Ipswich Town Women 1 Newcastle United Women 4 | OneFootball

A first-half goal from Shania Hayles put the Lasses ahead at the break and set Claire Ditchburn's side up for a dominant second 45 minutes.

A second from Hayles was followed by strikes from Molly Pike and a first of the season from Emily Murphy, to secure the three points, although Femke Liefting was denied a clean sheet when Kyra Robertson found the back of the net.

There was also a first appearance of the season for summer signing Jemma Purfield, who came on in added time after an injury-hit start to her life in black and white.

In her first game as interim manager, Ditchburn made four changes from United's previous league game, with Elysia Boddy getting her second successive start across all competitions.

The home side made the most promising moves and runs in behind early on, but the first strike on goal was through Oona Sevenius, although her curling effort spun narrowly wide of the far post.

United's Finland international continued to pose the biggest threat when she mustered up the first shot on target after being teed up by Hayles.

Her strike stung the palms of Natalia Negri, but the Ipswich shot-stopper was forced to scramble back on her line to claw away the effort.

As the half wore on, Newcastle began to look more threatening on the ball and were picking up space between the lines, something Hayles had done very well before breaking into the final third.

Hayles then forced the Tractor Girls back towards their own box before slipping in Jordan Nobbs down the left, and she returned the ball to United's number nine and produced an improvised chest finish from close range to register her second goal of the season.

The Lasses came roaring out for the second half and doubled their lead within five minutes of the restart through their number nine.

Pike made a darting run behind the Ipswich defence before playing a one-two with Nobbs, and upon getting the return, picked out Freya Gregory at the back post. She made deft contact with the ball to find Hayles, who had the simple task of slotting into an empty net from close range.

However, United's two-goal lead lasted a matter of minutes when Liefting parried Paige Peake's free kick back into the danger area and, despite Aoife Mannion’s last-ditch attempt, Robertson’s looping effort edged over the goal line.

United provided the perfect response in what was an eventful second half, and Pike was once again proving to be a problem for the Town backline.

After standing up her full back, Gregory floated a delightful ball into the box, which Sevenius managed to get a glancing touch on to flick behind her, where Pike ran onto the ball and volleyed home into the far corner, leaving Negri stranded.

The second half was a polar opposite display from both sides, and the hosts almost got themselves back in the game after a swift counter-attack ended with Rianna Dean chopping past Deanna Cooper before forcing a smart low save from Liefting.

United rounded off what was a dominant and professional display on the road when substitutes Beth Lumsden and Murphy combined to score a fourth, with the latter glancing a header into the far corner deep into second-half stoppage time.

Newcastle United Women: Femke Liefting, Charlotte Wardlaw, Demi Stokes (c) (Jemma Purfield 90+2), Jordan Nobbs, Elysia Boddy (Emily Murphy 63), Shania Hayles (Emma Kelly 82), Molly Pike (Jasmine McQuade 90+2), Freya Gregory (Beth Lumsden 82), Deanna Cooper, Oona Sevenius, Aoife Mannion

Subs not used: Claudia Moan, Małgorzata Grec, Lia Cataldo