Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Town 1-0 Leicester City
Saturday, 2nd Mar 2013 17:39

David McGoldrick netted his second goal for the Blues five minutes from time as Town claimed a crucial 1-0 home victory over Leicester City. Sub Daryl Murphy dispossessed Foxes skipper Wes Morgan — who he had clashed with not long beforehand — and threaded through the on-loan Forest man.

Mick McCarthy named an unchanged side, as did his Leicester counterpart Nigel Pearson. Goals-against-Town-specialist David Nugent missing from their 18 due to a neck injury.

Having impressed in the U21s in midweek, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas returned to the bench alongside Frank Nouble, who netted a hat-trick in that game, a 4-3 victory against Colchester United.

Ben Marshall, who scored in the Foxes’ 2-1 victory at Portman Road last season, struck the game’s first shot from distance in the third minute but failed to test Stephen Henderson in goal for Town.

On a rather less than perfect Portman Road pitch, the opening 15 minutes was scruffy but even without either goalkeeper being overly tested. On 14 Aaron Cresswell might have done better with the ball on the left of the area but took too long and his cross hit a defender.

On 23 Harry Kane sent a dangerous ball across the edge of the Town six-yard box but Luke Chambers diverted it behind. A minute later, Lee Martin saw a shot from 20 yards deflect wide.

The game was much closer than the 6-0 at the King Power Stadium earlier in the season, but in the 28th minute the visitors threatened to go in front when on-loan Tottenham man Kane got behind the Blues’ backline but hit the sidenetting with his shot.

Paul Konchesky lashed over from 25 yards just after the half hour mark with the teams still evenly matched and with clear cut chances non-existent at either end.

Kasper Schmeichel was almost caught out by a low Carlos Edwards cross from the right in the 33rd minute but recovered to claim, then Luke Hyam played the pass of the game so far over the top for Michael Chopra, but Michael Keane got in a vital touch as the striker tried to take it past him.

On 35, Schmeichel was forced into a fine save diving away to his left from a Chambers header at the far post after Cresswell had sent in a deep corner from the right. From the resultant flagkick, David McGoldrick headed over.

That brief spell of pressure gave the Blues confidence and in the 37th minute Chopra almost got a touch to a McGoldrick cross from the left. Applying any sort of touch would almost certainly have taken the ball past Schmeichel.

In the final scheduled minute of the first half, Kane had the ball in the net for Leicester but with the linesman’s flag already having been raised.


The Blues will have gone in happy at the break having shaded a first half of few chances. Leicester had started the stronger but Town had come more into it, enjoying the greater share of the ball and creating a couple of opportunities towards the end of the period.

There was an early booking for Anthony Knockaert at the start of the second half after the Leicester midfielder somewhat needlessly kicked the ball away. Somewhat unwisely he launched into a vociferous protest and had to be pulled away from referee Darren Deadman by his team-mates.

Town started the half on the front foot. After Hyam had had a shot blocked, Martin sent a dangerous ball across the Leicester area but either behind or in front of his team-mates.

On 49 Edwards played in McGoldrick on the right of the area for the chance of the game so far but Schmeichel was off his line quickly to block.

In the 55th minute Martin saw a shot from 25 yards blocked after McGoldrick and Cresswell had worked a freekick to him.

Kane was presented with a golden opportunity to put his side in front in the 58th minute when Chambers failed to find Smith or his goalkeeper with a pass backwards from a few yards outside the area and sent the Tottenham loanee in on goal. But, when it seemed easier to score, he somehow put it the wrong side of Henderson’s right post.

It was a lucky escape for Town, who quickly went looking for an opportunity at the other end, Chopra’s first touch on a McGoldrick ball over the top taking it too close to Schmeichel.

On 62, an Edwards cross from the right reached McGoldrick at the far post but the striker screwed his shot well wide.

Aside from the Kane chance, Town were continuing to look the more threatening side. On 70 Cresswell shot wide after a Martin cross from the left was cleared to the edge of the box. The left-back will feel he should have done better.

For the Foxes, Ritchie De Laet completely missed a volley at the far post in the 72nd minute from sub Paul Gallagher’s freekick on the right when he will feel he ought to have made contact.

