Tractor Girls Talk: Rounding up an historic win after three game week

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0:38Ross Halls:Hello everybody, it's me Roscoe and welcome to the latest episode of the Kings of Anglia Track the Girls Talk podcast, the show where we cover all things Itridge Town Women. I'm joined by my co-host as standard in Tom Cannes and last time we recorded an episode there's been three games. So we've got a three-game week to discuss, a draw and a feat in a cup, but a big historic win on the weekend against Portsmouth. The men got a win against Pompey and the women's team had done the same. So we've got a lot of things to talk about, but Tom, first of all, how are you? I'm very well, very well, thank you.

1:15Yeah, happy that it's back and to have a three-game week has been a big change. But yeah, I'm all good. Thank you. How are you?

1:26Ross Halls:I'm good, my friend. Yeah, it's been a lot of games, a lot of things to cover, but we refer when there's loads of games. Although in the women's calendar, three game weeks are very rare. In the men's fixtures, that happens most months. But yeah, three games to cover, two in the league, one in the cup. We're going to cover Portsmouth as the main game in this podcast, but we are of course got to mention the Charlton game, Tom, because that was a historic point away at the Valley. A goalless draw against the Attics, who are a pretty good team in this division, a solid established WSL2 side. Overall thoughts on that one because a clean sheet, which is great, but also the first point.

2:09Yeah. They worked really hard for the point. I think they went into the game Charlton were top and Ipswich were bottom but I think if you watched it you wouldn't have thought that I think Ipswich matched them really well and actually had a few chances to take the lead and as you say it was their first point in this division good to get on the board and keep a clean sheet as well which I'm sure will have done And the defence and Natalia Negri, the world are good. And Ipswich are the only team so far to take points from Charlton. They've won their three other games. So they're a really good side.

2:59So I definitely think that Joe Sheehan and his side can be really, really proud of that.

3:05Ross Halls:Yeah, very much so. And as I said, they're an established side in this division. So getting a point away from home is incredible. and you sort of jokingly sort of say, when, you know, if you get a point away from home, you just, I wouldn't have, you know, left the bus, as Mick McCarthy used to say. But yeah, really good point. And it's a good challenge for Joshi's side, which took them into a three-game week. They knew it was going to be a busy week. Thankfully, the other two games are at home, but they go all the way to the Valley, you know, stadium game, which just brings it extra, doesn't it?

3:37Ross Halls:Which is really good. But any other business from that game, Tom? anything that else stands out, changes-wise and stuff like that? Joe made a few changes. Yeah, I'll be honest, I can't remember too far back because we have had two games since then. And there has been a lot of changes in the teams for those two games. But I think the notable absences was Kyra Robertson and Lucy O 'Brien, who had both started the previous two games. they were both out injured and Joe having to test the makeshift midfield which has now played together twice in the league will come on to them against Portsmouth in a bit but Bethan Rowe and Liam Mitchell, two fullbacks having to play a midfield and they do not look out of place at all in centre mid so he had to do that, he had to make those changes but But, yeah, they really stepped up and did a really good job in the midfield.

4:41Ross Halls:Yeah, and obviously Beth Monroe, formerly Old Charlton Athletic as well. So going up against a former team-mates in the team. And, yeah, she's been pretty solid. And she actually got a play of the match for the Portsmouth game, which we'll get on to very shortly. But we'll segue quickly now on to Leicester, who are a WSL side in the Subway League Cup, the first time we ever played in that competition, back at Colchester. A 5-1 defeat for Joe Sheeran's side. But, Tom, they took the lead. But also, there was a lot of changes in this game. And there was a young midfielder who impressed, which we'll have a little segment on her very shortly.

5:17Ross Halls:But let's just talk about the game as a whole. You know, Ruby Seabee scored the goal starting in this game as well. Scored the first goal of the season for the Tracta girls to make it 1-0. But then, unfortunately, Leicester got back and went on score five goals. But, yeah, overview of the game? Yeah, I mean, the differences between first half and second half was clear as day. I thought they played really well in the first half. You know, the goal that Ruby Seabee scored, that was brilliantly worked. I can't quite remember. I think it might have been Jenna Deer who who volleyed the ball over the defence and, you know, Ruby ran onto it and finished really calmly into the bottom right corner from, you know, one on one from a fair distance.

