The Round-Up
Sunday 17th February
Suffolk Women’s County Cup
Quarter finals weekend for the Suffolk Women’s County Cup competition. Ipswich Town Women with an iron grip of the trophy winning six of the last seven finals. This Sunday also the start of a new era for the club with Carla Dickinson stepping down as head coach in mid-week U21s coach Joe Sheehan to the 1st team mangers role. His first game in charge Ipswich’s home quarter final tie against Suffolk Women’s Division side Brantham Athletic Ladies. A 3 league gap between the sides a big gulf.
Ipswich getting off to a great start their new signings Amy Nash and Georgia Box combining in the opening 5 minutes for Box to open her account for Ipswich. Toni-Anne Wayne doubling the lead on 15 minutes firing the ball home to make it 2-0. Captain Cassie Craddock quickly adding a 3rd to the home sides tally. Paige Wakefield scoring Ipswich’s 4th on 23 minutes Craddock with her 2nd before the half hour. Full back Jac Ball bombing forwards and shooting on the scoresheet to bring up a 6th goal in the 35th minute. Natasha Thomas scoring on the stroke of half-time to see Ipswich leading 7-0 at the break.
Five changes at half-time for Ipswich, Brantham to their credit putting in the hard work keep going, keeping the hosts at bay till the 65th minute with Wakefield scoring her 2nd of the match an overhead kick inside the area. Craddock volleyed in her 3rd to complete a hat-trick. Nash finding the back of net for Ipswich’s 10th and her 1st for the club. Into the last 10 minutes, both Wayne and Thomas adding another goal each with Amanda Crump back with a stunning left foot strike. Box wrapping up a 14-0 result with her 2nd goal in the last minute. Ipswich comfortable into the last 4 once again.
AFC Sudbury Ladies were beaten by Ipswich Town Women in last two County Cup Finals the ERWFL Premier Division side drawn away to Coplestonians Ladies in the quarter finals of this season’s competition. 2 leagues between the sides Sudbury have been struggling for league form the County Cup different as they progress with a comfortable result, Emma Squirrel opening the scoring for the away side, Mia Etheridge doubling the lead, both players going on to score again. 4-0 up Olivia Gunn struck home for her 1st goal of the season to make it 5 with Ellie Mitchell making 1st appearance for the club scoring on her debut. 6 goals and a clean sheet for Sudbury.
The top two in the Suffolk Women’s Division were drawn together in the quarter finals of the County Cup this Sunday with 2nd placed Needham Market Women full of confidence after a fantastic first half of the season at home to East Bergholt United Ladies very strong themselves top of the table with a 100% record. An attacking game from both sides plenty of goalscorers amongst them, a 3-0 lead for Needham Market certainly caused the eyebrows to raise when I saw it on twitter. East Bergholt fought hard to get back into the game and pulled it back to 3-2, Needham Market’s keeper with a late save to deny them a 3rd as Needham Market knock them out of the competition to reach the last 4 of the County Cup in their debut season.
In the other quarter final game in the Suffolk Women’s County Cup two sides were meeting who too were making their debut seasons with Woodbridge Town Ladies at home to Haverhill Rovers Ladies the latter playing over the border in the Cambridgeshire Women’s Championship South leading the table it was a close match between the sides that when all the way to a penalty shootout with the game ending all square at 1-1 heading to a penalty shootout Haverhill the side emerging victorious to reach the semi-finals going through with a 4-2 win.
Suffolk Women’s Division
As well as the County Cup quarter finals there were also two matches taking place in the Suffolk Women’s Division on Sunday. With 3 of the top 4 in the league playing in the competition 3rd placed Alresford Colne Rangers won their 10th game of the season to open up a 5 point gap between themselves and 4th placed Brantham Athletic with a comfortable away win against Chantry Grasshoppers Ladies at the weekend. Alresford having a good spread amongst their goal scorers with most on the scoresheet this season. Were without top scorers Tiffany Reeves and Jo Harvey this Sunday others contributing in their stead Alresford winning 6-1 with six different players celebrating a goal, Leia Rudge, Ellie May Griggs, Lucie Stanbury, Donna Leggett, Laurel Harknett & Abigail Chambers with her 1st of the season. Charlotte Archer scoring the goal for Chantry Grasshoppers.
In the other game played in the Suffolk Women’s Division on Sunday Leiston St Margarets were at home to Walsham Le Willows. A hat-trick for Lucy Eagle taking her onto 19 goals for the season along with a 13th goal of the season for Thalia Cloke seeing Leiston St Margarets win the game for one to climb above Walsham Le Willows into 6th place on the table. Laura Brame and Norma Locker scoring for Walsham Le Willows.