Ipswich Town finally climbed past the 50 point mark as David Norris and Connor Wickham scored the goals to hand the Blues a 2-1 victory over playoff-chasing Burnley at Turf Moor.
Ipswich boss Paul Jewell made just one change from the side that won 2-0 against Scunthorpe United before the international break, shifting Connor Wickham back into the midfield and bringing Jason Scotland into attack to replace the suspended Lee Martin. Youngster Josh Carson was given only his second Ipswich start whilst Arran Lee-Barrett retained his place in goal ahead of Marton Fulop. Meanwhile Burnley fielded on-loan Aston Villa striker Nathan Delfouneso up front, whom Ipswich had recently targeted during the loan window.
Burnley started well and created the first opportunity of the match with 9 minutes gone, Dean Marney finding Ross Wallace running into the box behind Gareth McAuley, only for the Scotsman to drive wide of the right-hand post. The wasted chance proved costly as Ipswich took the lead with their first shot at the other end on 17 minutes. McAuley nodded Jimmy Bullard’s corner into the path of Wickham whose effort was blocked by Brian Easton, but David Norris was on hand to drill the loose ball goalwards. The shot was very close to keeper Lee Grant, but he couldn’t stop it slipping underneath him to hand the Town skipper his 10th goal in all competitions this season, and with it, a 1-0 lead for the Blues.
Having gotten themselves ahead, Town quickly sought to extend their lead. On 18 minutes, Bullard sent in a dangerous free kick from the right but Scotland couldn’t quite reach it and volleyed over from 6 yards. Six minutes later though, the Blues did find a second. Scotland released Norris down the right who then crossed for Connor Wickham in the centre of the Burnley box. The Football League Young Player of the Year rose above Tyrone Mears and nodded the ball down into the floor, sending it looping up over Grant and into the net. It might have been a rather unorthodox finish, but it was nonetheless a 7th goal of the campaign for Wickham, taking him past his tally for the whole of last season.
The hosts seemed stunned by the early double-blow and found themselves struggling to create any chances. Their frustrations were added to by some questionable refereeing from Trevor Kettle, who handed Wallace the first booking of the match before the former Preston North End midfielder was replaced by Chris Iwelumo on 42 minutes. That sparked a hatful of bookings as Wickham and McAuley were both cautioned for Town before Burnley’s Andre Bikey also saw yellow for bringing down Norris on the break. From the free kick, Bullard sent the ball skipping through the wall straight to Grant. There was still time for Norris himself to be added to the book for fouling Mears before Kettle sounded the half-time whistle, with boos ringing out from the home fans.
Looking to turn the match around, Burnley were quickly creating chances as the second half began. Easton’s cross was nodded down by Iwelumo for Marney to strike on the half-volley from the edge of the box, but the shot was easily caught by Blues keeper Lee-Barrett. The Clarets then appealed for a penalty a minute later after Iwelumo seemed to go down in the box under pressure from Mark Kennedy, but with nothing given, play continued as Chris Eagles had a shot blocked by McAuley.
The hosts continued to apply pressure as the second half went on, Iwelumo releasing Delfouneso down the right who struck from a tight angle across the back-tracking McAuley, but Lee-Barrett made the save at the near post shortly before picking up a booking for time-wasting. Town responded with several efforts of their own as the game reached the hour mark, Bullard curling a shot off target before Wickham had two shots blocked. With 67 minutes gone, Burnley boss Eddie Howe made his second change of the match, replacing Eagles with Wade Elliott.
A minute later, the Clarets had snatched a goal back. Kennedy’s attempted clearance struck Elliott and rebounded kindly into the path of Marney, who laid a pass off to top scorer Jay Rodriguez. With McAuley and Carlos Edwards closing in from either side, the Burnley striker edged forward before squeezing a low drive between the two defenders and into the bottom-right corner for his 13th goal of the season in all competitions.
Having lost their two goal lead, Ipswich attempted to hit back immediately, Scotland receiving the ball on the D before laying it back to Norris, whose effort was just tipped over by Grant. At the other end, Rodriguez nudged the ball wide from Elliott’s free kick before both sides made changes, Andy Drury replacing Scotland for Town whilst Graham Alexander came on in place of Marvin Bartley for the hosts. Shane Duffy nodded over from a corner on 77 minutes before Delfouneso became the seventh player to see yellow for a foul on Lee-Barrett, Jewell replacing Carson with Kieron Dyer whilst the keeper received treatment.
As the match rolled into the final ten minutes, both sides found chances hard to come by. Drury and Grant Leadbitter both struck off target before Burnley pressed for an equaliser in stoppage time but without finding any way past the defensive pairing of McAuley and Damien Delaney. Referee Kettle soon blew for full-time to hand Town a deserved victory, with the home fans again registering their displeasure at the final whistle.
Thanks to Bristol City’s late win over Doncaster Rovers, Town stay in 15th place despite the victory, though they have gained a 5 point cushion over 16th-placed Barnsley. More importantly, having now surpassed the usual 50 point mark for survival, the Blues look to have all but guaranteed their Championship status, stretching their lead over the relegation places to a huge 17 points with just 7 matches left to play. Indeed, should other results go their way, a win against Crystal Palace at Portman Road next week would mathematically confirm their safety with a month left of the season; a very suitable position from which to start planning ahead for what will hopefully be a much better campaign next year.
Burnley: Grant, Mears, Bikey, Easton, Duffy, Marney, Bartley (Alexander 75), Wallace (Iwelumo 37), Eagles (Elliot 67), Rodriguez, Delfouneso – Not used: Jensen, Duff, Carlisle, Edgar
Ipswich: Lee-Barrett, McAuley, Delaney, Carson (Dyer 79), Leadbitter, Edwards, Norris, Bullard, Kennedy, Wickham, Scotland (Drury 74) – Not used: Fulop, Peters, O’Dea, Healy, Civelli
Did you travel to Turf Moor on Saturday? What did you make of the performance – and the refereeing, for that matter? Do you think things are looking up for next season? Have your say on this game as well as all things Town by joining Vital Ipswich:
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