The Tractor Girls have lost their first league game of the season at the hands of their promotion rivals Hashtag United who go six points clear at the top.
Town had the first opportunity of the game in the 5th minute as the ball was played back to Lucy O’Brien just inside the box but her effort flew well over the bar.
Town should have made it 1-0 in the 13th minute when O’Brien was played through with just the goalkeeper to beat but her left-footed effort was too weak and it was a comfortable save for the keeper.
O’Brien again with a great chance. She showed great determination to get the ball and it fell nicely for her to run through one-on-one, but a fantastic save from Angel in goal denied her.
The whistle blew, bringing an end to an even first half. Town could have scored two goals but Hashtag looked dangerous when in the final third.
Five minutes into the second half, Town had another great opportunity as Ella Rutherford played through Natasha Thomas, but again, Angel in the Hashtag net pulled off a great save.
11 minutes into the second half, Town were forced into their first change as captain Maria Boswell went down under no challenge. She was stretchered off after a lengthy stoppage and replaced by Megan Wearing.
It was then the turn of Natalia Negri in the Ipswich net to save her team, as a ball broke through to Rowland but she couldn’t get it past Negri.
Hashtag took the lead with just 10 minutes of the game as West hit the ball from 25-yards out and it looped into the back of the net.
So close from Town as they had three bites of the cherry to get the ball in the back of the net but some resolute defending on the line saved the Tags.
The full time whistle blew and that is Town’s first league loss of the season, but Ipswich do still have three games in hand over Hashtag United.
Town Starting XI: Negri, Boswell (C) (Wearing,59), Mitchell, Garrad, Hughes (Watson,84), Robertson (Fisher,84), Doe, Peskett, Rutherford (Guyatt,69), O’Brien (Barker,77), Thomas
Unused subs: Hartley, Bowyer
