Ipswich Town Women continued their perfect start to the 2020/21 Women’s National League season with a 10-0 demolition of Cambridge United at the Goldstar Ground in Felixstowe yesterday.
Natasha Thomas hit a hat-trick on her return to the starting line-up and Sophie Peskett bagged a brace, with the scoring completed by Amy-Leigh Abrehart, Zoe Barratt, Anna Grey, Paige Peake and an own-goal from Jemma Moore.
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As has been the case in recent weeks, Town got off to a fast start and took the lead inside five minutes. Grey delivered an excellent cross from the left and Peskett arrived in perfect time to bundle the ball over the line.
Shortly after the two wingers linked up again, with Grey once again delivering a dangerous ball into the area and after a failed clearance from Carrie Bennett, the alert Peskett was on hand to slam home at the near-post.
Just three minutes later the Tractor Girls had their third as Moore headed Peake’s corner into her own net. Town continued to be relentless and got the fourth goal of the afternoon moments later as Thomas got herself off the mark for the season.
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Eloise King picked up the ball on the left-hand side and drifted inside before laying the ball into Thomas, who took a touch and fired low into the corner from the edge of the area. The Town forward soon had her second of the day as she beat her marker and headed Peskett’s sensational cross beyond the helpless Amy Butler.
Peskett was once again at the forefront of the action as she was chopped down in the area by Moore. Referee Lorraine Catchpole showed no hesitation and awarded a penalty instantly. Peake stepped up and sent Butler the wrong way from her spot-kick for her fourth goal in as many games.
The seventh and final goal of the half arrived just after the half-hour mark as Peskett and Grey once again linked up, with the latter sweeping home from a pinpoint cutback.
Cambridge looked to stifle the Tractor Girls after the break but it didn’t take long for the Blues to add to their tally. After a mix-up between Butler and Kayleigh Burt, Thomas pounced on a loose ball and lifted the ball over the scrambling U’s ‘keeper, with Grey shielding the ball over the line to ensure her teammate got her hat-trick.
After a brief spell of half-chances, Town got their ninth after Abrehart’s low cross was turned in at the near-post by Barratt. After turning provider for her teammate moments before, Abrehart got herself on the scoresheet with some instinctive reactions. Peake’s corner caused a scramble in the area, with Barratt’s shot initially deflecting into Lindsey Cooper before falling to Abrehart to touch home from close-range.
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Victory sees the Tractor Girls cement their place at the top of the Women’s National League Division One South East table, with Town now the only side in the top four tiers of women’s football yet to concede a league goal this season.
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