Town Women Defeated By Saints in WSL2 Opener Saturday, 6th Sep 2025 17:08 by Matt Makin Ipswich Town Women had a chastening first experience of life in the Barclays WSL2, losing 4-0 to Southampton Women in front of a near-4,000 crowd at St Mary’s Stadium on the south coast. Town manager Joe Sheehan handed a second Ipswich debut to former Saint Paige Peake, along with debuts for Grace Neville, Beth Roe and Rianna Dean. Regular starters from last season Natalia Negri, skipper Maria Boswell, Kyra Robertson, Leah Mitchell, Sophie Peskett, Lucy O’Brien and club-record goalscorer Natasha Thomas made up Ipswich’s first ever starting XI in the second tier of English women’s football. The home team started brightly and created their first attack after only three minutes of play, Town stopper Negri being caught out of her area and having to furiously pedal back to make a diving save. Two minutes later, new Southampton signing Ellie Brazil latched on to a cute ball down the Saints’ right-hand side to go through on goal, her shot getting past Negri but going inches wide of the far post. Despite looking nervy during the opening passages of play, Town had their first foray forward on nine with a deep free-kick into the Southampton box, but Peskett could only head wide. Almost immediately afterwards, the Saints opened the scoring, Brazil again getting down the right-hand side before cutting the ball back to Saints skipper Atlanta Primus, who blasted home from eight yards out. On 12 Robertson, gave away a free-kick inside Town’s half and Saints centre-back Kara Bourne stepped up and delivered a wicked attempt which despite going over dipped at the last, almost leaving Negri flat-footed. The Blues appeared to find some rhythm and on 14 Dean was able to latch on to a long ball on Town’s right flank but her tight-angled shot did not trouble Saints keeper Frances Stenton. Peskett was then able to cut through the middle of the park and find O’Brien out on the right, who tried to square the ball back across goal from the touchline but ended up only finding Stenson. On 27 O’Brien found Peskett inside the area and the Blues forward went down but with Town players’ appeals for a penalty kick waved away by the referee. Two minutes later, the home side doubled their advantage, Amy Goddard heading home from the centre of the goal from the second of back-to-back Southampton corners. The Saints continued to dominate possession and on 37 won their fourth corner of the match, taking the set piece short before delivering a deep cross into the box. Town were initially able to regain possession but dithered on the ball and were almost caught out wide of their area, eventually drawing a foul to get themselves out of trouble. On 42 Dean looked to break forward on the left but the referee brought a halt to play following a clash of heads between two Saints players and Thomas. When play did resume the Blues striker was able to take a speculative shot from distance but Goddard was able to head clear from the edge of the Southampton box. In the first of five additional minutes Southampton made it 3-0, again from a corner, with Mary Bashford heading home at the near post. The Saints almost added a fourth before the break with Megan Collett going through on goal, but Negri was able to come out and go low to close the angle and force the right-back out wide. Southampton continued their dominant display from the restart, Negri called into action in the first minute to save an attempt following a scramble in the Town area. On 51 the Blues won a corner after some good offensive play from Thomas, but Stenson was able to punch the deep effort well clear. Four minutes later, Saints substitute Ruby-Rae Tucker was able to latch on to a through ball but could only shoot well wide. Immediately after, Sheehan made his first changes of the game by bringing off Robertson and O’Brien and handing debuts to Ruby Doe (her third for the club and first since signing permanently) and Jenna Dear. Two minutes later, however, Southampton scored their fourth goal and ended any remaining faint, lingering hopes. A Saints corner was not fully dealt with by the Town defence and Negri appeared to be caught napping by an effort back into the box, only being able to tip the ball towards her back post for Bashford to tap in her second goal of the afternoon. Southampton were content to see the remaining 30 minutes out but almost created another chance on 62 when Goddard was able to head the ball back across goal from a long ball in, Town’s blushes spared by an offside call from the assistant referee. Six minutes later, Dean was able to catch Stenson’s short pass out from the back, but the home side were quick to smother the Blues forward before she could make any meaningful attempt on goal. In the 72nd minute, Dean was again in a dangerous area in the Southampton box but lost the ball before being able to pull the trigger. On first viewing, Ipswich’s claims for a penalty seemed well-founded, but on replay it was apparent it was a well-timed challenge to take the ball away from Dean before she could get her shot away. On 75 Sheehan made a further change, removing Dean and giving Maddy Earl her debut for Ipswich Town having joined the club on loan from Arsenal on deadline day. On 82 Jenna Dear was able to shoot from just outside the box but her effort was well wide. With the game petering out, Town fans were treated to a trademark Sophie Peskett drive down the right flank on in the second minute of injury time but her cross into the box was nowhere near a blue shirt. The referee brought proceedings to an end shortly after. In an eerie parallel to the men’s team’s experience in the Premier League last season, Ipswich Town Women struggled with the step up against the physicality and speed of an established WSL2 side and not having the majority of possession as they had been accustomed to in the third tier. Although the Blues had 10 shots to Southampton’s 11, none were on target and no big chances were created. Ipswich also struggled with set pieces, conceding two goals directly from corners and another from the second phase of play following a set piece. Although there were some bright moments offensively from the Blues, Saints keeper Stenson was never really troubled by any of Town’s attacking players. The result sees Town at the foot of the WSL2 table with last season’s bottom team Sheffield United, who also lost 4-0 to Sunderland in their opening game of the season last night. Town return to WSL2 action next weekend, playing their first home game at the Jobserve Community Stadium in Colchester against fellow newly promoted side and last season’s FA WNL Cup winners Nottingham Forest, who kick-off their campaign tomorrow with a home fixture against Newcastle United. Town: Negri, Neville, Boswell, Peake, Roe, Robertson (Doe 55), Mitchell, Peskett, O’Brien (Dear 55), Thomas, Dean (Earl 75). Unused: Hartley, Wearing, Hughes, Bonwick, Seaby. Att: 3,896.
Photo: Action Images Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
You need to login in order to post your comments |
   Blogs 299 bloggersIpswich Town Polls[ Vote here ] |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.We in turn value your personal details in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
