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Town 3-2 MK Dons - Match Report
Saturday, 30th Apr 2016 17:05

Town ended their home campaign with a 3-2 victory over the MK Dons. David McGoldrick put the Blues in front on 16 but conceded a penalty just before the break from which Alex Revell equalised. Brett Pitman put Town back in front on 68, Revell equalised again six minutes later before Luke Varney won it in the final minute.

Town made five changes from the team which drew 0-0 at Middlesbrough last week with Teddy Bishop, Josh Emmanuel, Myles Kenlock, Dean Gerken and Christophe Berra all starting.

Luke Chambers (ankle) and Jonas Knudsen (knee) were both left out, while Bartosz Bialkowski, Paul Digby and Luke Hyam all dropped to the bench. Kenlock was making his league debut and Bishop his first senior start of the season.

The already-relegated MK Dons, who were playing their first ever game at Portman Road, included ex-Blue Dean Bowditch but there was no place in the 18 for on-loan QPR man Jay Emmanuel-Thomas or former Town keeper Cody Cropper, while Jonny Williams’s loan spell ended last week.

Prior to kick-off You’ll Never Walk Alone was played over the PA in tribute to the 96 who died at Hillsborough with fans standing and applauding.

After a quiet start to the game the Blues threatened first in the 12th minute when Emmanuel found himself space on the right and crossed to Kenlock, who looped a header not far over the crossbar.

Town were beginning to put the visitors under pressure and on 15 McGoldrick was found in space on the left of the area but his shot was deflected behind.

But the Republic of Ireland international didn’t have to wait too long for his first goal since the Brighton game on August 29th.

Feeney played the ball in from the left to Sears, who crossed on the turn to McGoldrick, who deftly touched the ball into the net.

The Blues twice went close to making it 2-0 in the 20th minute. First Emmanuel found McGoldrick, whose shot was palmed away by 20-year-old MK Dons keeper Charlie Burns to his right, then after Kenlock had cut back from the left Burns, making only his second senior start, saved to his left from Bishop. From the resultant corner an unmarked Berra flicked a header wide.

Three minutes later Daniel Powell hit the visitors’ first effort of the afternoon wide, then Kevin Bru shot well over from distance for the Blues.

Powell picked up the game’s first yellow card in the 35th minute for a cynical pull on Kenlock after the 19-year-old had beaten him and was about to take the ball into the area. A minute later, Berra headed wide from a Bru corner on the left.


On 39 Josh Murphy did well down the MK left but his low cross was too far in front of Alex Revell.

As the half moved into injury time the visitors drew level from the penalty spot. Samir Carruthers was being held up inside the area on the left by Tommy Smith and as he looked to cut inside the centre-half McGoldrick rushed in and sent the midfielder tumbling.

There was little doubt it was a penalty and Revell dispatched the spotkick, sending the ball to his left and Gerken to his right.

The whistle went soon afterwards to end a half which ought to have finished with the Blues in front and would have done but for McGoldrick’s rather injudicious challenge.

Prior to that, aside from a few dangerous Murphy crosses, Town had been well in control for the most part and having gone in front via McGoldrick’s well-taken goal looked like they were on their way to a comfortable home win, having had opportunities to increase their advantage.

McGoldrick scuffed a shot from 25 yards through to Burns, then on 41 Bishop burst into the box but was ultimately stopped in his tracks.

But the visitors had grown on confidence having levelled and on 52 Carruthers hit a shot across Gerken, which the keeper pushed away from goal to his left.

As the game moved past the hour mark the ball fell to Bishop just inside the area after good work from McGoldrick on the left, but the 19-year-old scraped his shot wide. As had been planned before the game Bishop made way on 63 with Pitman taking over.

Soon after the change, Freddie Sears broke into the area on the left and hit a shot across Burns, which the keeper did well to palm behind, however, referee Keith Stroud inexplicably awarded a goalkick.

