The focus will be squarely on the league this season after a weakened Ipswich Town side fell to a 2-1 Carling Cup First Round defeat to League Two Northampton Town.
Vital Report
Hoping to exploit the depth of his squad, manager Paul Jewell named a weakened side with nine changes from the league win at Bristol City. Only Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and Aaron Cresswell were retained from Saturday, with Jason Scotland and Nathan Ellington paired up front whilst Colin Healy and Andy Drury came into the midfield.
Ivar Ingimarsson was forced to miss the game with a recurrence of his injury from pre-season whilst Damien Delaney was ruled out with the ankle problem he picked up at Ashton Gate, so young duo Tommy Smith and Jack Ainsley started at centre-back. Tamas Priskin and Josh Carson were both away on international duty whilst Arran Lee-Barrett replaced goalkeeper David Stockdale, who was ineligible to play under the terms of his loan deal from Fulham despite the postponement of England’s friendly with the Netherlands.
Meanwhile named on the bench for the first time were USA U20 international goalkeeper Cody Cropper and 15-year-old central midfielder Byron Lawrence, who was in line to break Connor Wickham’s record as Ipswich Town’s youngest-ever player. Lee Bowyer and Saturday’s star Michael Chopra were not included in the squad.
Ipswich took the lead with their first opportunity of the game after 11 minutes. Jay Emmanuel-Thomas shifted inside from the left before unleashing a drive which flew right over Northampton goalkeeper Sam Walker and into the far side of the net. The former Arsenal man might actually have been attempting a cross instead, but whatever his intentions, the Blues were 1-0 up.
Emmanuel-Thomas looked to add to his opener with a blocked shot ten minutes later before hitting the rebound wide. At the other end, Jake Robinson squandered an opportunity to equalise when he smashed over the bar after a mistake by Smith, before further efforts by Arron Davies and Nana Ofori-Twumasi flew off target.
Walker did well to save from Scotland after further impressive play by Emmanuel-Thomas, then Healy headed over from Drury’s cross as the Blues threatened a second. However, Northampton were able to draw level just two minutes later, Ben Tozer tapping in on the rebound after his initial shot was parried by Lee-Barrett.
Luke Hyam and Drury missed chances to put Town back in the lead before the half-time whistle sounded with the score at 1-1. Hoping to regain the momentum in the second half, Jewell brought on Grant Leadbitter in place of Hyam, the former Sunderland midfielder striking narrowly over the bar shortly after the restart.
Robinson struck well off-target for Northampton soon after, but the visitors were to find a second goal after 54 minutes. Robinson diverted Michael Jacobs’ cross towards Smith, but the Town defender only ended up playing the ball into the path of Paul Turnbull for the simplest of finishes at the far post.
The Cobblers were now looking the better side and could have added to their lead as the second half went on. Tozer nodded wide from Jacobs’ free-kick before Lee Martin – on as a substitute for Drury – set up Ellington only for the striker to see his effort blocked. Jacobs then fired over the bar four minutes later before Lee-Barrett stopped Bas Savage’s effort with his legs.
Town tried their best to rescue the game in the final ten minutes or so, Martin firing narrowly wide soon after Emmanuel-Thomas had nodded off target, then the former Cardiff City man fired a superb drive which Walker did brilliantly to keep out. Northampton were able to maintain their resistance for the remainder of the match before referee Michael Naylor blew the whistle to confirm Town’s exit from the competition.
Boss Jewell argued that the result demonstrated his need for further signings and expressed his frustration at the poor performance from his fringe players, many of whom had been expected to stake a claim for first team inclusion only to crumble in the face of League Two opposition. But for further good displays from Emmanuel-Thomas and Cresswell as well as an impressive showing from makeshift centre-back Ainsley, the Blues were second best and Northampton deserved their victory.
The loss is the sixth time in ten years that Ipswich have been eliminated from the Carling Cup by a lower league side, but at least the Blues will now be able to focus all their efforts on the Championship after arguably becoming rather distracted with their run to the semi-finals of this competition last year.
Ipswich: Lee-Barrett, Peters, Cresswell, Smith, Ainsley, Hyam (Leadbitter 46), Healy, Drury (Martin 61), Emmanuel-Thomas, Scotland, Ellington – Not used: Cropper, O’Connor, Murray, Whight, Lawrence
Northampton: Walker, Corker, Tozer, Webster, Davies, Robinson (Young 79), Savage (Langmead 90), Turnbull, Ofori-Twimasi, Jacobs (McKoy 90), Westwood – Not used: Hall, Thornton, Purcell
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