Ipswich Women travelled to Nottingham Trent for the Division Two indoor promotion play-offs with a few changes to the squad and facing an uphill battle, writes Emma Millar.

Kristine Ayling and Frankie Rogers were not available due to injuries and Coral Langridge came in as goalkeeper as they faced Trojans in their first clash.

A tough start saw Ipswich fall 3-0 behind. Sophie Sexton though pegged one back through a short corner on the last play of the game but the match finished 3-1.

The second game saw opponents Stourport score two quick goals within five minutes of each other. Sexton pulled one back in the first half, but Ipswich couldn’t convert chances to draw level in the second half, falling to a second straight loss.

An early start on Sunday against Cannock was a target game to get the first points on the board for Ipswich.

And so it proved as two goals in ten minutes by Clare Poole and captain Lucy Dunnett was the perfect start, followed by a goal from Sexton two minutes into the second half.

A lack of concentration allowed Cannock into the game with a goal but any comeback was soon squashed by a penalty stroke converted by Lizzy Wheelhouse and the match finished 4-1.

With a long break following between games, Gloucester, the eventual tournament winners, caught Ipswich on the back foot.

Behind 4-0 at half time, Dunnett and Sexton scored after the break but with Ipswich pushing to equalise chances emerged for Gloucester and they converted, running out as 7-2 winners.

So although Ipswich went into the last game of the weekend against Cambridge City not being able to challenge for promotion, they made sure they left everything on the pitch.

An early goal from Dunnett, after great link-up play involving all the players on the pitch, had Ipswich firing.

Cambridge managed to even the score but some great saves by Langridge kept any further chances out.

Although there were breakaway chances for Ipswich the game finished 1-1.

All in all, Ipswich did themselves proud though and now return to outdoor matters at the top of the table and very much in the gunt for promotion.