Town Suffer Narrow Defeat In Dead Rubber

In the end, it was Tom Adeyemi`s 79th minute goal that decided this match but it really mattered not.

We all were aware before kick off that Ipswich manager was going to make wholesale changes for this one so we almost knew what to expect – and that includes the travelling faithful!

It is always disappointing to lose to anyone at any time but there is no use crying over spilt milk. I feel sorry for the 704 travelling supporters but not because of this result but more because they were not acknowledged by the manager, as they left the field and headed straight down the players tunnel.

If rugged Yorkshireman Mick McCarthy wants to get his supporters back onside, then this is not the way to do it. Having spent so long in the game, he should realise that fans spend serious money travelling to away matches and to add insult to injury this was a dead rubber so his behaviour is once again confrontational.

McCarthy said afterwards that his nine team changes, did nothing to convince him that the side he picks week in and week out was not the prefered choice and he may have a point here because collectively, the Blues seriously under-performed, against a side that had leaked a staggering 96 goals in the Championship to date.

In the side, as I had anticipated yesterday, were Danny Rowe, Teddy Bishop, Tommy Smith, Andre Dozzell, Dominic Samuel, Josh Emmanuel and goalkeeper Dean Gerken who saved a penalty in the first half but could do little about the eventual winner, when Rotherham took the lead with just 11 minutes left on the clock, as Adeyemi volleyed home.

McCarthy said that he would also have included Jonny Williams except that he pulled up in training with a slight niggle and given his history of injuries was not going to be risked.

Ipswich Town now find themselves in 16th place in the Championship League table but now that they are safe, the remaining fixtures and their final league position is largely academic.

The bright spot for the Blues was the performance of Danny Rowe who replaced Tom Lawrence out on the wing. He looked lively throughout and although he is clearly someone who likes the ball on his left foot, he showed real signs of promise and if he plays more could replace Tom Lawrence in the long term.

Brett Pitman, on the other hand, was out of sorts and his lack of match fitness began to show the longer the game went on.

It is not often that I actually feel sorry for Mick McCarthy but after this defeat I do. Supporters have been crying out for him to play some of the fringe players and the moment he does, callers on Radio Suffolk and elsewhere, are complaining that he did!

Sometimes in football, as perhaps in life itself, no matter what you say, or no matter what you, do you simply cannot win.


Frank Weston – Editor of Vital Ipswich