6:07I can't remember how far, but yeah, it's really good. And obviously they tried to hold their own. I think they scored in the 39th minute or something like that. And then, unfortunately, they couldn't see out the first half, which would have done them the world of good to go in 1-0 up. But, yeah, they conceded just before the break. And going in 1-0, you know, Ipswich had matched a WSL side. You know, I know that they're struggling a little bit, but they are still an established top-tier team. And then, unfortunately, I think it was a minute into the second half, Leicester took the lead. and it sort of just snowballed from there really.

6:50But, I mean, there were lots of positives to take from it. And again, it was a really good test. Never played in this division before and they don't often come up against women's Super League sides. So it was a good test to see how they're faring. And as I say, they matched them in the first half really comfortably, I thought.

7:15Ross Halls:Yeah, very much so. And, yeah, obviously a lot of young players starting this game. Obviously, Medill Earl was on the left, who, you know, she's on loan from Arsenal and wasn't able to stand out in this game. But KCJ Bonwick was a little midfield. What nickname should we give her? Because she's very small, but she just battles and really goes for it. So, and she really stood out in this game, my friend. Yeah, yeah. I don't know how tall she is, but she just throws herself into every tackle going. I mean, I thought she was brilliant. Really, really good against Leicester. Again, a WSL side who have an awful lot of physicality and experience in their teams.

8:03And they come up against an 18-year-old who only signed her first professional contract in the summer. Played one, two games last season from the bench. scored a brilliant goal against Cheltenham on her debut. But, yeah, she started in the midfield and honestly, she looked like she had been playing there all season so far and, you know, just knew what to do. Really confident on the ball, got stuck into every tackle. You know, she was the standout young player, but, I mean, there were so many on that pitch that were having a great game. Maddie Earl was really good down that left winger. Joe Sheehan said yesterday, after the Portsmouth game, that she would have started yesterday as well, had it not been for illness overnight.

8:51Ruby Seabee obviously scored. She's also only 18. So, yeah, a lot of young talent on display, which is really good for the future. You know, keep bringing through these young players. Obviously, Leah Mitchell came through. She's still very young, doing really well. Megan Waring is another one. Summer Hughes also had a really good game and now you've got KCJ Bonwick as well so yeah this youth talent at Ipswich Town Women just seems to keep every year they just bring out one or two little starlets so I'm sure we'll see much more of Bonwick in the future as we will the other players certainly making appearances throughout the season but yeah really really impressive

9:41Ross Halls:Yeah very much and so indeed and I remember when she was part of the new intake, this is years ago now, I think it's three or four years ago and I remember sort of asking Joe who's sort of the ones to look out for and I remember him saying Katie and she got an injury unfortunately and she was out for a period but yeah the last year she sort of broke into the team which has been great to see and yeah let's see what else is the store for her still young, you know, but great to see her make an impact in that game. But now, the main event for this podcast is the Portsmouth game, Tom, because, yeah, historic first win for the Tractor girls.

10:20Ross Halls:We're going to hear from Joe Sheehan, first of all, before we break it down, talk about the big talking points in the game, because there was a few. Let's hear from the gaffer, Joe Sheehan, on the win. Let's see what you have to say. Joe, that was an intense Sunday afternoon. Yeah, you described that very well It's always going to be that I think two teams down the lower end of the table And a few games in We're actually looking for our first win Of the campaign, they picked theirs up last week They've always been a tough team To play against, they create a lot of chaos Direct team, good in transition We've got some really good players That can cause some problems So yeah, it was an exciting affair And one that I'm just so pleased to come out on top of Yeah, how important is it to come away with three points in a game like that where you know there's so much character From your team's display they're really dug in and really really ground out that result Yeah, a lot of character because Yeah, I think we said to the group I think to get your first in most things is always the most difficult thing to do So to get our first win In the circumstances, we had a small squad last week at Charlton and battled through showed terrific character who played midweek, which wasn't ideal, but got some good outcomes on that.

11:35And, yeah, we actually lost Maddio overnight to illness, which was a shame because she was starting today. She's been great. So we've had to rejig a couple of things around at real late notice as well. So for us to consider all of those things and even to go behind and come back to win for our first win this season is terrific.

11:55Ross Halls:There we go, Joe Sheer, Nitro's town manager. A shout-out to Connor Bennett from the BBC, who sort of leads the interview when we chat to Joe. Basically takes all of Tom's questions. But, yeah, Connor Bennett's the voice, asking Joe's shearing questions there. But, yeah, Tom, one thing, actually, before we get into the Portsmouth game, I've just remembered we've got to give a shout-out to two returning players from injury. Obviously, Charlotte Fleming is the big one, who has been out for pretty much a year with her second ACL injury of her career. she came off the bench against Leicester and also Shauna Guy who's also been out injured I think for about six months so that's another big boost for Joe in terms of options but two players it's always not good to see players out injured but yeah, great to see them back Yeah really good to see them back as you say, it has been nearly a year since Charlotte Fleming last played for Ipswich I think it was hashtag in October, November time last year.

