Town’s Draw Should Have Been So Much More

Getting that last gasp goal with moments to spare made it almost feel like a win and in reality it could and should have been.

Hull City had lost their three previous encounters and were down there in 20th place in the table with a boss that was seriously under fire. This seemed the perfect opportunity to take all three points!

Town on the other hand, had won their last match 3-0 at home to Preston and they dominated the early possession and deservedly went in front after just six minutes, when a Martyn Waghorn corner fell into the path of Jonas Knudsen, who then miscued, leaving David McGoldrick to rifle home from the edge of the box.

For the first half hour, the Blues dominated proceedings and had good chances to increase their lead. But once again profligacy in front of goal lead to their downfall, as The Tigers started to gain confidence as our strike force looked more and more impotent.

Another goal by Town would surely have killed the game off. The crowd was already irritable and remarkably quiet, as Town were camped in the Hull City half for long periods. Hull City players too were looking decidedly fragile at this stage but our wastefulness as a strike force, proved costly in the end.

A series of defensive errors ensured that the home side were on level terms at the break and a clever individual goal by Dicko five minutes after half time turned the game on its head. Luke Chambers was the guilty party this time, as he lost his bearing and headed up into the air before Dicko pounced.

Town started to get back into the game and when Martyn Waghorn was felled in the box up stepped David McGoldrick to tamely strike the ball into the middle of the goal, which made the save from McGregor look relatively easy.

In the end, we had to thank Jordan Spence for a point, with a toe-poke which he seemed to know little about.

Manager Mick McCarthy said afterwards that it was a well earned draw and that he was proud of his players for their never-say-die attitude. ‘ What really pleases me is, having had the penalty saved, it generally knocks the stuffing out of a team and gives the other side a lift. My lads kept going, which was great, and I think we got the point we deserved, to be quite honest.’

I just hope that if we get another penalty any time soon, it will be Martyn Waghorn who steps up to take it.

Frank Weston – Editor of Vital Ipswich