd minute, Town opened the scoring. Grey won the ball in the middle of the park and was able to drive forward before drilling the ball past Read from distance into the bottom right of the Plymouth goal. A few minutes later Grey almost doubled her tally but her tight-angled shot went just wide. Town were in the ascendancy at this point, looking dangerous every time they went forward with Peskett and Grey both looking dangerous down the flanks. Two minutes before the break, Ipswich extended their lead, Grey tapping home between Read’s legs from six yards out after Godfrey had done well down the right-hand side to cut the ball back. After the restart, Town almost scored again, Eloise King’s cross going over the bar. Sheehan made one change at half-time, Evans replacing Summer Hughes who had picked up a knock with Boswell moving out to the right to accommodate Evans in the middle with Megan Wearing. Town picked up from where they had left off in the first half and continued to look strong in attack, although their blushes were spared in the 55th minute after an Evans error resulted in a rare Plymouth chance on goal with Sarah Quantrill making a smart save. On 67, Wearing went close from a corner and two minutes later O’Brien saw a strong shot tipped over for a corner. And from the set piece Town scored again, Plymouth failing to clear Abbie Lafayette’s cross and allowing Godfrey to slam the ball home from close range. Ipswich made their first changes with 15 minutes remaining, Brasero-Carreira and Natasha Thomas replacing O’Brien and Godfrey. Six minutes later, Brasero-Carreira almost scored after being played in by Grey, but was adjudged to have been offside. On 85 minutes, Sheehan made his final change, bringing on Wilson for King with the returning skipper receiving a raucous reception from the Town faithful and Horwood handing over the armband. A few minutes later Wilson was involved in winning a corner for Town. The Blues saw the final stages of the game out well, creating one last chance in the second minute of injury time with Boswell shooting high and over. Town were very good for the win and could have scored even more goals, particularly in the first half.  With Portsmouth and Watford in FAWNL Cup action this weekend, and Oxford United beating basement team Crawley Wasps 6-1, Ipswich move up to second in the table behind the U’s. Ipswich Town Women are back in action at the AGL Arena next weekend taking on London Bees. Town: Quantrill, Boswell, Wearing, Lafayette, Hughes (Evans, 46), Horwood, King (Wilson 85), Peskett, O’Brien (Brasero-Carreira 75), Grey, Godfrey (Thomas 75). Unused Subs: Meollo. Attendance: 505.
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