Ipswich Town Women were left frustrated as they lost their second game of the season, 2-1 at Oxford United this afternoon, despite showing determination in the second half.
Oxford had the ball in the back of the net after just four minutes through Barratt but was flagged offside.
The home side then broke the deadlock on the quarter-hour mark, with a stunning goal from midfielder Kate Wiseman, 30 yards out.
After 30 minutes, it looked as though Oxford were the only team likely to get the second goal of the game, as Town struggled to come forward.
But a fantastic through ball from Maria Boswell, on her 50th appearance for the club, fell to Maisy Barker whose pull back into the area was well held by Sercombe in the Oxford goal.
So a quality strike separated the teams at the break, with that goal being the only real sign of magic in the half.
Town had a few half chances through Lenna Gunning-Williams and Sophie Peskett, but were frustrated by the defence, and Oxford also produced few chances.
Town almost levelled it up just after the restart as a corner came in, which Lucy O'Brien got a head to, but it was well saved by Sercombe.
Sercombe kept her side in the lead with another two saves, denying Summer Hughes from range and Gunning-Williams from inside the area.
There were shouts for a Town penalty on 65 minutes, as Gunning-Williams went down under a challenge from Sercombe, but the referee waved all appeals away.
Town's top scorer Natasha Thomas came close to equalising as her shot from the edge of the area flew just over the crossbar.
Then O'Brien won Town a penalty in the 75th minute, which captain Bonnie Horwood stuck in the back of the net, levelling up the score.
Town deserved that goal for their relentless persistence in the second half.
But Oxford retook the lead in the 88th minute, as a ball forward wasn't dealt with by the Town defence, and Zoe Barratt found herself one-on-one against Laura Hartley, who couldn't stop the shot.
Town pressed for the equaliser for the remaining few minutes, but it wasn't enough, and the Tractor Girls fell to their second defeat of the season.
Town Starting XI: Hartley, Boswell, Hughes, Horwood (C) (Evans,85), Thomas, Robertson, O'Brien, Peskett, Gunning-Williams, Wearing, Barker (Evie Williams,61)
Subs: Mitchell, Evans, Doe, Evie Williams, Erin Williams
Attendance: 323
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