The two sides met just under a month ago in the reverse midweek fixture at Crown Meadow under the lights Ipswich held a narrow 1-0 lead at half-time. Lowestoft coming back into it with 2 goals in 2 minutes from Aimee Durrant early 2nd half to go in front were pegged back to 2-2 before Natasha Thomas popped up with a 90th minute winner to see Ipswich win 3-2.
Plenty of changes to the playing personal in both sides over the last 12 months. Lowestoft rebuilding with a young squad, retained their FAWPL South East Division One status this season. A rapidly improving league no easy games they have battled to get the results without always getting the rub of the green. One league win under their belts to date a 3-0 home win against Enfield Town Ladies, who they meet again in the FA Women's Cup this coming Sunday.
Ipswich Town Ladies have had such an influx of players over the close season they have been able to start up a Development side to assist the 1st team, competing in the Suffolk Women's Division this season. Have recovered from a slow start in the FAWPL South East Division One to pick up the results and points to get them in amongst the leading pack, results this weekend going against them losing out on 3 points to drop out of the top half of the table.
Ipswich Town Ladies play their home fixtures at Felixstowe & Walton United FC's, Goldstar Ground. Not too far off the A14 set in a residential area on the outskirts the carpark leads to the clubhouse and bar that over looks the cricket field with the football pitch off to the right. Surrounded by trees the pitch looked in great condition freshly cut, is a good size relatively flat a good playing surface a dry night but a little chilly with a strong breeze blowing across the pitch. Choose to stand between the dugouts making sure I wasn't under one of the apple trees dotted around, just in case.
Ipswich Town Ladies starting XI - Teodora Kodova, Beth Welton, Sophie Welton, Aimee Harrison (C), Lindsey Cooper, Sian Fagg, Amy Howlett, Natasha Thomas, Roxanne Small, Hollie Clement & Jade Henry.
subs - Cassie Craddock, Jennifer Gray, Georgie Morton, Joyce Mlambo & Jacqueline Ball.
Lowestoft Town Ladies starting XI - Eilish Brogan, Lyndsey Adams, Charnelle Riggall, Eleanor Froud, Abbie Everson, Broghan Scully, Millie Davies, Gemma Moore, Aimee Durrant, Molly Hall & Hannah Waters (C).
subs - Megan Bamber, Selina Rowland & Paige Nash.
It's Lowestoft to get the 1st half underway, wearing white shirts and socks with blue shorts. Ipswich lined up opposite wearing an all blue kit. Roxanne Small closes the ball down in midfield winning possession looks to send the ball out to the left for Hollie Clement to chase, Lowestoft's Lyndsey Adams gets across her to put the ball out for a throw. The ball is sent long down the line as Lowestoft press forwards, a bit frantic at the start the ball played long to test the Ipswich defence can't get it clear Lowestoft with possession around the box.
GOAL! Ipswich get up the other end with a fast paced counter attack and take the lead in the 3rd minute. The ball cleared from the back into Amy Howlett in the middle her though ball picks out Natasha Thomas breaking in behind the Lowestoft defence right side out pacing the defence carries the ball into the box, closing down on goal, hits the shot towards goal a powerful drive that flies in over goalkeeper, Eilish Brogan into the back of the net 1-0.
Lowestoft look for an immediate response the ball played out to Gemma Moore on the right wing, getting down the line tries to turn inside towards box, full back Beth Wilson slides in to win the ball once, then twice the resulting clearance is cleared up towards Lowestoft's Millie Davies in front of the centre circle, leaning back as she meets the ball looks to steer it towards the goal, on target it drops straight into the gloves of Ipswich goalkeeper, Teodora Kodova.
Striker Molly Hall recently signed by Lowestoft from Ipswich comes deep to receive the ball, turns and looks to thread it in behind the home defence for captain Hannah Waters leading the line to chase, Ipswich centre back Lindsey Cooper comes across to lung in and clear the ball out for a throw on the right. Thomas running forwards with the ball from midfield tries to pick out striker Jade Henry up top, Brogan comes to the edge of her area to gather the ball. Brogan comes rushing out again moments later to slide in at Henry's feet as a deflection 30 yards out spins in behind the visitors defence.
Howlett on the ball in the centre of midfield passes forwards through the middle for Henry making the run to get into the area, Lowestoft centre back Eleanor Froud closes her down and slides in to put the ball out to the right. Ipswich win a free kick in a dangerous position wide on the right outside the box, Clement over the set-piece a good delivery into the area, Hall gets her head on the ball clears it out of the box to the left Sian Fagg picks it up 25 yards out shoots the ball bouncing inside the six yard box before running wide of the far post.
Waters moves across the pitch to the right side to receive the ball moves inside towards the area, holds the ball up waiting for support, lays it back to Moore arriving at the top of the area, looks to curl an cross into the six yard box, to close to the keeper, Kodova is able to claim the ball. The game is end to end Ipswich break the ball played onto Howlett drifting right looks to send the ball on down the line for Small, her cross is cut out by Aimee Everson the corner conceded. Played in from the right the ball goes long to the far post is knocked back out towards the top of the area, comes to Fagg her touch is a little heavy allows Lowestoft to converge on her clear the ball.