12:57So, yeah, really, really good that she's back. She's worked really hard to get herself back and ready to be playing. She also came on against Portsmouth for the final few minutes, which is really good, you know, in an intense game like that. And Sean O 'Gar as well has obviously been out for four or five months herself. And obviously she played some minutes against Leicester as well. So it's just really important to get some minutes into those players. And I'm sure that they've been raring to get back out there pretty much as soon as their injury happens. So I'm sure both of them are delighted that, you know, they're moments away from, you know, potentially making starts and helping the team out.

13:46Ross Halls:Yeah, it's good competition for the squad. And yeah, definitely midfield. We're starting to be performing and you've got loads of players trying to get in that position, especially with players who are not actually naturally setting midfielders in terms of Liam Mitchell and Beth and Roe, as you mentioned earlier. But yeah, they obviously started in this game, Tom. And Portsmouth are a team we know very much about. They've made obviously a lot of new signings since they've gone up to the second tier. But we battled in the third tier. And yeah, it was a feisty game, very big battle. Portsmouth always want to make sure, cause of chaos and everything like that.

14:22Ross Halls:It was a bit of a stop-start first couple of minutes because there was an injury for Portsmouth. Their forward came off. And then, yeah, how do you sort of reflect on that opening sort of 10 minutes? Hectic. The ball was very rarely being passed around sideways. It was, you know, one end. It was like watching a basketball match at times. You know, just one team was attacking, the other team defending and then vice versa. It was fast. It was hectic. Both teams obviously wanted to get off to a really good start and try and get a goal early doors. But they were cancelling each other out really well.

15:07Obviously, the stopping and starting didn't help. It happened a fair amount in that first 10 minutes, 10, 15 minutes. it didn't really stop throughout the entire game if I'm honest but in the first 15 minutes when you want the game to flow it wasn't really flowing but Ipswich I think were the better side they were creating the better of the chances and Sophie Peskitt who will come on too because she had a fantastic game she got on the ball an awful lot more and ran at her markers she wasn't playing in her favoured position on the right wing. She was moved out to the left and her and Summer Hughes did really well up against Izzy Collins, whose name sticks in my head for the bad reasons.

16:02But yeah, a hectic start and thankfully Ipswich were the team that took the lead.

16:08Ross Halls:Yeah, very much so. You know when a team are dominating is when I look at my pictures and now I've got a lot of it to attack. That's why I know the town team are on top because I've got so many pictures of certain players. It was Ruby Seabee. I was on the right-hand side of the goal, so I got a lot of Ruby Seabee when she had the ball. That town dominance, Tom, was what town needed because they went on to take the lead in the 22nd minute. A first goal for Rihanna Dean. When I look at her career stats, she's pretty prolific. She's got a good goal ratio. But it's good for her to get off the mark in the Italy's town shirt with a head up.

16:49Yeah, definitely. I think in previous games, she's looked a little bit like she's just chasing after the ball, which is expected because you're coming up against teams that are dominating Ipswich. So she was obviously tasked with pressing their defence. And that's predominantly been her role since the season started. But in this game, you saw a lot more of her getting on the ball and bringing others into play. I mean, they worked it really well, the first goal. I think she was involved in the build-up as well. Her, Summer Hughes and Sophie Peskett were playing the ball around really nicely in little triangles between themselves.

17:30And then obviously it goes out to Peskett, who's got a lot of space. you know that she's going to try and cut in on her right and deliver a ball in or have a shot. She delivered a ball in and it was perfectly weighted for Rhianna Dean to flick on and direct it into the far corner. And I'm sure that she loved it as well, former Southampton striker. So I'm sure not only was it great for her to get off to, you know, get her season off with a goal, But to score against Portsmouth, I'm sure she really enjoyed that.

