Ipswich 3 St Albans 2

Women's Conference League

Ipswich 3 St Albans 2

IPSWICH stretched their unbeaten run to eight games, with a 3-2 defeat of St Albans. The win sees Ipswich remain at the top of the table and keep their title ambitions on track.

The home side started very well pressurising their opponents and creating several half chances in front of goal. St Albans though defended well and Ipswich could not find a way through. Some good play by Ipswich's strikers should have led to the opening goal but the visitors' keeper pulled off some good saves and the teams entered half time with the scores locked at 0-0 Ipswich coach, James Kingstone, used the break to remind his side of the tactics and also of the fact that with their good play a goal would come. Buoyed by his words Ipswich started with renewed vigour and sure enough one minute after the re-start Mille McWhirter scored her fourth goal of the season with a clever flick over the St Albans keeper.

Ipswich were now playing some fantastic team hockey and St Albans were mere bystanders at times as the home side carved them open. In the 56th minute Ipswich extended their lead to 2-0, with Chloe Hunnable deflecting the ball in off a super strike by Vanessa Roberts.

Two minutes later Ipswich went three goals up, thanks to a brilliant diving deflection by Anni Broster that left St Albans shell shocked.

Ipswich sensed more goals and pushed forward but some basic errors by the home side, all over the pitch, saw St Albans breach the Ipswich defence in the 60th minute.

Disappointed by their lapse the home side looked to take control of the game once more but it was the visitors that finished on a high point, scoring their second goal from a short corner on the 69th minute. The final score flattered the visitors after Ipswich had dominated the game.

Ipswich's next game is away on Sunday against second placed Harleston.