Women’s FA Cup Fourth Round Huddersfield 1 Ipswich Town 4 Ipswich Town Women’s historic FA Cup run continued yesterday as they upset higher league Huddersfield Town in their own stadium.
Teenage forward Maddie Biggs, 16, netted a superb first senior hat-trick as Town became the first fourt-tier side to reach the last 16 with a 4-1 victory over Huddersfield Town at the John Smith's Stadium.
Biggs' first-half heroics were paired by another goal from Town's top-scorer Natasha Thomas, who netted her 23rd goal of the season. Huddersfield replied through Lucy Sowerby in the early stages of the second-half but the Tractor Girls held firm to make history.
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Town got off to the perfect start as Biggs opened the scoring within two minutes. Blue Wilson's pinpoint long-ball caused an almighty mix-up between the recovering defender and Terriers 'keeper Olivia Clark, allowing the teenage Town forward to slot into an open net unchallenged.
Town began to take control of the early exchanges and Biggs was soon at it again as she doubled the Blues' advantage. After some nice build-up play, Sophie Peskett whipped a dangerous ball into the area and there was Biggs to glance her powerful header beyond Clark.
Huddersfield started to grow into the game but the Tractor Girls were soon three goals to the good after a devastating counter-attack. Abbie Lafayette switched the ball out wide to Peskett, whose inch-perfect cross found the arriving Thomas to turn home from six-yards.
The Terriers managed to carve out a few chances before Town goalkeeper Nikita Runnacles was forced into an incredible one-handed save from Leoni Price's thunderous strike. The Terriers' spell in the ascendancy was to be short lived as the Tractor Girls found a fourth on the stroke of half-time.
It would be a moment to remember for Biggs as she confirmed her hat-trick by racing onto Thomas' excellent delivery before finding the back of the net with a composed finish.
In the secomd half, after the Tractor Girls failed to clear their lines, Sowerby was on hand to smash home the loose ball and provide a glimmer of hope for her side. The hosts were buoyed by the goal and could've had a second shortly after but Runnacles made another outstanding save down to her right to deny Sowerby.
The Terriers would have one final chance in the dying moments but the outstanding Runnacles made another strong save to deny Laura Elford. Then the full-time whistle blew, sending the Town players, staff and fans into raptures.
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