Ipswich Town Women maintained their unbeaten start to the season and recorded their first home win of the campaign, dispatching newly promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1 at the JobServe Community Stadium this afternoon.

Lysianne Proulx continued between the sticks for Town, screened by a defence of Maria Boswell, Georgia Hunter, Kenzie Weir and Bethan Roe. Leah Mitchell and Aimee Palmer continued in defensive midfield, with Meg Hornby, Georgia Timms and Rose McGowan sitting in attack behind striker Princess Ademiluyi.

The visitors started with an attacking bent, getting down the right flank in the first minute and putting a cross towards Proulx which the Town stopper spilled, the ball then going out for a corner.

Town were then on the attack on five, McGowan getting on the end of a long ball before jinking to the touchline, her cross glancing past Ademiluyi but not being turned goalbound.

On 12 Ipswich went close again after Mitchell found Boswell on the right with a great ball, the skipper in turn feeding Ademiluyi in the box. The striker got too close to Wolves goalkeeper Emily Orman, however, who was able to smother the shot. The rebound fell to Hornby in a good position but the attacker’s snatched shot couldn’t find the net and was easily collected.

Four minutes later, Ipswich were caught out of shape and Amber Hughes was able to get away a shot from distance, but her tame effort was headed away.

In the 18th minute, against the run of play, and controversially, Wolves took the lead. Hughes was involved again, chasing down the ball on the left which was shielded out of play by Hunter. Despite the ball appearing to go a yard over the line, Hughes was inexplicably allowed to bring it back into play and catch out an unprepared Proulx, who had been expecting a goal-kick, slotting home at close range.

Town were out of sorts after the goal and conceded a corner shortly after the restart, which they had to scramble to clear.

After taking several minutes to regain their composure, the home side grew back into the game and on 28 restored parity in spectacular fashion. Ademiluyi found the ball in space and lashed the ball from distance, leaving Orman rooted to the turf as the ball crashed off the post and into the net.

Following a delay in the game after an injury to a Wolves player, the last third of the half saw little action until a flurry at the end.

On 44, Boswell put in a looping cross after receiving the ball from Ademiluyi, which Orman appeared to take behind the line as she claimed it. The assistant referee flagged for a goal and after a brief consultation referee Hannah Gardner awarded the goal, much to the consternation of the Wolves players and staff.

The restart was delayed by further protests and Wolves head coach Dan McNamara continued to berate fourth official Aimee Keir for several minutes afterwards.

Added time was equally exciting with Wolves going close from a shot from distance and two subsequent corners. In the seventh minute of injury time Proulx pulled off a superb save to keep her side ahead with Charlotte Greengrass picking up a booking for a foul from the resumption.

The referee soon blew up for half-time and McNamara strode onto the pitch to berate Keir as she headed to the tunnel.

Town were good for the lead at the break, having been the better team before going behind in dubious circumstances. Ademiluyi’s leveller was a superb strike and despite the protestations of the visitors, Boswell’s cross appeared to be clearly carried into the goal with the assistant referee not hesitating to indicate so.

Wolves’ ill-discipline continued early into the second half, skipper Anna Morphet joining Greengrass on a yellow card on 47 after fouling Ademiluyi. Hornby’s deep free-kick then called Orman into action.

Wolves had some speculative forays inside the first 15 minutes but it was Town creating the better chances with Ademiluyi and Timms both going through on goal in quick succession.

On the hour mark, McNamara made a triple substitution to try and change his side’s fortunes with Morphet, Hughes and Louanne Worsey making way for Jasmine Matthews, Melisa Filis and Olivia Francis.

Wolves exerted some pressure on the home side following the changes, Francis dancing past Roe on 65 and stinging Proulx’s gloves.

In the 73rd minute, Town manager David Wright made his first change of the game, bringing on Rosella Ayane for McGowan, the latter having put in another good shift in a Town shirt.

The momentum swung back to the home side soon after with a succession of shots and corners ahead of a third goal on 76. Skipper Boswell got on the scoresheet again having set herself up for a wonderful curling effort into the top left corner from distance.

Wolves made further changes on 78, Hollie Olding and Beth Roberts making way for Tammi George and Melissa Lawley and the visitors almost pulled one back on 80 with an effort from a corner cleared off the line.

On 82, Filis hammered a free -kick over the bar from a promising position and four minutes later Amy Sims put her effort on the roof of the Town net.

Ipswich made their final changes on 88 with Hornby and Palmer leaving the field to make way for Emma Lawton and Colette Cavanagh.

The referee added on three additional minutes and Town were able to comfortably see the game out with nothing of note occurring in that final period.

Ipswich were deserved winners with Ademiluyi a physical presence up top across the game and Timms thriving in the 10 role.

Mitchell and Palmer made the midfield tick, the latter showing excellent vision and positional awareness and picking up the sponsors’ player of the match award for her performance.

Skipper Boswell bagged a brace, one fortuitously and the other a superb effort, which along with Ademiluyi’s sensational equaliser is an early contender for goal of the season.

The officiating left something to be desired, the assistant referee failing to see the ball go out for a goal-kick before Hughes’s opener despite being level with play, and the referee struggling to control the situation after Town’s second goal including failing to address Dan McNamara’s poor behaviour towards both the fourth official immediately after the goal and the referee herself as she left the pitch at half-time.

As the table starts to take shape, Ipswich currently sit in a lofty third place in the table, two points behind Sunderland in second and four behind their north-east rivals Newcastle United, who maintained their perfect start to the season with a 4-0 hammering of Leicester City.

Ipswich Town Women are back at the JobServe Community Stadium on Wednesday, hosting WSL side London City Lionesses in the Women’s Players Cup, before travelling north next Sunday to take on Sheffield United in WSL2.

Ipswich Town: Proulx, Boswell (c), Hunter, Weir, Mitchell, Timms, Hornby (Lawton 88), McGowan (Ayane 73), Roe, Palmer (Cavanagh 88), Ademiluyi. Unused: Negri, Fox, Slattery, O’Brien, McAteer, Peake.

Wolverhampton Wanderers: Oman, Morphet (c) (Matthews 60), Marshall, Greengrass, Hughes (Filis 60), Olding (George 78), Sims, Daniels, Roberts (Lawley 78), Williams, Worsey (Francis 60). Unused: Brooks, Anderson, Jones, Jenner. Attendance: 977.

Photo: ITFC.co.uk