OXFORD United Women got off to a frustrating start to the season with a 3-0 defeat at home against Ipswich Town.

Zoe Barratt and Leah Burridge tested Ipswich goalkeeper Natalia Negri in the first minute, while Natasha Thomas, Angela Addison and Shauna Guyatt all brought saves out of Beth Howard.

A Sophie Peskett cross from the right bounced off the far post and found its way over the line just after 20 minutes had been played though, before Phoebie Poole struck the crossbar for United with a long-range effort.

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Just before half-time, Barratt cut inside and shot just over for the U’s.

Lucy O’Brien doubled the visitors’ lead seven minutes into the second half, before Ipswich put the game out of sight after 55 minutes, when Peskett fired in from just outside the box.

United manager Sam Rose said: “I’m not sure the scoreline necessarily reflects the balance of the game, but that said, I think Ipswich had most of the ball and created the vast majority of the opportunities.

“For large parts, I thought we looked comfortable without the ball, but we’re going to have to really look at our in-possession stuff.

“It’s game one of 22. We would’ve loved to have won of course, and Ipswich will be buzzing that they’ve managed to get three points on the board straightaway.

“It doesn’t change the way we’re going to go about things as a group of staff and players. We want to win every week, and we’ll pick the bones out of it, and try and put it right.”