Match Report - Ipswich Town Ladies v Cambridge WFC

  Has been a long while since I've been to a match in the FAWPL South East Division One. Is my 1st of 2015 in fact. Hasn't been for want of trying have had a few matches lined up but the heavy rain that seemed to arrive more often than not on a Thursday or Friday night meant much to everyone's disappointment pitches were waterlogged come game day.

   Easter Sunday sees me making the trip down into Suffolk to watch Ipswich Town Ladies play Cambridge WFC, a contest between two sides that have had contrasting starts to the year. The reverse fixture was my last women's football match of 2014, back then Ipswich Town Ladies were leading 1-0 going into the last 5 minutes only for Cambridge WFC to 1st level then steal the 3 points with an injury time winner.

   That moved Cambridge WFC onto 18 points in the league well placed in the top half and equalled the points total from the season before. Since then though 2015 has been another story have played 5 league matches and lost all 5, which has seen the club pushed down the table into 8th place. With just 3 league fixtures left the club will be hoping to pick up some much needed points and climb back into the top half of the table.

  Ipswich Town Ladies had been the opposite to Cambridge WFC in the 1st half of the season, were struggling at the wrong end of the table, couldn't buy a win it seemed. 2015 though has seen their fortunes change have started to pick up points had a purple patch in March that has seen them climb away from the bottom of the table move onto 12 points in 9th.

   Both clubs during this period have reached the finals of their respective County Cup's both to be played later this month.

   The venue for todays match the SEH Sports Ground in Ipswich also home to Ipswich Wanderers FC. A decent non league venue that could do with a little TCL good facilities even though the bar was shut. A small seated stand, but plenty of cover for supporters to stand under should it rain. A good sized pitch that looked in pretty good condition bearing in mind how late into the season it is. Was a pleasant day bright and cool dare I say it, spring might finally be here.

   Ipswich Town Ladies starting XI - Laura Bird (GK), Coral Young, Aimee Harrison, Lindsey Smith, Lucy Du Plooy, Danielle Bitten (C), Sam Carson, Amanda Crump, Hollie Clement, Jasmine Cox & Molly Hall.
   subs - Roxanne Small, Ellie Rossiter & Chantelle Keevil.
  
   Cambridge WFC starting XI - Verity Crook (GK), Liv Abbott, Hannah Goodchild (C), Kayleigh-Anne Burt, Becca Fay, Laura Baker, Laura Bright, Emma Jenkins, Laura Mills, Nuala Wayne & Sophie Thompson.
   subs - Faith Hewitt, Becky Russell, Liz Pamplin, Gemma Clark & Hannah Bodily.

  It's Ipswich to get the match under way kitted out in blue shirts and socks with white shorts against Cambridge lined up in their all red away kit. It's notable from the start that Cambridge manager Steve Edwards has put a few players in different positions to what I'm familiar to seeing them operate in with Laura Baker playing deeper joining Laura Bright in the centre of midfield and Emma Jenkins pushed up from right back to right midfield too.

    Both teams start positively looking to get the ball travelling up the pitch as quickly as possible, with both looking to exploit the size of the pitch with Jasmine Cox (left) and Hollie Clement (right) providing passing options for Ipswich on the flanks, Jenkins and Laura Mills the width for Cambridge. It's Jenkins who puts in a diagonal ball looking to play it into the path of Nuala Wayne making a central run, Wayne's 1st touch is too heavy and Ipswich goalkeeper Laura Bird can see it out of play.

   Ipswich have a free kick half way inside the Cambridge half, it's Amanda Crump over the ball sends a low ball in towards the near post area, Cambridge goalkeeper Verity Crook drops forwards to gather the ball, but doesn't claim it, players converge on the loose ball in front of goal after a bit of pinball it's Laura Bright who kicks the ball away from the goal before it can squirm over the line.

    Playing at right back today for Cambridge, Liv Abbott makes a strong run up the pitch plays an early cross into the box, picking out Sophie Thompson in space 12 yards out, taking on the shot she sends the ball wide of goal.

Cambridge WFC's Laura Baker looking to drive forwards with the ball

   Crump is getting plenty of time on the ball for Ipswich looking to come inside and make a central run has Jasmine Cox in front of her, playing her in Cox looks to strike from outside the box, gets no power on the shot gives Crook plenty of time to get herself behind the ball.

  GOAL! Cambridge take the lead, the move starting from in their own half a long ball played out to the right channel, which Thompson chases down, has Wayne coming towards her to offer a pass, playing the ball back to her, Wayne looks to send the ball into the box, is intercepted by the Ipswich defence isn't cleared further enough with Bright the one getting hold of it and bursting into the area peeling to the right of goal head down she puts her foot through the shot sending the ball across Bird and into the back of the net 0-1.

    Ipswich's Hollie Clement is playing off the shoulder of Cambridge left back Becca Fay is prepared to chase the ball down whenever the pass is put out towards her, getting hold of it in the corner, she takes on and skips past Fay, looks to send her cross into striker Molly Hall in space inside the box, her shot is instinctive as she tries to turn the ball towards goal with her 1st touch is off target.

   Cambridge are giving away a few free kicks inside their own half giving Crump the opportunity to play the ball into their area for her team mates to attack, some nervous defending but the visitors eventually get the ball away.

  

Ipswich Town Ladies Danielle Bitten

Ipswich captain Danielle Bitten is always hard to shake off the ball, prepared to travel with it deep into Cambridge territory, she looks to have a strike on goal, the effort is blocked, the rebound comes to Crump who looks to hit it on the volley the ball loops up, dropping towards goal Crook has no one charging in on her and catches the ball. Cambridge make an early substitution with Nuala Wayne leaving the pitch and Gemma Clark coming on.

