Despite a valiant performance against Barclays Women's Championship opposition, ITFC Women’s 2022/23 Vitality Women's FA Cup run came to an end at the AGL Arena this afternoon following a narrow 1-0 defeat to Lewes.

Tractor Girls manager Joe Sheehan made two changes to the side that started last week’s victory at London Bees in the FA WNL Southern Premier Division with skipper Bonnie Horwood returning to the side in place of Eloise King and Lucy O’Brien coming in for Freya Godfrey, with both replaced players named on the bench.

As expected, Lewes started the game with high intensity and pressed Town high in the early stages, with the home side looking to break on the counter.

As the first half wore on, the Blues started to see more of the ball. On 28 minutes O’Brien made a good run from the middle of the pitch only to be bravely tackled as she looked to enter the Lewes box and two minutes later had a good shot from 30 yards out which stung keeper Whitehouse’s gloves.

Immediately afterwards, Sophie Peskett’s cross found Natasha Thomas on the six-yard box with the striker’s header deflected wide for a corner.

Town continued to ramp up the pressure on the visitors with Peskett’s cross on 35 minutes squirming towards the near post and forcing the Lewes keeper into a low save.

The first half ended with the teams all square with Town having weathered the Lewes high press for the first 15 minutes before growing into the game and slightly edging the contest at the break.

Ipswich started brightly in the second half, winning an early corner before breaking on 49 minutes, O’Brien threading the ball through to Thomas in the area with the striker shooting wide from close range.

Town continued to dominate possession, forcing Lewes to deal with several high balls into the box before a break in play on 56 minutes for O’Brien to receive treatment.

On 62 minutes Sheehan made his first changes of the game, a double sub to replace O’Brien and Peskett with Sarah Brasero-Carreira and Freya Godfrey.

The game settled into a more even contest as it progressed before Lewes started to create chances, a free header on 74 minutes going over the bar.

Two minutes later, the Championship side took the lead with Emily Kraft hitting a great shot from distance and the ball taking a slight deflection to squeeze underneath an outstretched Sarah Quantrill and nestle in the back of the net.

With very little to separate the two sides up until that point, it was a real moment of quality from Lewes to put themselves in control of the game in its late stages.

Town did not go down with a fight, however, going on the attack in the 80th minute. A neat pass from Godfrey found Thomas in space on the right and able to make a cross into the box to find Godfrey, whose tame shot went straight to the keeper.

Two minutes later Robertson, who had given an outstanding performance in midfield throughout the match, received a yellow card for an off-the-ball foul.

Shortly afterwards, the Blues made attacking changes with another double sub, Thomas and Horwood making way for Eloise King and Maddie Biggs.

Biggs quickly made an impact, racing forward to a ball over the top of the Lewes defence, only for Sophie Whitehouse to meet her at the edge of the box to make a vital clearance.

Lewes were then able to manage the remainder of the game and restrict Town mostly to their own half until the final whistle.

Despite an earlier than usual exit from the FA Cup, Ipswich can be proud of their performance against an in-form Championship side with very little between the teams beyond Kraft’s excellent strike.

The only complaint manager Sheehan could have is a lack of clinical finishing of the chances created by Town, particularly during their most dominant period at the start of the second half.

The Tractor Girls return to league action next weekend with a visit to promotion rivals Watford on Sunday 5th February.

Town: Quantrill, Boswell, Wearing, Lafayette, Hughes, Horwood (Biggs 83), Robertson, Grey, Peskett (Godfrey 62), O’Brien (Brasero-Carreira 62), Thomas (King 83). Unused: Meollo, Smith, Mitchell, Evans, Barratt. Att: 452.

Photo: Ross Halls

Generic added 09:23 - Jan 30 They're so ready for the Championship. Oxford at home could be a huge game.
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