IPSWICH Bobcats suffered their first league defeat of the season when they lost 82-45 in their top of the table clash with Northants Lightning in the Northern section of the Junior Women's National League on Saturday.

IPSWICH Bobcats suffered their first league defeat of the season when they lost 82-45 in their top of the table clash with Northants Lightning in the Northern section of the Junior Women's National League on Saturday.

Bobcats made a confident start and a three-pointer in the second minute by captain Lauren Lindsay fired Ipswich 5-4 ahead. Free throws by Kerry Moore and Lois Nunn kept Bobcats in front until the sixth minute but Northants stepped up the defensive pressure and capitalised from numerous turnovers to score seven unanswered baskets in a four minute spell to end the quarter with a commanding 23-9 lead.

Bobcats made a good comeback at the start of the second quarter with successive three-pointers by the in form Nunn and they cut the Northants lead to 26-18 after denying Lightning a single score for a full five minutes.

Northants then stepped up their game with a three-pointer by Naomi Sterling before baskets by Hannah Scott-Evans and Angeline Field stretched the lead to 33-18. Danielle Ward was clearly relishing playing for high flying Lightning after her move from Chiltern Pumas in the summer and she hit two big three-pointers to take Northants to a 41-23 lead at the interval.

Natalie Field was clearly still suffering from the thumb injury that she picked up in the cup game against Southend the previous weekend and sat out most of the second half, enabling Lightning centre Angeline Field to dominate inside to pick up 15 rebounds and 16 points to end as Northants' top scorer. Her basket at the start of the third quarter was quickly followed by yet another three-pointer by Ward and a strong inside move by Cali, which took the home side 52-25 in front.

Angeline Field then piled on the pressure with three baskets in as many minutes and although Nunn hit a good corner shot and Lindsay scored two from the line, Bobcats still trailed 32-60 going into the final quarter.

It was all Lightning again at the restart as Northants added seven more points without reply, but Nunn again stepped up her game to score a lay-up, an corner shot and her third three-pointer from only four attempts to finish with a game high 24 points.

Indeed, Bobcats were heavily reliant on Nunn and Lindsay who contributed all but three of the Ipswich points total in the 82-45 defeat in what had been a disappointing team performance after three successive away victories earlier in the season.

Bobcats have the chance to return to winning ways when return to league action on Sunday when they face Tyne & Wear Titans. The match will be the Bobcats' first home league match and takes place at Maidenhall Sports Centre with a tip off time of 1.30pm.

Ipswich Bobcats players and scores: L Nunn 24, L Lindsay 18, Kerry Moore 3, F Baisden 0, V Brownsell 0, N Field 0, Kirstie Moore 0, R Chambers 0.

Northants Lightning players and scores: A Field 16, M Cali 15, D Ward 14, N Sterling 13, C Sterling 7, H Scott Evans 6, G Patrick 5, H Burgoine 2, E Clarke 2, J Elliott-King 2, H Baker 0.

RAF Under-18 Women (North) results: Northants Lightning 82 Ipswich Bobcats 45, Tyne & Wear Titans 75 Chiltern Pumas 52.