Better performance but no points

Ipswich Womens 1st team welcomed newly promoted and top of the league Guildford to Tuddenham Road for the first time, with the visitors taking the 3 points.

Ipswich started slowly, soon finding themselves under pressure with the defence of Emma Williamson, Ellie Scott, May Percival and Lizzy Wheelhouse keeping a run of PCs out of the goal. But it wasn’t enough for Ipswich who soon found themselves 1-0 behind with Guildford capitalising via a drag flick beyond keeper Ali Barham.

Ipswich though found their form and grew well into the game, threatening the goal with POTM Hollie Dring-Richardson, Sophie Sexton, Holly Wills and India Goodman working the ball well through the midfield.

A change at the back saw Kat Blake and Williamson able to run the ball out and hand over well to Dring-Richardson and took players on with ease.

Going into the halftime break 1-0 down demonstrated a successful start for Ipswich, with them heading into the second half believing they could get on the scoresheet and challenge the league leaders. Jess Logan coming into the squad for the first time this season distributed well and laid off an excellent ball for Taylor Ball but the team couldn’t find themselves an outcome. Another drag flick from a PC consolidated the visitors’ lead and put Ipswich further on the back foot.

Not down and out, a chance for Wheelhouse forced an exceptional save by the Guildford keeper and Ipswich themselves earned a run of PCs. A Sexton shot was delivered just wide of the post with the next attempt by Scott missing Wheelhouse on the post.

A mistake at the back saw Guildford able to nick the ball and roof it into the net to take them 3-0 into the lead, a score line which flattered the opposition who had received a number of cards throughout the game, at one point down to 9 players.

But Ipswich were unable to make the most of this phase of play except for a final attempt on goal via two last minute PCs. Ipswich were unable to get the ball into the net and did not deserve the final score line, with the team playing some of their best hockey and really challenging the league leaders.

The final game of the first half of the season finds Ipswich away to East London for an evening PB at Lee Valley