Town were condemned to their first league defeat of the season as ten-player AFC Wimbledon came from behind in the dying moments to secure a 2-1 victory at War Memorial Sports Ground on Sunday.
Eloise King opened the scoring for the Blues after just 3 minutes but after failing to take their chances on numerous occasions, the Tractor Girls were punished by two late goals from Georgia Heasman and Lily Stevens, with the latter at the forefront of the comeback.
Town got off to the perfect start as Amanda Crump played King through on goal and the England U18 international cut inside before curling a deflected effort over the head of Wimbledon goalkeeper Charlotte Ferguson. Play was soon halted just moments later as Ferguson took an almighty whack to the head from a teammate after attempting to smother the ball on the ground. After a near ten-minute delay, Ferguson was passed fit to continue and play was resumed. The first-half then became incredibly scrappy and soon took a bizarre turn on the cusp of the break. After Town were awarded a free-kick just inside the Wimbledon half, Paige Peake was bizarrely booked for pacing out her steps. The decision infuriated the Tractor Girls, with Lucy Egan sin binned as a result.
Town began to take control after the restart but failed to test Ferguson in the opening stages of the half. Soon, the game took yet another bizarre turn as Wimbledon defender Stephanie Mann was shown a straight red card for an alleged kick-out at King. Ipswich looked to take advantage of having an extra player as chances began to stack up. First, Sophie Peskett was denied by Ferguson before Town had perhaps their best chance of the game. Natasha Thomas latched on to a long-ball and forced Ferguson into a terrific save before Maddie Biggs looked certain to bury the rebound, only for the recovering defender to make an outstanding last-ditch challenge.
Chance after chance was falling for Town, with Thomas and Crump both unable to find the back of the net after good deliveries. Soon, Wimbledon started to rally and it wasn't long before they came agonisingly close to levelling after Stevens crashed the crossbar with a thunderous free-kick. Unfortunately, the Tractor Girls didn't adjust to Stevens' set-piece threat and the former Crystal Palace midfielder soon played her part in an unlikely comeback. After she forced Nikita Runnacles into a magnificent save from a stunning free-kick, Heasman was on hand to bury the rebound from six-yards and draw her side level.
However, the controversy wasn't over as Eva Hubbard thought she had restored Town's lead, only for the referee to chalk it off for an alleged foul on Ferguson as Thomas slid the ball into the path of the Ipswich full-back. Finally, the hammer blow was delivered in the sixth minute of added time as the referee decided to revert from his original decision to play on and instead award a free-kick to Wimbledon 40-yards from goal. Stevens stepped up and unleashed an unstoppable strike into the top-corner, sending the Wimbledon players and staff into raptures. The Dons would then hold on for another six minutes of added time before claiming the three points.
The result sees the Tractor Girls' lead at the top of the Women's National League Division One South East Table cut to one point, with the Blues having played one less game than second-placed Wimbledon.
Town return to action next Sunday away to Brantham Athletic in the quarter-finals of the Suffolk FA Women's Cup.
Town: Runnacles (GK), Peake, Cooper, Egan, Wilson, Lafayette, Crump (c), King (Biggs), Peskett, Grey (Hubbard), Thomas.
Unused: Williamson (GK), Rossiter, Wakefield.
Town got off to the perfect start as Amanda Crump played King through on goal and the England U18 international cut inside before curling a deflected effort over the head of Wimbledon goalkeeper Charlotte Ferguson. Play was soon halted just moments later as Ferguson took an almighty whack to the head from a teammate after attempting to smother the ball on the ground. After a near ten-minute delay, Ferguson was passed fit to continue and play was resumed. The first-half then became incredibly scrappy and soon took a bizarre turn on the cusp of the break. After Town were awarded a free-kick just inside the Wimbledon half, Paige Peake was bizarrely booked for pacing out her steps. The decision infuriated the Tractor Girls, with Lucy Egan sin binned as a result.
Town began to take control after the restart but failed to test Ferguson in the opening stages of the half. Soon, the game took yet another bizarre turn as Wimbledon defender Stephanie Mann was shown a straight red card for an alleged kick-out at King. Ipswich looked to take advantage of having an extra player as chances began to stack up. First, Sophie Peskett was denied by Ferguson before Town had perhaps their best chance of the game. Natasha Thomas latched on to a long-ball and forced Ferguson into a terrific save before Maddie Biggs looked certain to bury the rebound, only for the recovering defender to make an outstanding last-ditch challenge.
Chance after chance was falling for Town, with Thomas and Crump both unable to find the back of the net after good deliveries. Soon, Wimbledon started to rally and it wasn't long before they came agonisingly close to levelling after Stevens crashed the crossbar with a thunderous free-kick. Unfortunately, the Tractor Girls didn't adjust to Stevens' set-piece threat and the former Crystal Palace midfielder soon played her part in an unlikely comeback. After she forced Nikita Runnacles into a magnificent save from a stunning free-kick, Heasman was on hand to bury the rebound from six-yards and draw her side level.
However, the controversy wasn't over as Eva Hubbard thought she had restored Town's lead, only for the referee to chalk it off for an alleged foul on Ferguson as Thomas slid the ball into the path of the Ipswich full-back. Finally, the hammer blow was delivered in the sixth minute of added time as the referee decided to revert from his original decision to play on and instead award a free-kick to Wimbledon 40-yards from goal. Stevens stepped up and unleashed an unstoppable strike into the top-corner, sending the Wimbledon players and staff into raptures. The Dons would then hold on for another six minutes of added time before claiming the three points.
The result sees the Tractor Girls' lead at the top of the Women's National League Division One South East Table cut to one point, with the Blues having played one less game than second-placed Wimbledon.
Town return to action next Sunday away to Brantham Athletic in the quarter-finals of the Suffolk FA Women's Cup.
Town: Runnacles (GK), Peake, Cooper, Egan, Wilson, Lafayette, Crump (c), King (Biggs), Peskett, Grey (Hubbard), Thomas.
Unused: Williamson (GK), Rossiter, Wakefield.