Aimee Durrant receives the ball from Davies goes on a run down the left side, good control to cut back inside looks to fir a cross in along the top of the Ipswich area the ball flies across in between Hall and Davies neither able to get onto the end of it. Waters gets herself in behind the Ipswich defence as the ball is headed on from a goal kick, closing the area down, Kodova comes rushing out to the edge of her box, Waters looks to lift the ball past her with the outside if her right boot, the goalkeeper makes a great save with her foot clearing the all out to her left.
Lowestoft have the ball on the right Adams on for Moore her cross into the box is cut out by Ipswich captain Aimee Harrison cleared out of the area the referee spots a handball awards Lowestoft the free kick 30 yards from goal. Right of the goal it's Moore over the ball, looks to curl a ball into the top corner, lands on the roof of the net. Ipswich press forwards players committed to the attack Lowestoft win the ball, Everson sends the ball up field, is helped on through with Waters again breaking in behind. Taking the ball into the area Kodova comes rushing out to meet her, sliding in as Waters looks to push it past her, the pair collide, the ball spins away, Durrant up with play gets hold of the ball as the Ipswich defence get back to cover the goal, playing the ball around the prone keeper, Waters up on her feet is given the ball shoots her shot is blocked on the line, play eventually stopped as Kodova needs treatment.
A quickly taken free-kick inside the Lowestoft half sees Henry get into the box to the right of goal, looks to send her shot across the keeper, Brogan gets down smartly to make the save push the ball wide of her goal. Ipswich's turn to see a free-kick land on the roof of the opponents net, given one 35 yards out left side, Clement is the player who tries her luck from distance. A few refereeing decisions are baffling both sides. Ipswich get a free-kick inside the Lowestoft half in front of the centre circle the ball is played up into the box, Cooper up from the back gets up to head the ball down into the area, comes to Henry, gets the ball trapped under her feet is closed down before she can get a shot away cleared out to the right Thomas gets onto the ball whips a cross in along the front of goal, comes to Howlett at the far post a yard out puts her header up over the bar onto the roof of the net.
Lowestoft are hit on the counter Ipswich getting players up into their half quickly the ball is rolled out to Small on the right side takes it on up the line, squares the ball into the area with Howlett getting up with play seeing the ball into her feet rolls her marker to take the ball into the area right of goal pulls the trigger, Broghan Scully has covered the ground, throws herself in the path of the shot deflecting it away for a corner.
Half-time Ipswich Town Ladies 1-0 Lowestoft Town Ladies
A busy 1st 45 minutes sees Ipswich with the narrow advantage just as they did in the reverse fixture. Thomas with the goal early in the game, both sides having chances. Saves from both keepers. The ball moving from one attack to the next. Lowestoft getting in behind on a couple of occasions without capitalising. Lowestoft stay out on the field at half-time to work on a few things. Ipswich get the 2nd half underway.
Thomas is a player who likes to get the ball at her feet and run at players does so early 2nd half taking the ball out to the right side looks to jink her way past 4 Lowestoft players as she closes in on the area turning inside as she does so runs out of room the ball closed down gets deflected across the area, Brogan needing to get down to smother it with Clement coming in from the left side.
Small receiving the ball from Howlett in the right dribbles the ball towards the top of the area her cross is cleared out of the area falls to Cooper over the half way line looks to open her body lift the ball back in towards the area is gathered by Brogan in the Lowestoft goal. Moore making ground on the right for Lowestoft is fouled the free-kick to the right outside the area, Moore tries again to place it top corner, same result onto the roof of the net.
Charnelle Riggall brings the ball out from the back for Lowestoft plays it on up the line for Moore ahead of her. Waters comes across to receive the pass, looks to play a 1, 2 with Moore the latter's cross cut out by Welton. Lowestoft are preparing a substitute delay it as they have a corner kick to defend. The ball in from the right is met by Henry near side her touch takes it up towards the D, Fagg is there the ball coming at her at an awkward height tries to get a shot away slices the shot away from goal, takes a touch off a Lowestoft body on the way through another corner given. Comes in deeper this time, Froud clears, the substitution can be made, Selina Rowland who scored 28 goals for Kirkley & Pakefield FC Ladies last season coming on for Davies in midfield.
The referee continues to bemuse both benches not agreeing with some of the decisions being made. Ipswich have a free-kick some 45 yards out from goal the ball is sent up towards the D, Thomas inside it gets up well to head the ball down into the area, skips up off the grass into Brogan's gloves before anyone can pounce on it.
Froud getting forwards to clear the ball ends up sending a great pass forwards for Waters to run in behind the Ipswich defence on the right turning towards the area look to drill a cross into the six yard box, is cut out by Cooper rolls back to Waters has another go looking to roll it onto the penalty spot, Cooper gets to it again but only succeeds in pushing it out off the area towards Rowland rushing in connects with the ball a rising shot the ball is blocked by the Ipswich defence appeals for handball, nothing given.