18:07Ross Halls:Yeah, very much so. Although one negative from that goal was her celebration. She sort of celebrated the wrong way, in a way. It's got a nice sort of celebration, but she was facing the wrong way for us photographers. But, you know, good to see her off the mark. And another thing that's sort of takeaway from her as a player, I don't know if you've noticed that she's got like a bigger shirt than what it needs to be, if you know what I mean. It's like really long on her. I don't know if she prefers that. that's a question we can ask her if we get an opportunity to speak to her because every time i look at her pictures and you look at rihanna dean her shirt is like just too big um but some players like that it's like jack clark with a men's team he's got massive shorts bigger than what he needs to so um that's just my one takeaway about rihanna dean but yeah great to see uh off the mark um but then ports have got back in the game and they were showing signs weren't they tom where they were like, you know, like any team, when you go one behind, you sort of want to get back in the game.

19:03Ross Halls:And they were showing signs. And annoyingly, they scored just before half-time, which is never a good time to concede. And they did equalise, my friend. Yeah. I mean, it was an inspired change from their manager to bring on Angelina Nixon, because as soon as she came on, she was on the ball. She, you know, just pretty much she just wanted to shoot. and she did give a little warning shot two minutes before she actually scored where she shot from range. And I think it flew just over the bar. But that would have been a spectacular goal. And then two minutes later, she cuts inside and does the exact same thing.

19:43But this time, I mean, it's just to get it under the bar. And it is a great finish. It's right in the top corner. But, yeah, you don't want to be conceding just before halftime. I think it was probably something like the 48th minute with five minutes added on in that first half due to, you know, all the stoppages and injuries and things like that. So, yeah, a tough time for them to score. I'm sure it changed what Joe was going to say at halftime. But, yeah, you don't want to go in to the break one all, but a really good goal.

20:19Ross Halls:Yeah, it was an interesting sub. but from what I was looking at, the plan was like, she was limping. So maybe it wasn't an injury. But yeah, two subs from Portsmouth in that first half. So that changed a lot of things for their team talk at the start of the game. But yeah, 1-1, half-time. Then second half, Tom, which was just crazy. A lot of things happened. I fell the first 10 minutes. I actually did a different thing this time around. If there's a few people who are listening and were watching me, I actually stayed a ports of attack, which is controversial as an itchurch town photographer. But I wanted to get some pictures of Nat Negri in goal and some of the defenders, because when you're under the pitch, you don't get a really good up close picture of a goalkeeper.

21:06Ross Halls:So for the first 10 minutes, that was what I was planning to do. In the end, I stayed there until Page Peake's penalty, because there was just so much things going on. But yeah, anything, enough about me, Tom. But yeah, there's a lot of controversial stuff happening because the ref lost his mind. Where do you want to start? The first sort of talking point from him, because honestly, a lot of other cards, especially in that first half. So he started in the first half, but the second half, theory of me. Yeah. Controversial, I'll say that. It was five minutes of just no one really understood what was going on.

21:49it started when the ball was high in the air and Peskitt was going to go for a header. And two Portsmouth players who weren't going for the ball basically just decided to sandwich her. So Peskitt fell down on the floor right in front of Joe. Ipswich Town staff absolutely up in arms. It should have been a foul. Clear as day. I've seen it back. I don't know how it wasn't that then led to one of their players taking the ball on the left wing and Maria Boswell coming in absolutely wiping out one of their players very fair foul well it was a foul not a fair foul she got a yellow card rightly so but they shouldn't have had that opportunity it should have been an Ipswich free kick and this happened half a minute before um and then obviously they get that free kick in swing it um i think someone mentioned i think it might have been joe mentioned that there was a foul in the in the area um i can't remember that but um obviously the ball then goes out to one of their players who smashes it in it was a great goal um nothing really you know negri could do about it but it that shouldn't have happened um and then straight from the kickoff.

23:14Ipswich pump it long. Jenna Deer gets her head on it. Plays it out to Peskett, who's in so much space. Runs down the right wing. Crosses the ball in, but at the same time as she's crossing it, gets absolutely wiped out by a terrible tackle from Collins, which is one of the reasons she sticks in my head. It lands at Natasha Thomas, who then heads the ball in the back of the net and the referee blows his whistle just as that happens in the ground, it sounds like the whistle goes just as Tash heads it. I've watched it back. The whistle actually goes when the ball hits the back of the net. So the ball had to cross the line by the time the referee had blew his whistle.

