Ipswich maintain their 31 year unbeaten home record vs Sheff U with a well earned point
Always an exciting game when the two sides meet, this match was no exception, the Town fans rising to the occasion of a game they see as against the ‘other Norwich’ and Neil Warnock providing the controversy by answering the chants aimed at him all game by the home support by gesturing the result at the end of the game, Richard Naylor Towns longest serving player taking exception
he fans enthusiasm and the atmoshpere certainly rubbed off on the players on the park with all seeming very hungry after a confident display in the FA Cup last week
A very open and even match ensued with Town lining up as 4-5-1 this time debutant Alan Lee as the lone striker, agains Darren Currie filling in as a link between midfield and Towns £100k frontman
The formation seemed far from negative though as the numbers in midfield made it a real battle in the centre of the park, plenty ofd tackles flying in from both sides though none that you could really call dirty. Although action packed the first half did not really produce many chnaces for either side and the score remained goaless at half time
Ipswich took the lead 10 minutes into the second half, Westlake was fouled by Phil Jagielka and after Westy was replaced by young Danny Haynes, Juan stepped up to take the free kick placed a few yards outside the Blades area, his curling effort hitting the underside of the bar and in just beyond the reach of Paddy Kenny
With Haynes now on the pitch Town changed to a traditional 4-4-2 formation and the game opened up, and it was Danny who should have put Ipswich two up on 65 minutes, an Alan Lee flick on put him through on goal with on Paddy Kenny to beat Haynes put his shot past Kenny, but also past his post, Haynes also found himself in the Blades box 10 minutes later but a fantastic saving tackle by ex Town loanee David Unsworth denied him a chance to shoot
Two mintues later Sheffield got the goal that their play had deserved, Danny Webber put through on goal by Michael Tonge did well to first round ‘keeper Supple and then put his shot past 2 Town players rushing back onto the goal line
With only injury time remaining United almost stole all points, Kabba got clean through, but pulled him shot and inch wide after firing low from the angle across Supple
A draw was certainly the fair outcome of this game, Sheffield although strong don’t really look a side heading from the Premier League and Town again improving performance wise still lack a cutting edge up front
Teams:
Ipswich Town: Supple, Wilnis, De Vos, Naylor, Barron (Sito 87), Williams, Juan, Garvan (Magilton 83), Westlake (Haynes 54), Currie, Lee.
ubs Not Used: Price, Richards.
Booked: Juan.
Goals: Juan 54.
Sheff United: Kenny, Geary, Bromby, Morgan, Unsworth, Ifill (Kabba 64), Tonge, Jagielka, Armstrong (Quinn 76), Shipperley, Webber (Montgomery 83).
ubs Not Used: Flitcroft, Kozluk.
Booked: Morgan, Geary.
Goals: Webber 77.
Referee C Penton (Sussex).
Town Assistant Willie Donachie
‘It was a fair result but if Danny Haynes had taken his chance when he was clean through we’d have gone two up and I think we’d have won.
‘Inexperience was the cause of his miss but had he scored it would have settled it. A 1-0 lead is never enough.
‘We were not getting there in the first-half and there was not enough support for Alan Lee.’
Neil Warnock
‘It was a good point in the end. Our past record at Ipswich has not been brilliant and it is another difficult game out of the way.
‘They had a five-man midfield in the first half so there were not many goalmouth incidents.
‘Even so we were a hair’s breadth away from scoring two goals and all credit to their defenders who got a toe in.’
