24th September 2023
Report by Grace Gunn.
Cheltenham Town Ladies suffer tough 8-0 defeat on the road against an in-form Ipswich Town Ladies.
The Robinesses found themselves 2-0 at the break after a brace from Natasha Thomas and suffered a quick double inside the opening two minutes following Lenna Gunning-Williams’ and Ruby Doe’s goals.
Ipswich’s Thomas completed her hattrick inside 71 minutes before Sophie Peskett converted their sixth of the match.
The hosts continued to threat after Thomas helped herself to her fourth before Nia Evans slotted in the eighth.
First Half:
Both sides went close in the opening phase, but it was Ipswich who began brighter after winning an early corner, but goalkeeper Aimee Watson (pictured) came out to claim the effort.
Watson was called into action once again after the Ipswich attack tried their luck from range but the number one was equal to it, making a comfortable save.
Moments later, Watson was there again to prevent the opener after Thomas’ shot was caught before the Robinesses broke following Annabel Davies’ through ball, but Daisy Ackerman’s attempt was cut out by keeper Poppy Soper.
The visitors were alert once again as Maisy Collis provided a crucial interception before Ffion Llewellyn sent the ball through to Phoebie Poole, but the linesman signalled offside.
Cheltenham looked to break the deadlock after Poole won a free kick; Courtney Jones laid the ball off to Ackerman who sent in a cross, but the effort drifted just wide.
It was Ipswich’s turn to attack winning a corner, where they broke the deadlock following the recycled ball, allowing Thomas to slot it past Watson.
Ipswich soon doubled their lead again through Thomas after the number seven calmly struck the ball home into the back of the net.
Second Half:
Moments after the second half commenced, the visitors found themselves behind by three after Doe’s header sent Gunning-Williams through on goal, making no mistake in dispatching the effort.
Three became four just seconds later after Doe helped herself to a goal from the edge of the area, making it impossible for Watson.
The Robinesses kept their heads as they looked to reduce the deficit through Ackerman; the number three turned past her defender before striking the ball across the face of goal, but the effort drifted wide.
A first change of the afternoon came for Robinesses as Megan Lewis replaced Davies at the 67-minute mark.
Ipswich’s Thomas completed her hattrick after the number seven broke the reds’ defence, smashing it into the back of the net.
The Robinesses continued to look for their opener as substitute Lewis tried her luck from range but the low driven ball was kept out by Soper
A sixth came moments later this time through Peskett after the forward struck her effort low into the bottom corner.
The in-form Thomas converted their seventh of the match after Summer Hughes slid the goal scorer in, dispatching her shot once again.
An eighth ended the game after Gunning-Williams combined with Evans, who put the ball into the back of an empty net following Watson’s initial save.
Cheltenham: Watson, Owen, Llewellyn, Jones (Finch, 83), Ackerman (J.Taylor, 81), C.Taylor, Buxton, Allen, Collis, Davies (Lewis, 67), Poole
