Town's hopes of winning the FAWNL Southern Premier Division title are hanging in the balance as relegation threatened Chichester & Selsey held the Tractor Girls to a 1-1 draw at the Goldstar Ground on Sunday.
Despite dominating throughout, Joe Sheehan’s side drop points at home for a second consecutive week against the all-but relegated South Coast side.
Town made two changes from the side that faced Southampton. Maria Boswell replaced Summer Hughes at right back and Kyra Robertson replaced Zoe Barratt - both called up for England duty along with Sarah Brasero-Carreira and Issy Bryant. Silvana Flores and Maddie Biggs were still unavailable. All-time leading goalscorer Natasha Thomas led the line on her 150th appearance for the Blues.
Despite the hosts dominating the early stages, forcing Chichester & Selsey back from kick-off, the visitors stunned the Goldstar Ground by taking the lead. Town struggled to clear a bouncing ball just outside their area, and Chichester’s Ameilia Hammond hit a speculative volleyed shot across goal - the ball taking an unkind bounce in front of Sarah Quantrill as it nestled in the far corner.
The early goal gave the away side something to hold onto, with them sitting back and slowing down the pace of the game as the Tractor Girls enjoyed possessional dominance – but were frustrated in forging meaningful openings. Paige Peake tried to build attacks from the back but in one instance was hampered in doing so by over-zealous refereeing. Her protest for a clear advantage being ignored on 13 mins earned her a yellow card and a ten minute ‘sin bin’.
With the home side starting to pin Chichester & Selsey further back, it became a struggle to find space. Crosses into the box were either off-target or bravely blocked; long shots part way through the half from Eloise King and player of the match Bonnie Horwood were either saved or just wide of goal respectively. The most significant threat came from set pieces, with Abbie Lafayette’s deliveries providing a severe test for the Chichester & Selsey back line. Thomas came closest to a first half equaliser when she headed a Lafayette corner back across goal which was blocked on the line.
The second half continued a similar pattern of Ipswich dominance met by resilient containment and game management. But the Tractor Girls remained patient for their way back into the game. Two efforts in two minutes just after the restart could have given Town an early boost - Peake’s header from another Lafayette corner was narrowly over, before Town’s number eight found herself in space down the left and pinged a cross/shot which clipped the crossbar.
Finally on 77 minutes the visitor’s defence was breached. Lafayette’s persistence in creating openings down the Town left was rewarded as she found Lucy O’Brien in space who looped a header high over Chichester keeper Sadie Blakely and just under the bar and in. There was still time for Town to try and take all three points but as with most of the prior action, the Blues just couldn’t find the match-winning moment. Lucy Egan’s header from a further corner on 89 was probably the closest Town came, with the effort landing on the roof of the net.
Another frustrating afternoon for the Tractor Girls, against opposition motivated to keep their unlikely survival hopes alive, but also to do a favour for south coast neighbours Southampton - leading to some unpleasant exchanges from the sides on full-time. Whilst Town dominated the ball throughout, the limited quality of final ball meant very little work for away keeper Blakely. After such an impressive campaign, the Tractor Girls need to refocus with three games remaining to at least secure 2nd position, whilst hoping another South Coast neighbour in Portsmouth might be even more motivated than Chichester to influence the title race – this time in Town’s favour.
Town: Quantrill, Boswell, Peake, Smith (Egan), Lafayette, Horwood (c), Robertson (Hubbard), King, O'Brien, Grey, Thomas.
Unused: Meollo, A. Jackson
Att: 249
Town made two changes from the side that faced Southampton. Maria Boswell replaced Summer Hughes at right back and Kyra Robertson replaced Zoe Barratt - both called up for England duty along with Sarah Brasero-Carreira and Issy Bryant. Silvana Flores and Maddie Biggs were still unavailable. All-time leading goalscorer Natasha Thomas led the line on her 150th appearance for the Blues.
Despite the hosts dominating the early stages, forcing Chichester & Selsey back from kick-off, the visitors stunned the Goldstar Ground by taking the lead. Town struggled to clear a bouncing ball just outside their area, and Chichester’s Ameilia Hammond hit a speculative volleyed shot across goal - the ball taking an unkind bounce in front of Sarah Quantrill as it nestled in the far corner.
The early goal gave the away side something to hold onto, with them sitting back and slowing down the pace of the game as the Tractor Girls enjoyed possessional dominance – but were frustrated in forging meaningful openings. Paige Peake tried to build attacks from the back but in one instance was hampered in doing so by over-zealous refereeing. Her protest for a clear advantage being ignored on 13 mins earned her a yellow card and a ten minute ‘sin bin’.
With the home side starting to pin Chichester & Selsey further back, it became a struggle to find space. Crosses into the box were either off-target or bravely blocked; long shots part way through the half from Eloise King and player of the match Bonnie Horwood were either saved or just wide of goal respectively. The most significant threat came from set pieces, with Abbie Lafayette’s deliveries providing a severe test for the Chichester & Selsey back line. Thomas came closest to a first half equaliser when she headed a Lafayette corner back across goal which was blocked on the line.
The second half continued a similar pattern of Ipswich dominance met by resilient containment and game management. But the Tractor Girls remained patient for their way back into the game. Two efforts in two minutes just after the restart could have given Town an early boost - Peake’s header from another Lafayette corner was narrowly over, before Town’s number eight found herself in space down the left and pinged a cross/shot which clipped the crossbar.
Finally on 77 minutes the visitor’s defence was breached. Lafayette’s persistence in creating openings down the Town left was rewarded as she found Lucy O’Brien in space who looped a header high over Chichester keeper Sadie Blakely and just under the bar and in. There was still time for Town to try and take all three points but as with most of the prior action, the Blues just couldn’t find the match-winning moment. Lucy Egan’s header from a further corner on 89 was probably the closest Town came, with the effort landing on the roof of the net.
Another frustrating afternoon for the Tractor Girls, against opposition motivated to keep their unlikely survival hopes alive, but also to do a favour for south coast neighbours Southampton - leading to some unpleasant exchanges from the sides on full-time. Whilst Town dominated the ball throughout, the limited quality of final ball meant very little work for away keeper Blakely. After such an impressive campaign, the Tractor Girls need to refocus with three games remaining to at least secure 2nd position, whilst hoping another South Coast neighbour in Portsmouth might be even more motivated than Chichester to influence the title race – this time in Town’s favour.
Town: Quantrill, Boswell, Peake, Smith (Egan), Lafayette, Horwood (c), Robertson (Hubbard), King, O'Brien, Grey, Thomas.
Unused: Meollo, A. Jackson
Att: 249