A free-kick for Ipswich inside the Lowestoft half, Harrison plays it up into the area picking out her centre back partner, Cooper, gets up to head the ball knocking it down can't direct it on target runs wide for the goal kick. Ipswich make a change with Georgie Morton coming on for Clement. Bringing the ball on in midfield for Lowestoft, Rowland passes the ball out to Moore on the right pushing out fires a cross with plenty of pace behind it into the box runs across the six yard box cleared out of the area, Durrant wins the race with Beth Welton to get to the ball 1st blasts a shot back in flies across the area wide at the far post.
GOAL! The game is stretched Ipswich get the ball into Fagg in the middle is played out to Small on the right linking up with Howlett getting ahead of her on the wing. Taking the ball inside as she closes in on the byline Howlett unleashes a shot from an acute angle the ball flying over Brogan kisses the crossbar and drops down into the six yard box, Thomas having burst forwards from the middle is their unmarked to get her head down to nod the ball into the empty net 2-0.
Lowestoft go forwards from the restart the ball into Riggall played on for Moore up the right plays it inside to Hall outside the ox looks to curl a shot in, comes in too close to Kodova the keeper gathering the ball into her body. That's Hall's last action of the game as she is substituted, Lowestoft bringing on ex-Colchester Town Ladies player, Megan Bamber. She takes up position on the left with Durrant moving into the middle to support Waters.
More joy down the right wing brings Ipswich a corner the ball whipped in near post is helped on by Cooper into the middle, Everson clears behind for a 2nd corner. A poor on is cleared at the near post however Thomas gets back on the ball regains possession looks to curl a shot in skims the top of the crossbar as it goes over. Another substitution for Ipswich Jacqueline Ball comes on replacing Beth Welton. Scully gets the ball up through the middle into Waters peeling away to the right takes the ball into the area tries to place her shot around the keeper, Kodova down quickly makes a comfortable save.
Pushing on down the right Small rolls the ball inside for Henry who turns and shoots from outside the box, the ball racing wide of the near post. Pressure from Ipswich as the game moves into the final 5 minutes, Henry helps the ball on into the box from the right side dropping down in the six yard box, Brogan is under pressure from Morton, the substitute lifting a boot hooks the ball away from the keeper the ball in air Morton ends up on the ground as the keeper claims it then boots the ball long out of her area, more than one Ipswich player is appealing for a penalty.
GOAL! Lowestoft play on the ball cleared up to the right side into the final 3rd is with Moore on the touchline lifts the ball inside towards the top of the area, Durrant is there connects with the ball getting her foot under the ball to whip it up and over the keeper into the back of the net to set up a tense finish to the Suffolk derby 2-1.
Ipswich make a 3rd change Jennifer Gray replacing Small. Lowestoft press looking for another goal, the ball into Rowland holds it up back to goal before releasing Moore on the right her cross is deflected behind for a corner kick on the right. The ball is fizzed in with pace towards the top of the area, Froud can't do much with it except play it back to Moore, she is closed down a throw awarded, Rowland offering support down the line wins her side another corner.
GOAL! Little left of the 90 minutes the corner is fired in towards the penalty spot does get much height missing the Ipswich defender in front of her the ball comes at Everson quickly a deflection off her knee, sees the ball run out of the area, sets up Durrant perfectly connects with the ball outside the box her shot arrowing into the top corner, she wheels away in celebration but is quickly swamped by her teammates 2-2.
GOAL! Saw this happen on Sunday and for the 2nd game in a row it happens again no sooner has one side gotten level they go and concede straight away. Ipswich do it to Lowestoft again get up the other end and score a last gaps winner. The ball is with Thomas after the restart taking the ball to the right gets her head down and drives forwards into the box hits the shot on the angle comes at Brogan quickly gets something on the ball but can only parry it across the six yard box, both Gray and Morton are their the latter bundling the ball past the keeper into the back of the net as she is swarmed on by her joyous teammates 3-2.
GOAL! Saw this happen on Sunday and for the 2nd game in a row it happens again no sooner has one side gotten level they go and concede straight away. Ipswich do it to Lowestoft again get up the other end and score a last gaps winner. The ball is with Thomas after the restart taking the ball to the right gets her head down and drives forwards into the box hits the shot on the angle comes at Brogan quickly gets something on the ball but can only parry it across the six yard box, both Gray and Morton are their the latter bundling the ball past the keeper into the back of the net as she is swarmed on by her joyous teammates 3-2.
Little time left for Lowestoft to respond as Ipswich see it out to celebrate what had looked a comfortable win.
Full-time Ipswich Town Ladies 3-2 Lowestoft Town Ladies
Hardly the way Ipswich had expected to pick up the 3 points to move back into the top half of the FAWPL South East Division One table. Looked comfortable for their 2-0 lead, Lowestoft were creating chances but the defence was dealing with it well. If you keep going however the chances will lead to something and with 5 minutes to go Durrant netting twice had got Lowestoft back into the game only for the heartbreak of conceding an injury time winner. A crushing blow for one side, a moment of huge joy for the other.
An entertaining and fast paced game, played in good spirits for a derby good to watch. My thanks to both sides for their help with the team details tonight.
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