Ipswich Town: Promotion priority for Lenna Gunning-Williams despite Women's FA Cup hat-trick

Lenna Gunning-Williams playing for IpswichRoss Halls

Lenna Gunning-Williams made her first-team debut for Tottenham in the Continental League Cup in November 2022

Teenager Lenna Gunning-Williams says helping Ipswich Town win promotion is her priority after scoring a hat-trick in the Women's FA Cup.

The 18-year-old joined Ipswich on loan in the summer from Women's Super League (WSL) club Tottenham Hotspur.

And her treble helped them to an 8-0 win over Sutton Coldfield, securing a place in the third-round draw.

"Quite early on I realised I have a good connection with the girls in the team," she told BBC Look East.

"Now I'm really invested and hope we can get promoted - the girls really deserve it.

"If I could go back to Spurs knowing I've helped them do that, it would be a really good thing."

Ipswich, third in the Women's National League Southern Premier, will take on second-tier Lewes in the FA Cup third round on 10 December.

They reached the fifth round in 2020 and quarter-finals two years later, but last season lost 1-0 at the fourth-round stage to Lewes - who have had a deal fall through with an American investment group backed by former England forward Eni Aluko.

"Football is a weird sport, especially cup games, you never know what's going to happen. The girls will know the key players to watch out for and what tactics worked and what tactics didn't, and I'll just have to listen to them and try and put in the best performance that I can," said Gunning-Williams, who signed a professional contract with Spurs in July.

Ipswich have scored 14 goals without reply in the first two rounds, winning £14,000 of this season's increased FA Cup prize money, and will scoop a further £35,000 if they avenge last season's defeat by Lewes.

"The money can really help, especially in the lower tiers," Gunning-Williams added. "It's always a good incentive but I honestly don't think about it - I just play the game, want to win the game and try to get as far as I can with such a good group of girls."

Ipswich head coach Joe Sheehan said the youngster's positivity and energy had added a new dimension to the team this season.

"Sometimes you look at her pick the ball up on the halfway line and you can sense all she's thinking about is sticking the ball in the net," he said.

"Obviously there'll be lots of things she'll experience throughout her development, on decisions, like when to really go and seek that chance to score and when to combine with other players.

"I'm pleased she managed to score a couple late on because we've spoken about her being able to sustain a performance throughout the 90 [minutes]."

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