Captain David Norris scored on what may well be his last home appearance for Ipswich Town as the Blues ran out 2-1 winners against newly-relegated Preston North End at Portman Road.
Following two heavy defeats on the bounce for Paul Jewell’s side, five changes were made to the side that started at Swansea. Marton Fulop made his first appearance in goal for 8 matches after Arran Lee-Barrett conceded 9 in the Blues’ last two outings, whilst Troy Brown and Mark Kennedy replaced injured pair Gareth McAuley and Darren O’Dea in defence. Meanwhile Jimmy Bullard recovered from his knee injury in time to replace Andy Drury in midfield and striker Ronan Murray was given his first Ipswich start alongside Jason Scotland up front, Colin Healy making way.
Defender Brown found himself in referee Kevin Wright’s book after just two minutes for a foul on Keith Treacy before debutant Daniel Devine headed wide from Barry Nicholson’s subsequent free kick. Fulop then claimed from a Treacy delivery as Preston looked to restore some pride following their relegation at the hands of Cardiff City last week.
Within nine minutes however, the visitors had been broken. Kennedy’s long ball down the left wing found Josh Carson who laid it back across the Preston box perfectly for an unmarked Jason Scotland to stroke home. The 32-year-old hadn’t scored since a 1-1 draw against Hull in February, but this goal finally took him to double figures in the league this season.
Treacy had another effort blocked by Damien Delaney as the Lilywhites sought to hit back, but within a further nine minutes the Blues had extended their lead. Bullard slipped a pass through to Murray whose low strike was stopped by the feet of Preston keeper Iain Turner, but following up was David Norris to power in the rebound. Having momentarily been tied with Scotland, the captain had immediately regained his place as Town’s leading scorer with his 11th in all competitions – and with no sign of a contract extension this summer, it could be his last for the Blues at Portman Road.
With his team two goals down, North End boss Phil Brown was then hit by a further blow when the influential Treacy was forced off with injury after just half an hour to be replaced by Jamie Proctor. Billy Jones hit an effort off target shortly before the substitution, but Ipswich were having much the greater share of the play. Grant Leadbitter struck wide from the edge of the area then Turner saved a 30-yard free kick by Bullard before Carson fired well off target. Soon after, Murray was again denied by the feet of Turner, then Carson thumped another over before referee Wright brought the first half to a close.
Having been on the back foot throughout a first half in which Ipswich had played brightly, Preston shuffled things with a second change at half-time, Paul Hayes coming on for Chris Brown. Indeed, the visitors did improve after the break with a goal on 52 minutes, Carson losing out in an aerial challenge with Lilywhites debutant Scott Leather in the centre circle to send Paul Coutts away with the ball. The Scottish midfielder carried the ball up to the 18-yard line before driving a low shot past Fulop for his first league goal this season to make it 2-1.
That goal seemed to give the away side a confidence boost, no-one more so than Coutts, who went on a similar charge forward 5 minutes later only to be denied by Troy Brown. Fulop then spilled a cross by Billy Jones from the right which Kennedy could only poke into the path of Coutts, but the goalscorer blazed over. Carson spurned a chance from long range at the other end before the Blues defence somehow allowed both Nicholson and Proctor to run clear onto Adam Barton’s pass into the box on 63 minutes, but thankfully Fulop did enough to divert Nicholson’s effort wide.
Bullard curled a free kick over after a foul by Danny Mayor for which the Preston youngster was booked, then Paul Jewell made his first change of the match, Murray coming off for Andy Drury. The substitute was soon involved in the action on 69 minutes with a cross which the Preston defence could only clear as far as Bullard, but the on-loan Hull City midfielder could only lift the ball into Turner’s hands.
Barton was replaced by Doyle Middleton making his Preston debut as the visitors kept pressing for an equaliser in the final 20 minutes. Fulop saved from Jones before Coutts delivered a low ball right into the six yard area which Proctor reached ahead of Troy Brown, but Fulop got down well to smother the shot.
Carlos Edwards fired off target after a long run before Middleton struck wide at the other end, Mayor then firing a weak effort straight at Fulop as the match ran into the last 10 minutes. Jaime Peters replaced Carson and Luciano Civelli replaced goalscorer Scotland as Town managed to see the rest of the game out comfortably to sign off their Portman Road campaign with victory.
Jewell will be pleased to see his side bounce back from their Easter thrashings with a final win at Portman Road, which has been far from a happy home this season. This was just their tenth Championship triumph on their own turf, balanced with 10 home defeats – a club record for a second tier campaign. The Blues boss has stressed that home form in particular must improve next year if his side are to challenge for promotion, but optimism will be high for hopefully happier times at Portman Road next season.
The result places Ipswich back into 12th with 62 points, one point ahead of 13th-placed Watford, and two points behind their final opponents Leicester City in 11th. A win at the Walkers Stadium next Saturday will therefore seal a place in the top half – a respectable finish after a topsy-turvy season.
Ipswich: Fulop, Delaney, T Brown, Carson (Peters 84), Leadbitter, Edwards, Norris, Bullard, Kennedy, Scotland (Civelli 86), Murray (Drury 65) – Not used: Murphy, Eastman, Whight, Healy
Preston: Turner, Morgan, Jones, Devine, Leather, Coutts, Nicholson, Treacy (Proctor 29), Mayor, Barton (Middleton 69), C Brown (Hayes 46) – Not used: Arestidou, Miller, Carter, Clucas
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