Home Football ‘We showed great character to come from behind’ – Sheehan on Town win over Oxford

‘We showed great character to come from behind’ – Sheehan on Town win over Oxford

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‘We showed great character to come from behind’ – Sheehan on Town win over Oxford

Goals from Shauna Guyatt, Maria Boswell and a brace from Lucy O’Brien secured the three points for the Tractor Girls in Felixstowe.

Sheehan said: “The game went how we thought it would.

“We’ve had some really convincing wins of late, we played well today, but we knew it wasn’t going to be that sort of game.

“It would be a game that we might have to scrap a little bit, show a different side to us, and I think we weren’t overly great in the first half but we showed great character to come from behind twice.

Town players celebrating (Image: Ross Halls)

“We improved in the second half and managed to see the game out really well.”

Player of the match O’Brien, who bagged herself a brace, added: “We knew Oxford are a really good team, they play good football at times and they’re always up for a battle.

“Going into it, we knew exactly what to expect in the first half, it was a bit tentative from both teams.

“They got the early goal, we responded well and then unfortunately they scored again really quickly.

“But the character we show in our team is second to none. We never let our heads go down.

“We knew we would get back into the game and bring it back level and then in the second half we turned the screw.

“We were the better team and got the three points we deserved.”

Lucy O'Brien celebrating after her first goalLucy O’Brien celebrating after her first goal (Image: Ross Halls)

Match report: Ipswich Town Women 4-2 Oxford United Women

O’Brien’s first goal of the game was a fantastic strike from the edge of the area which looped over the keeper.

She said: “We always try and play pretty football but sometimes it can’t be that way.

“Bos (Maria Boswell) played a great ball over the top and we capitalised on second balls, Tash (Natasha Thomas) set me up.

“I think the defender in front of me lost her footing a bit which game me a bit more time and I just struck it pure.

“I love scoring, it’s a really special feeling so I am happy today.”

This win takes Town to the top of the league with Hashtag United losing to Watford.

Ipswich Town Women are now top of the leagueIpswich Town Women are now top of the league (Image: Ross Halls)

On going top of the league and remaining unbeaten, Sheehan said: “It’s not something we spend too much time thinking about.

“We have recruited some really important players. We know we have started the season really well but our focus is consumed by trying to work really hard and train well and prepare for games so we don’t spend too much time thinking about ifs and buts and our form.

“It’s just about training well and performing as best as we can, one game at a time and the rest takes care of itself.”

971 fans watched Town beat Oxford this afternoon, the highest attendance of the season so far.

Sheehan added: “The fans are really special. I don’t know if they realise how important they are to us.

Town players celebrating the third goal of the gameTown players celebrating the third goal of the game (Image: Ross Halls)

“Games like today, which a game can shift and there are key moments and sometimes we are in the ascendancy and when we aren’t, having people that are so vocal and supporting it makes so much difference to us and they played such an important part today.”

O’Brien finished by saying: “I’m delighted with how I am playing at the moment.

“In previous seasons I haven’t played to the level I know I can, but this season I have hit the ground running and I am in a positive mindset.

“I am getting rewarded with my work off the pitch with my goals and the results we as a team are getting.”