Handball or own goal, when the ball crossed the Norwich goaline in the 88th minute, Ipswich got the 3 points they deserved and the bragging rights in East Anglia until the next Derby game.
When the two sides met earlier in the season at Portman Road , an 18th minute Red card for Sito, gave Town no real chance of victory, Norwich ran out winners by just the one goal and although the red card was later rescinded, the vidincation was of no comfort to the Town fans.
So Sundays Derby win on enemy soil was sweet revenge and was well earned. Norwich fans should have no cause to argue the result after a poor showing from their side, they could perhaps argue the vadility of the winner, but certainly not the fact Ipswich deserved victory.
Whilst Ipswichs team of youngsters looked hungry and full of passion, their Norfolk counterparts didn’t seem motivated in the slightest, even with Citys 3 new signings in their starting lineup
Town started with a now familiar 4-5-1 with Currie the link man to lone striker Alan Lee, but when Williams was replaced by Danny Haynes due to injury in the 25th minute, Joe Royle adopted a more traditional 4-4-2
Both teams had chances in the opening exchanges, with Matt Richards nearly hitting the post with a left foot volley on the half hour, and though Ipswich were the brighter of the two sides it was Norwich who took the lead.
Debut boy Jonatan Johansson beat the offside trap in the 33rd minute, to cooly chip the ball over Lewis Price, who seemed to be in no mans land, and why the goal was a blow to Town, it didn’t seem to spark City into life.
City were punished for their lack of drive when a free kick 3 minutes later allowed Ipswich back into the game.
Another Jimmy Juan special was lined up and hit, only this time it went in via a huge deflection off of goalscorer Johanssons’ head, the sides remaind level til half time.
Town had the better of the first half, but a 1-1 scoreline wasn’t unduly harsh on the visitors.
Nigel Worthington made 2 Norwich substitutions at half time bringing on Huckerby & Robinson for Hughes & Etuhu respectively, Huckerby being a suprpise omittance from the starting 11.
Excahanges and chances continued between the sides with Ipswich on top of play for the most part.
Town were denied what seemed to most to be a cast iron penalty, Haynes lobbed Green and as he went to round the ‘keeper to knock the ball home, the Norwich bundled straight into the youngster flattening him in the process, inexperienced Red Keith Stroud ignoring the calls from the Town players deciding no foul had occured
It wasn’t until only 2 minutes of normal time remaining that the result was decided, a Matt Richards cross headed back across goal by Alan Lee ended up in the net via the arm of Danny Haynes and toe of Gary Doherty, whether it will be the Town or the City player credited with the last touch, the goal counted and signalled a town celebration involving all 10 outfield players bundling in front of the Suffolk support
Town hung on comfortably for the remaining minutes to record 3 points, and away win and a place in the top half of the table, the win taking their tally to 6 league games unbeaten and a real mark of improvement in a so far disappointing campaign
Can Town continue to move on up the table and trouble the top 6, I doubt it, but they should have no doubts now of being able to look forward to a bright future, with a new team rising like a phoenix out of last years playoff defeat ashes, and maybe a promotion campaign in the offering next season
Teams.
Norwich: Green, Fleming (Shackell 71), Rehman, Doherty, Drury, Hughes (Huckerby 45), Etuhu (Robinson 45), Safri, McVeigh, Earnshaw, Johansson.
Subs Not Used: Gallacher, Henderson.
Booked: Fleming, Robinson.
Goals: Johansson 33.
Ipswich: Price, Wilnis, De Vos, Naylor, Richards, Williams (Haynes 25), Juan, Garvan, Barron, Currie, Lee, Haynes (Sito 90).
Subs Not Used: Supple, Magilton, Westlake.
Booked: Garvan.
Goals: Juan 38, Doherty 88 og.
Ref: K Stroud (Dorset)
Joe Royle on Towns deserved win
‘We had to win this game and no one can deny that we didn’t deserve to win it.
Regarding a top 6 finish:
It’s still a big ask and we need to go on a long run but it’s important that we start turning draws into wins and we’ve done that here.
‘There is no doubt we deserved to take all three points and I told the players at half-time to keep going forward and we carried the game to them for the second-half.
Nigel Worthington on the winning goal
‘I’ve not had a chance to see it but I’ve heard different people comment,’
‘I’m not too concerned about it. The referee has given it. Unfortunately our performance wasn’t there, but we need to stay positive and look forward.
‘Ipswich were bright on the ball, passed it better and picked up the second balls,’