24:01So he did make the right decision. But he caused absolute mayhem, confusion, anger, because Ipswich staff were up in arms that they've just scored, but the referee had blown up, didn't play the advantage for some reason. And then you've got the Portsmouth staff who are absolutely raging because the referee had blown his whistle, apparently before the ball had gone in the back of the net. he then gives the goal uh even though he's blown his whistle which i think the portsmouth players are claiming that you know they heard the whistle they stopped playing that i think is absolute rubbish um because i have seen it back the goalkeeper makes a you know makes an attempt to save it one of their defenders jumps to try and head the ball away uh doesn't reach it so they definitely didn't stop playing um but it it just caused so much confusion uh between everybody um lauren phillips the assistant manager for ipsa she gets a yellow card portsmouth manager gets a yellow card um bizarrely i don't think collins gets a yellow card uh which i don't understand because it was an awful tackle i don't know how she stayed on the pitch if i'm honest because she also gave away the penalty by just clattering peskit that's also a yellow card so she should have really had two or three yellow cards in that game and somehow managed to see the game out but yeah absolute madness um no one quite knew what was going on but um it's a good thing that he gave the goal because i think ipswich would have been really really aggrieved um if if it had been ruled out because it was a fantastic cross really good head from tash it's her first goal at this level as well which is really great for her to get off um you know get that first goal um and yeah it's it was just absolute madness we were all so confused in the in the press area we had a couple of portsmouth staff sitting um you know just just to the side of us and they were really confused we were all confused um it was five minutes of just absolute madness and then that obviously heightens everyone's emotions quite a bit Portsmouth players feel aggrieved Ipswich players feel like they can go on and win it Portsmouth staff feel angry uh Ipswich staff probably felt a little bit angry as well because it was an awful challenge um so yeah it was just it was just madness

26:46Ross Halls:yeah that that five minute ten minute period was crazy as you mentioned you know Portman's going to score then we equalised straight away I hadn't really got myself prepared for issues of town to equalise so quickly because I was just getting you know despite our town just conceded as I said I was in a different position to what I normally am so I was not in a good view for it so I didn't really know what was going on really until it was after the game where I obviously caught up with you and sort of got a bit more insight on it. But, yeah, incredible stuff. And, yeah, just... Cash will be happy, though, because she's got the goal.

27:22Ross Halls:She would have been the most annoyed on the pitch, because, yeah, she's now scored a fourth tier, the third tier, now a second tier of women's football for Richardstown women. So, great to see. But, yeah, Tom, we're going to hear from Joe now on the ref and just all the incidents because he was asked that question. Let's see what he had to say about it. Yeah, it gets, you know, It gets a bit spicy, doesn't it, in games. Both teams desperately trying to out-fight one another. And, yeah, I think we didn't start both halves particularly great, but had some reasonably good moments. I think that they leered up to their second goal.

28:02I was disappointed with them because I thought it was a real clear and obvious foul, and so did Peskitt and Midland-Pox. It resulted in equaliser. We've obviously had our own moment at the other end. that Portsmouth would argue a little bit of controversy around the cross. But again, a terrible foul on her from the left-back in the lead-up to Tash's header. And an awful foul on her again for the penalty. So I guess the game was full of controversy in different moments from different things that went on. But I think the important part is how you respond to those. And that's key. And that's where I think the game was probably won today by how we responded to the controversial moments that we would argue should have gone in our favour.

28:49Better than Portsmouth responded to the controversial moments that they felt went against them.

28:56Ross Halls:That's a good point, Tom, as I unmute my mic. Aperture hour from me. But yeah, what Joe said, how they responded, Itrish Town, because, yeah, it was getting very feisty. and we got that equaliser and the game was sort of open now for one team to get the win. And yeah, it was literally Townsend who got a penalty and that's when you may have seen me if you were in that sort of area where the fans were, just me like quickly rushing to get to that end of the pitch because obviously I needed to get the page peak penalty either way. But she obviously stepped up and as she normally does buries it uh to make it free too my friend yeah um she's taken a couple of set pieces so far this season that that probably haven't gone where where she likes but um now former southampton player wanted to step up and take this one as well so two former southampton players score against portsmouth which i'm sure the saints fans will enjoy as well um yeah steps up and you know we spoke after the game she um you know she practices penalties in training she picks picks her spot and you know as long as she she hits with conviction uh she said that she's pretty sure that it will end up in the back of the net obviously the goalkeeper goes the wrong way um and yeah it's a really confident penalty just um sort of strokes the ball into the bottom left corner um if you're the goalkeeper bottom right if you're looking at it um and yeah her celebration i think you could tell just how much it meant to her to to score um such an important goal at such a vital time for for the team it was a real outburst of um of joy after she she scored that penalty all the ipswich players obviously ran to her and were overjoyed by it.