At the other end, Edwards sent a dangerous ball across the Leicester box with Morgan getting a touch which took it away from McGoldrick.

Hyam picked up Town’s first booking for pulling back Kane, then on 76 Danny Drinkwater shot over from the edge of the Blues box with the game still very much in the balance but with the visitors starting to make a bit more of an impression.

Soon after, Chopra and Morgan clashed as they chased a ball down the left but referee Deadman made no comment and the pair appeared to make up shortly afterwards.

Blues boss McCarthy swapped Martin and Chopra for Emmanuel-Thomas and Daryl Murphy for the final 10 minutes, the departing duo receiving a warm ovation as they went off.

Within a minute of his introduction, Murphy irked Foxes skipper Morgan after they clashed in the air. The ex-Forest man felt he’d been caught by an elbow and protested to referee Deadman, then made his annoyance known to Murphy and picked up a yellow card.

Kane headed a Konchesky cross from the left over when he should have hit the target with the Foxes by now having more of the game.

However, moments later it was the Blues who would go in front. Morgan appeared not to have regained his composure after the earlier incident when Murphy dispossessed him midway inside the Leicester half. The Irishman played in McGoldrick on the left of the area and the striker beat Schmeichel as he advanced off the line to claim his second goal for Town.

On 89 Henderson did well to get a punch to De Laet’s cross from the right under pressure, the keeper getting clattered by Kane after the ball had gone. Andy King’s shot struck Smith and flew over.

Leicester came close to an equaliser deep in injury time when a cross from the right fell to King inside the area but sub Emmanuel-Thomas superbly threw himself in front of his shot to block. Soon after, the whistle went to confirm a vital three points to the Blues.

It was a game which could have gone either way and Leicester will rue missing a number of opportunities, Kane missing several of them, most notably after Chambers’s poor pass.

There was little between the teams throughout with Town battling away as they have done since McCarthy took over as boss but also played some good stuff themselves.

McGoldrick had had one chance before the goal which he took with the confidence of a man who has now netted 19 goals this season for the Blues and Coventry.

The result takes Town up to 42 points and into 18th place, six points from the relegation zone with Sheffield Wednesday in action against Nottingham Forest — Town’s opponents on Tuesday - at Hillsborough this evening.

Town: Henderson, Stearman, Chambers, Smith, Cresswell, Edwards (c), N'Daw, Hyam, Martin (Emmanuel-Thomas 80), Chopra (Murphy 80), McGoldrick (Drury 90). Unused: Loach, Kisnorbo, Mclean, Nouble.

Leicester City: Schmeichel, De Laet, Konchesky, Drinkwater, Morgan (c), Marshall (Gallagher 69), King, Keane, Knockaert (Dyer 66), Kane, Wood. Unused: Whitbread, Vardy, Logan, Waghorn, Wellens. Referee: Darren Deadman (Cheshunt). Att: 17,021 (Leicester: 1,091).


Photo: Action Images



Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.



oscarwhiting added 17:43 - Mar 2
Great result.
0

kuyski added 17:44 - Mar 2
3 points and clean sheet !fantastic day !well done all of the IPSWICH fighter!
0

wkj added 17:44 - Mar 2
couldn't have asked for more from our back line today and a nice goal to cap it off. This years league is so so tight and no one deserves to be relegated at all- I'm just pleased ITFC put in a good solid business like display to claw another three precious points! I have no doubt we will finish atleast 15th this year as I felt the team lift at Portman Road today and I fancy our chances of getting 10 in the next 5! I T F C! Mick McCarthy's Blue n White Army!
0

taylor15 added 17:44 - Mar 2
absolutely HUGE 3 points. really good to see our defence finally starting to take some shape, with tommy smith, being a standout performer since mick has taken over. great results for everyone associated with the club, and lets push on and clear ourself from safety. peterborough next week is a 6 pointer, and lets just cement our position in the league this season, and next season lets have something to cheer about, other than mid-table finishes. delighted after today boys, sounded like a thorough performance from the lads.