   Cambridge launch a counter attack the ball brought up the right side of the pitch by Mills she plays it into Thompson her back to goal outside the box she lays it out wide right to Jenkins who sends her shot in towards the near post, Bird has her angles covered as she throws herself forwards to make the low save.

    Bright too is prepared to bring the ball forwards with purpose from the middle is brought down inside the D. Cambridge have a free kick, it's Laura Baker to take, she looks to go for goal, rising the shot goes over the bar. On the right Mills with another driving run looks to send the ball into the box looking for Thompson, Ipswich's Lindsey Smith gets to it 1st putting it behind for a corner. Delivered with pace across the six yard line the ball manages to find it's way through to Gemma Clark on her own at the far post caught by surprise she drags her shot wide of goal.

Gemma Clark with Coral Young

  Closing moments of the half and Bitten gets the ball out to Clement on the right has time and space to put the cross in sends the ball across the area, a nervous moment for Baker as she gets to the ball slices it up into the air is spinning towards goal, however it drops safely into the arms of Crook.

                  Half-time Ipswich Town Ladies 0-1 Cambridge WFC

    A fast paced 1st half with both teams prepared to spread the play has left space to exploit but neither side has gotten anyone in on goal through the centre, crosses on the whole have rarely found there mark.

   Cambridge to kick off the 2nd half. It's the home side who start the half the brighter with Molly Hall sending a shot over the cross bar as the ball is played into her just inside the box, holds it up well, then turns making the space to shoot. Not long after Hall has another go this time the ball played into her from the right 12 yards out she puts the ball straight into Crook's mid riff in the centre of goal.

    Cambridge's Baker brings the ball out of midfield is running into traffic looking for a passing option is going no where when she is fouled 40 yards from goal, taking the free kick she has another go for goal this one just over the crossbar. Ipswich make their 1st change with Hollie Clement coming off to be replaced by Roxanne Small.

   Mills is on the sprint again chasing down another long ball down the right, does well to claim it gets her cross into the box, however it is put behind for a corner. Fired in from the right Thompson rises at the near post manages to head the ball on into the centre, it is cleared by Ipswich, comes back out to Jenkins outside the area she blasts her shot wide.

   The ball continues to be exchanged between the sides as they look to move it forwards quickly, both are lacking that final clinical pass. Cambridge keep giving fouls away to Ipswich presenting Crump with more chances to play a dangerous ball into the box, wide right she sends one in is met by Aimee Harrison up from the back she places her header wide.

   Ipswich are starting to dominate possession are keeping hold of it better are pressurising the Cambridge defence, Small is on the ball on the right in space looking to dribble is closed down and wins her team a corner.

  GOAL! Ipswich get the equalising goal, the corner played in by Crump is a good height it's Harrison up from the back again making the near post run, the ball goes past her but is met by her central defensive partner Lindsey Smith who meets it perfectly with her head to drill the ball home 1-1.

Ipswich Town Ladies Lindsey Smith

   Cambridge respond by making a double change, it's Jenkins and Clarke who are taken off with Faith Hewitt and Becky Russell coming on to take up the wide positions.

   On the attack for Ipswich, Jasmine Cox and Sam Carson link up well 20 yards from goal as good one two before laying the ball back to Bitten racing in to support, she strikes for goal pulls her shot off target.

Aimee Harrison slides in to deny Becky Russell a shot on goal

   Straight away Russell is finding space on the right hand side of the pitch to take advantage of, getting support from Abbott she plays the ball back to her, the right back fires her cross field pass into Baker arriving inside the D, the ball won't come down for a clean volley as she tries to control it does well to direct the ball towards goal but looping up into the air Bird gives a commanding shout as she sets herself to claim the ball as it drops before her.

   Ipswich are applying more pressure on Cambridge when out of nothing a counter is on, Baker getting on the ball threads the pass between the Ipswich centre backs, putting Thompson through on goal, taking the ball into the area looks to send her low shot across Bird, beats her peels away the ball cannons off the bottom of the post and Ipswich get it away.

   Ipswich make a 2nd change with Ellie Rossiter coming on up front for Jasmine Cox with 15 minutes left to play. On the attack with Crump on the ball coming inside fires it into Hall inside the box, strong holding the ball up the striker manages to turn and get a shot away, hasn't any power behind it doesn't trouble Crook.

   A Cambridge free kick on the half way line sees the visitors try  a different approach this time as Fay lays it out to Abbott on her right, she runs forwards and sends her cross invitingly into the box, players are closing her down but again Bird shouts and is 1st to the ball. Into the last 5 minutes and Ipswich put another attacker on the pitch with Chantelle Keevil coming on for Bitten as they look to find a winning goal.

    Both sides defend well in the closing minutes and as the final whistle blows the points are shared as the match ends 1-1. A fair result on the balance of play with both sides enjoying good spells on the ball. Defences were rarely cut apart today.

   Not many games left in the league now Ipswich with just the 1 final match at home to Luton Town Ladies scheduled for next Sunday 12th April 2pm KO.

   Cambridge have 2 league matches left, both good challenges against the leading teams, the 1st next Sunday 12th April away to leaders C&K Basildon Ladies, then at home on Sunday 26th April to Milton Keynes Dons Ladies both a 2pm KO.

   Thanks to both teams managers Ralph Pruden and Steve Edwards for their help with the teams today. Will be seeing both clubs again when they play in their respective County Cup Finals.