Suffolk FA Women’s Cup Second Round Ipswich Athletic 0 Ipswich Town Ladies Development side 14 Ipswich Town Ladies Development side progressed to the next round of the Suffolk FA Cup with a massive 14-0 thumping of Suffolk league side Ipswich Athletic, writes Liam Young.
This game was a chance for the team to get some goals and a win after a long run without either in the league.
It took a while for Town to break through but when it did the floodgates opened with Jen Purbrook, Emily Steward and Elysia Young helping themselves to hat-tricks as they showed the gulf in class between the teams.
The opening exchanges were frustrating but after Roxanne Middle’s lob from 25 yards opened the scoring after 20 minutes, they never looked back, scoring a further six before half time.
Young scored her first with a thunderous strike before goals from Purbrook and Tayler Cooke made it four.
Purbrook completed her hat-trick with two fine finishes before Grace Bowman stroked home a neat volley from a corner to make it seven at half-time.
And it was more of the same in the second half as the home side toiled.
Emily Steward came off the bench at half-time and cashed in by grabbing herself a 15-minute hat trick before the hour mark.
In between that, Middle scored a second from almost the same position as her first, with another delicious lob.
Then Young become the third player to complete her hat-trick a little later.
Her second came courtesy of a deflected shot past Athletics’ beleaguered keeper before a moment of quality for the third as she spun magnificently at the edge of the box to go through on goal and finish into the corner.
Town continued to create chances and it could be been more but ended with 14 as Bowman helped herself to a second to round off the scoring.
The result was a good confidence booster against limited opposition, but it was the way the team played that is something to be built upon.
They take their place in the hat for the next round but this week they return to league duties with a much tougher challenge away at Wymondham.
Town XI: Clarke (GK), Welton, Upton (c), Gbaja, Thomas, Cooke, Young, Gunn (Steward), Middle, Bowman, Purbrook.
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