MICK MCCARTHY'S BARMY ARMY!
0

TractorBeezer added 17:49 - Mar 2
Well done MM and the lads. Great to have good performances from everyone. Again not overly pretty but the defence is strong and we are moving toward safety.
0

blueherts added 17:53 - Mar 2
Massive points today - with a clean sheet and good to see JET - who I have been critical of - put in a great shift and really work hard
We may never get 90 minutes out of him but his last ditch block could be a pivotal moment
Moving the right way but today shows now barmy the league is - Blackburn get done 3-0 last week by Leicester then lose at home to PBoro - next week is a BIG game
Great to have 'positive saturday feeling ' back again
Well done Mick and Terry on all they have done and in their handling of JET
Calm finish by McGoldrick and will miss him on Tues night
0

ericclacton added 17:57 - Mar 2
Brilliant game.
0

h32 added 17:58 - Mar 2
Great 3 points today - and another clean sheet - got to be happy with that , BUT we must increase the goal threat somehow, because not being able to score puts it's own 'extra' pressure on our well shaping up defence .

A mention too for our near neighbours who had an excellent win at Stevenage - well done Joe Dunne & Co - as for our 'other' neighbours - well ....... commiserations on a postcard.

Happy Saturday Evening to All.
0

irishtim added 18:00 - Mar 2
Well done to all involved.
0

h32 added 18:03 - Mar 2
..... except the plank who clicked the minus button !!
0

bugledog123 added 18:04 - Mar 2
COYB! More of this please...
0

wkj added 18:04 - Mar 2
awww the Norwich fans are obviously upset we won today by down voting all of us - did you lot have a bad result today by chance?
0

Ipswichbusiness added 18:14 - Mar 2
Leicester have a very good side with some dangerous players so three points and a clean sheet is an excellent result. By the sound of it, Luke Hyam had a decent game. We need a few more results like this and then we should be safe.
0

ITFCMarcus00 added 18:23 - Mar 2
Great result! Well earned hard fought battle!
0

Kikapu added 18:25 - Mar 2
I wonder if the 'less than perfect pitch' was intentional?
0

Michael11 added 18:28 - Mar 2
Absolutely delighted!! 3 massive points and results going well for us elsewhere. Lifts any pressure if going to Forest on tuesday. Thought McGoldrick was outstanding today! Does anyone know if he's allowed to play on Tuesday or not?
0

warksonwater added 18:33 - Mar 2
Should be all right now. Aim should now be to climb as high as possible. Incredibly enough, looking at the table, I don't think a top half finish is entirely beyond us!
0

jas1972 added 18:35 - Mar 2
A magnificent result and a performance that cannot be criticised as far as effort, resilience, determination and sheer hard work is concerned. The defence was excellent, the odd blip apart, and the front pair worked their socks off - Chopra was named MoM at the ground and while there were other candidates it was difficult to argue with. The aspect of the game that is missing is creativity in midfield; this leads to lack of service to the front which is why (h32) we don't threaten or score as much as we should. In addition, while I cannot fault Lee Martin for hard work and application I am coming to the conclusion that he just isn't particularly good in the role that he plays - once again there was just no end product from some excellent runs and ball-winning tackles. But all in all, a wonderful afternoon.
0

warktheline added 18:35 - Mar 2
As i posted earlier in week,MM and TC will grind points out until Town are safe.Loving it Mick,you and TC have turned this club around,no doubt about it.
0

h32 added 18:36 - Mar 2
warksonwater - ..... just take a little more water with it - it will help.
0

TimmyH added 18:46 - Mar 2
Really really needed that win with some tough looking fixtures away coming up! One things for sure since Mick has come in and that is we have toughened up at the back, only 4 goals conceded in 7 games.
If we stay up this win and the Blackpool game could prove decisive as I don't think we'll score to many goals away. Well done lads another well ground out win!
0

runningout added 18:47 - Mar 2
Great result.. next game tough too...
0

ManningtreeBlue99 added 19:05 - Mar 2
Sheer effort and persistance got us that win! Just need a creative midfielder to provide the assists now
0

TimmyH added 19:18 - Mar 2
Yep nice to see I got a minus post for a relatively realistic post. Well done.
0

h32 added 19:25 - Mar 2
TimmyH - the world of people, and how they think - is a strange place !! .....

I would think the minus's bother you - about as much as they do me - good post, enjoy the win .....
0


You need to login in order to post your comments

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls

About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© TWTD 1995-2024