Women's Report: Ipswich 1-2 Saints

Rachel Brown was the last-gasp hero, as she poked home the winning goal in the final minute of stoppage time on the goal line after the ball ricocheted in the area from an Aimee Palmer free-kick.

After getting off to a perfect start through Mary Bashford's third minute opener, Saints were pegged back by Lucy Ashworth-Clifford's equaliser as the game was level at half time, with a draw looking likely until Brown's magic moment at the death.

Simon Parker made one enforced change to his side, as Ellie Brazil was unfit to travel so Abbie Ferguson made her return to the starting line-up for the first time since January.

Saints' starters at Portman Road. (Photos: Leila Coker/Getty Images)

The new look Ipswich Town, who had seen vastly improved form following a busy winter transfer window, posed an instant threat on their milestone afternoon as Princess Ademiluyi looked like an early handful to deal with.

However, not ones to shy away from a big occasion themselves, it was Saints who struck first after just three minutes to silence the 9,000-strong home crowd.

Ferguson wasted no time to display her trickery as she nipped past XXXX on the right wing and fizzed a low ball into the area that wasn't cleared properly, as Bashford reacted first to poke the ball under the goalkeeper.

The early ascendancy gave Saints confidence, which they needed at the other end as the hosts' search for an equaliser was kept at bay by an impressive defensive triple salvo.

First, a counter attack opened up nicely for Ipswich as the ball was pulled back towards an advancing Kit Graham at the edge of the box, but her powerful effort was blocked at full stretch by Megan Collett.

Mary Bashford celebrates her early opener.

From the resulting corner, there was pinball in the area that required goalscorer Bashford to head clear off the line before Fran Stenson covered to tip the ball away at close range.

At the other end, another poor defensive clearance for Ipswich saw a chance fall to Tegan McGowan who unfortunately blazed the ball over the crossbar.

The hosts did eventually hit back though, as they capitalised on a mix up in defence to level the scores just before the half hour mark; Sophie Peskett nipped in to steal the ball at the edge of the box and square to Ashworth-Clifford for a simple finish.

Both sides had chances to lead at the break as the dangerous Peskett twisted through the defence and had a shot of her own blocked, before McGowan cut inside the area and was denied by Natalia Negri's low save.

Into the second half, the hosts were rallied by their home support as the contest became more even; Peskett once again went close when her mazy run into the area and curling shot towards the top corner was well-saved by Stenson on the stretch.

As the game wore on, the heavens opened at Portman Road as the chances, ironically, dried up for either side. It wasn't until the 80th minute that Ipswich substitute Ava Baker had the next big chance as she was denied by a sliding Bashford block.

In a similar area as the game approached stoppage time, Baker again was played in on the left but was prevented from scoring by another crucial sliding block, this time from Amy Goddard.

The game seemed destined for a draw during four minutes of stoppage time, until the tireless Bashford was fouled on the edge of the Ipswich penalty area.

Palmer, a childhood Norwich supporter on her arch-rivals' territory, stepped up to take the free-kick - she was denied a fairytale moment by a deflection, but the ball ricocheted off the foot of Sena and trickled towards the goal before Brown made sure from two yards out for her own special, milestone goal.

The goal sparked scenes on the pitch and bench alike, as the full-back's first goal for the club after over a year out with an ACL injury sealed a dream ending on the road to move Saints momentarily four points off the coveted promotion play-off place with three games to go.

Ipswich: Negri, Boswell (c), Mitchell, Graham, Peskett, Cavanagh, Roe, Weir, Peake, Ashworth-Clifford (Baker 77'), Ademiluyi.

Subs not used: Hartley, Hughes, Thomas, Dean, O'Brien, Lasova, Wearing, Meena.

Goals: Ashworth-Clifford (27')

Saints: Stenson, Collett, Goddard, Bourne (Hack 46'), Simpson (Mott 46'), Palmer, Bashford, Primus (c), Ferguson (Edwards 67'), McAlonie (Brown 89'), McGowan (Sena 83').

Subs not used: Pettit, Roberts.

Goals: Bashford (3'), Brown (90+7')

Attendance: 9,142 (133 away).