Exeter City Women suffered a late setback as Ipswich Town came from two goals down to draw an absorbing contest at St James Park on Sunday.
Returning to SJP for the third match in seven days, Abbie Britton named an unchanged starting team from the 4-0 win away at Lewes, with Lily Dowling coming onto the bench for the first time this season in the league.
The Grecians started brightly, Amber Pollock’s driving run and cut back driven over Town Goalkeeper Natalia Negri’s crossbar by Zoe Cunningham as Abbie Britton’s went in search of the opening goal.
Bow Jackson bravely blocked a Summer Hughes effort as the Tractor Girls responded, Leah Mitchell heading over a Town corner moments later.
With both teams resilient in their defensive shape, chances were scarce, but the Grecians would force an error to take the lead. Sarah Stacey blocked a Negri clearance and Sophie Gillies was in the right place to slide in the loose ball for the lead.
Beth Ireland tested Negri from distance as city pressed and with Abbi Bond claiming any cross that came her way at the other end, the Grecians looked to be easing into the half time break. However, Town would finish strong, Pollock with excellent awareness to retreat into a defensive position and block an effort on goal. Jackson was next to be called upon as she cleared a dangerous cross from under Bond’s crossbar, the half time whistle a welcome respite for city.
Jaydee Seaman cleared another low cross from the city penalty area as the Tractor Girls started the second half on the front foot, Angela Addison heading the latest cross wide of Bond’s goal.
Under pressure, city found a response. Stacey played Jackson’s cross into the feet of Gillies, her exceptional first touch creating the space to fire city into a two-goal lead.
Bond palmed down a volleyed effort before claiming the loose ball comfortably, city struggling to keep possession but resilient to the growing Town attacking threat. The breakthrough for Joe Sheehan’s side would eventually arrive on seventy minutes, Ella Rutherford firing a low free kick through a crowd of bodies before the ball nestled into the bottom corner of Bond’s net.
The equaliser would come with only two minutes remaining, the city defence not clearing the long ball with the chance given and, as the ball was recycled back into play, Ella Rutherford struck from the edge of the penalty area and beat Bond low to her left.
Against a team who will almost certainly be among the title challengers this season, Britton’s side were competitive throughout. The threat posed by the Gillies-Stacey partnership and resolute defensive shape underlining the Grecians ability to prove tough opposition for any side in the Southern Premier this term. City remain top, and although that may be a big ask to maintain, on early showing, the Grecians will be a lot closer to the top of the division than they will be to the bottom of it this season.
Exeter City Women: Bond, Jackson (C), Barbour-Gresham, Seaman (Taylor), Toogood (Sandland), Pollock, Ireland (Watkins), Zuurmond, Cunningham (Baker), Stacey, Gillies.
Substitutes: Giles (GK), Sandland, Watkins, Jones, Taylor, Baker, Dowling.
Ipswich Town Women: Negri, Hughes (Barker), Mitchell (Boswell), Wearing, Williams, Fleming (C) (King), O'Brien (Fisher), Guyatt, Addison (Rutherford), Peskett, Thomas.
Substitutes: Boswell, Fisher, King, Bryant, Rutherford, Barker, Hartley.
Attendance: 645