Report | Argyle Women 1 Ipswich Town 3
Argyle Women’s return to league action ended in defeat against Ipswich Town, despite a valiant effort from Ryan Perks’ side, who through Georgie Knott, responded instantly to a Natasha Thomas opener.
Dangerous chances came for both sides across the 90 minutes of action at Coach Road, but goals from Sophie Peskett and Jenna Gunning-Williams secured all three points for the travelling Tractor Girls.
Ipswich were quick out of the blocks as the first half began and experienced forward Thomas was eager to leave an early impression on the Argyle back line. The number 7 raced down the wing, into the 18-yard box, going past the slide of Panagiota Papaioannou in the process, and unleashed a strike on her left foot that flew over the bar.
Minutes later, Thomas faced another opportunity in front of goal, this time thumping Peskett's low cross past the outstretched arms of Lily Felgate, and giving Ipswich the lead.
Fired up by the visitors' breakthrough, the Greens responded swiftly and manoeuvred their way towards the Ipswich half where defender Taya Pomfret picked out the run of Knott in a wide position. Knott charged towards goal under pressure from the Ipswich defender who battled her up to the edge of the area, where Knott's low driven shot caught keeper Laura Hartley by surprise. Under pressure on her line from Charlotte Whitmore, Hartley was unable to latch on to the strike before it crossed the line, and Argyle had parity.
With the scoreline level once more, Argyle continued to create chances on the counter, with the Tractor Girls looking to regain their short-lived lead. As the half approached its end, Ipswich’s Gunning-Williams regained the visitors' lead through a headed effort from close range that beat the dive of Felgate.
Ipswich were eager to solidify their advantage as the second half began, and did so twelve minutes in through Peskett, who scored from a Bonnie Horwood corner that the Argyle defence were unable to clear away from danger.
Argyle continued to search for chances to get back into the match, with Whitmore breaking through on numerous occasions as well as heading a high cross from Pomfret goalwards that was caught by Hartley on the line.
Ipswich went on to strike the woodwork twice through Thomas and Peskett following Argyle's chances, but the Greens reacted well and continued to take the game to the visitors until its very end where midfielder Jemma Rose came close to narrowing the scoreline inside the penalty area, but she was unable to reach Jade Berrow's cross that beat the Ipswich backline.
“Overall, I’m really happy with how we played today," said Perks following his side's narrow defeat.
“In possession, and out of possession, I thought we were superb. Our performance levels across the 90 minutes were equally just as good. We’ve had three or four really good chances and responded incredibly well to their first goal but like our matches against Portsmouth and Hashtag, we’ve come away with nothing in a match that if I’m honest I feel like we should’ve had something from.
“If you compare today to the previous result against Ipswich, we lost 7-1 in a game that we could’ve conceded more. Whereas today we’ve caused them issues and shown how much we’ve developed as a side in a match that is probably the best we’ve ever played against one of the best teams in this league.
"With the way we played today, we can now go into another away fixture full of confidence and hopefully come away with three points against Cardiff.”
Argyle: 42 Lily Felgate, 2 Katie Dickson (20 Fern Orchard), 4 Jemma Rose, 5 Pangiota Papaioannou, 6 Lucy Hack, 7 Charlotte Whitmore, 8 Imy Crawford, 9 Ellie Sara (11 Jade Berrow), 15 Georgie Knott, 18 Taya Pomfret, 29 Mia Endacott.
Photo Credit: Lucy Arscott
