LETCHWORTH Ladies came off second best in a 10-goal thriller away to Ipswich seconds despite a fighting performance. The home side was bolstered by National League first team players. Letchworth could not have made a worse start, conceding after just five

LETCHWORTH Ladies came off second best in a 10-goal thriller away to Ipswich seconds despite a fighting performance.

The home side was bolstered by National League first team players.

Letchworth could not have made a worse start, conceding after just five minutes to a breakaway.

However, a Justine Lucas goal midway through the half briefly gave Letchworth hope before the Suffolk side regained the lead from a penalty corner.

A third Ipswich goal before the break looked to have sealed the game but Letchworth refused to give up, closing the gap just two minutes after the break from a Helen Barrett penalty corner.

The home side replied with three well-taken goals in the space of 15 minutes but still Letchworth refused to buckle.

As Letchworth continued to press, goals from Amanda Wood and Charlie Gibson caused increasing panic in the Ipswich defence as they struggled to hold on for a 6-4 win.

Letchworth host second-placed Sudbury this Saturday (1.30pm at Whitethorn Lane).

Other scores: Letchworth Ladies II 1 (Deborah Wren) West Herts II 3; Bedford III 4 Letchworth Ladies III 3 (Jo Clayton, Jo Pinn and Leanne Gateson); Aylesbury II 5 Letchworth Ladies IV 0.

Stevenage Ladies won 2-0 at home to Sudbury seconds to remain in second and keep their promotion hopes alive.

Player of the match Holly Mould made some great crosses but Stevenage failed to convert any of their chances in the first half.

A break down from a short corner saw Lucy Harvey undercut the ball into the top corner to put Stevenage in the lead.

Stevenage continued to pile on the pressure and a ball through to Hannah Finch saw the Sudbury keeper take both the player and the ball resulting in a penalty flick which Carly Seaton converted to make it 2-0.

Other scores: Stevenage Ladies II (Gemma Wickham, Tash Howe) 2 Bishop's Stortford II 3; Stevenage Ladies III 5 (Reb Hemmings two, Jo Thorpe two, Nicki Reynolds) Bishop's Stortford III 1; Stevenage Ladies IV 3 (Maggie O'Connor, Gill Hamid, Kerry Dudley) Rothamsted 1; Stevenage Ladies V 1 (Becky O'Connor) Saffron Walden IV 10.

Blueharts Ladies returned after a fortnight off to beat Vauxhall Chiltern 4-0 at home.

The opening half was full of opportunities and examples of model defending but no goals.

Player of the match Elayne Brown got the first goal after the break and the next goal swiftly followed, scored by Kate Chapman.

Lizzie Bayley was next on the scoresheet and as the game was drawing to an end, captain Tamzin Alderson got the fourth and final goal.

The undefeated seconds are the official champions of their league.

They were 2-1 winners at Brookmans Park against historic rivals Queenswood.

After no goals at the break, player of the match Harriet Marsh scored twice in the second half.

Queenswood had equalised the Blueharts first goal and tried hard to add to their tally unsuccessfully.