EH CupFourth RoundSevenoaks 1 Ipswich 6A STRONG-looking Ipswich Under-18 girls squad travelled to Kent for their fourth round match in the National Cup on Sunday.

EH Cup

Fourth Round

Sevenoaks 1 Ipswich 6

A STRONG-looking Ipswich Under-18 girls squad travelled to Kent for their fourth round match in the National Cup on Sunday.

Although all matches in Sevenoaks had been cancelled the previous day following snow, the match went ahead at the very impressive nearby facility of Tonbridge School.

The predicted overnight frost had stayed away and the match was played in perfect weather conditions, but on a slightly bumpy pitch.

Ipswich got off to an excellent start. Sevenoaks were under constant pressure, with Ipswich forcing a series of short corners. Good goalkeeping and the bar kept Ipswich out, the latter denying a lifted Chloe Hunnable rebound effort.

The visitors finally broke the deadlock in the seventh minute when Hunnable found the net, following in from another short corner rebound.

Buoyed by the early goal, and with Alex Paske marshalling the middle of the pitch, Ipswich continued to force the pace and were rewarded with a second after 15 minutes when Charlotte McWhirter scoring with a reverse stick shot at close quarters.

Shortly after the second goal, Ipswich could have been upset in their method of play when captain Alex Paske had to leave the pitch with a back injury. With only one substitute, following the late withdrawal of two players from the squad, Ipswich's girls knew they would be playing without a rest for the remaining 55 minutes.

Annabel Driver took over the role of centre midfield and continued the good work of the injured Paske, feeding constant attacks through the inside forwards.

Following a number of close chances at the Sevenoaks end, Ipswich were awarded a penalty flick when a goal-bound shot hit a defender's arm. Annabel Driver made no mistake with a strong flick into the bottom corner and a 3-0 lead at half-time was assured.

After the break, Sevenoaks returned to the pitch with a new resolve and purpose. The Ipswich defence, with the impressive Kate Watson and Beth Scott at its heart, played exceptionally well as a unit, but were left with no chance when a strong short corner strike from Sophie Crossly found the Ipswich goal.

The response from the Ipswich girls was immediate and decisive, with a barrage of fast-flowing attacks launched by Millie McWhirter, her sister Charlotte, Anna Sherring and Chloe Hunnable.

A second goal for Hunnable, an excellent reverse-stick shot, was followed by the fifth goal for Ipswich when a strike from Anna Sherring beat the busy Sevenoaks goalkeeper.

Ipswich added one further goal when Chloe Hunnable completed her hat-trick to make the final score 6-1.

The Ipswich squad had put in a superb performance across the whole pitch and can look forward to the draw for the quarter-finals later this week.

Squad: Jade Daly, Hannah Brooks, Kate Watson, Beth Scott, Rebecca Christie, Annabel Driver, Alex Paske, Anna Sherring, Millie McWhirter, Chloe Hunnable, Charlotte McWhirter, Sumtiha Bose.

Scorers: C Hunnable (3), A Driver, A Sherring, C McWhriter.