Suffolk Women’s FA Cup quarter-final Ipswich Town 7 Bungay Town 1 Ipswich Town Ladies continued their attempt to defend the Suffolk Women’s FA Cup for the fourth successive year with a comfortable 7-1 victory over a spirited Bungay Town Ladies’ at Skyliner Sports Centre in Bury St Edmunds, writes Kieren Standley.
Goals from Jordan Arnoup, Sophie Welton and Miagh Downey, with braces from Amanda Crump and Zoe Cossey, saw the Blues into the semi-finals despite never getting out of second gear.
Town came out of the blocks flying and were in front inside a minute. In stunning fashion, Arnoup unleashed an outstanding thunderbolt free-kick high over the head of Bungay keeper Beth Clarke, from 30 yards out.
Just two minutes later, the Blues had their second with skipper Crump sweeping home from close range, following Jade Henry’s deep cross.
The early dominance continued with Welton next to add to her impressive tally, racing on to a long ball over the top and firing high into the top right corner from just outside the area, for her 14th goal of the season.
Welton would then turn provider as her persistence forced Clarke into an error, with the Town winger able to deliver the ball to the unmarked Crump, who headed unchallenged into an open net, from three yards.
Goal number five would arrive just past the half-hour mark when Jac Ball’s cross-come shot found its way into the path of Cossey, who duly obliged with a composed finish past the helpless Clarke.
The Tractor Girls extended their cushion in the second half as Roxy Small, back in the squad for the first time after nearly five months out with a knee injury, cut the ball the ball back with her first touch and found Downey, who smashed home with power and precision from just inside the six yard box.
The visitors got themselves a consolation after capitalising on some poor defending from Town. Emily Leach found herself unmarked in the area and drilled past the underworked Sian Fagg in the Ipswich goal.
But the rout was capped off when Cossey bagged her second of the game, lifting the ball over Clarke’s head from the edge of the area, after Bungay failed to close down the mercurial winger.
The Tractor Girls’ await either AFC Sudbury, Ipswich Wanderers or Leiston in the semi-final, with the date TBC. The Blues return to league action on Sunday at home to Cambridge United at the Goldstar Ground, Felixstowe, kick-off 2pm.
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