A banner bearing the legend ‘No ambition = bored fans’ briefly appeared in the Sir Bobby Robson Stand, then on 68 the Blues restored their lead.

Bru whipped over a freekick from the right after Feeney had been fouled and sub Pitman flicked home his 11th goal of the season. With Daryl Murphy not expected to play for Town again this season due to his calf injury, the summer signing from Bournemouth now seems certain to be the club’s top scorer.

The Blues had been less dominant after the break but having scored their second goal their self-belief seemed to return and they went looking for a third.

On 71 Pitman won a number of tackles while grounded on the edge of the box and fed Bru, who rode a challenge and curled a shot wide.

However, two minutes later, the visitors again pulled level. Murphy sent in a freekick from deep and Revell got in behind the Blues’ backline to poke past Gerken. While Town prepared to take the centre Varney took over from Feeney.

On 78 former Blue Bowditch was applauded off by his old fans and was replaced by Nicky Maynard.

As the game moved into its final 10 minutes Bru shot well over after good work from Pitman, then Kenlock cut in from the left and curled an effort just over.

Smith was booked for a foul on Murphy in the 87th minute and from the freekick, which the winger took himself, Kevin Long headed wide.

As the match moved into its final scheduled minute, the Blues scored a third home goal for the first time this season to claim the three points and their first win in eight.

League debutant Kenlock crossed from deep on the left and Varney nodded home his first goal of the campaign from close range.

There was no chance for the MK Dons to hit back and referee Stroud confirmed the Blues’ victory, their ninth at home this season.

In truth it ought to have been a more comfortable win, particularly after McGoldrick, who had revelled in the space he was afforded in the first half, had put the Blues in front.

The somewhat needless penalty from which the visitors equalised saw the Dons come out more confident after the break but the Blues again got on top and went ahead again through Pitman.

The defending for Revell’s second equaliser will have disappointed the Town management. But as ever the Blues kept going and deserved their winner when it came via Varney.

Following the match, the players, joined by their children, and the staff made the traditional lap of appreciation round the pitch receiving warm applause from those fans who had remained behind.

Town, who can now only finish in their current position of eighth or seventh, complete their 2015/16 season when they travel to Derby County next Saturday lunchtime.

Town: Gerken, Emmanuel, Smith, Berra, Kenlock, Skuse (c), Bru, Bishop (Pitman 63), Feeney (Varney 74), Sears, McGoldrick. Unused: Bialkowski, Digby, Foley, McDonnell, Hyam.

MK Dons: Burns, Baldock, Long, Walsh, Lewington (c), Potter, Carruthers (Baker 66), Powell, Bowditch (Maynard 78), Murphy, Revell (Furlong 88). Unused: Spence, McFadzean, Jackson, Kasumu. Referee: Keith Stroud (Hampshire). 19,631 (MK Dons: 489).


Photo: Action Images



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blue75 added 17:09 - Apr 30
2-2 when I left another lacklustre performance!!!
-14

tractordownsouth added 17:11 - Apr 30
Bet you regret that now blue75
17

Chris_ITFC added 17:12 - Apr 30
blue75 - Serves you right. If the team can fight until the end in a dead rubber, the least you can do is support them.

Ipswich 'til I die, through good, bad and ugly.
21

TimmyH added 17:14 - Apr 30
Nice to see at last a few goals at PR and finally a win for the first time in yonks but it takes a last minute goal (again) to see off a relegated team, a higher standard of football and entertainment is needed next season Mr McCarthy.
Derby next week and at last we can close the chapter on this disappointing season.
19

blue75 added 17:22 - Apr 30
Tractordownsouth no not at all when you've had enough you know it's time to go!! Shame Mcarthy doesn't know that.
1

blue75 added 17:24 - Apr 30
CHRIS ITFC sat in old Trafford till the end of the 0-9.
-2

blue75 added 17:25 - Apr 30
Oops 9-0 sad I have to drink so much to watch the town these days!!
0

prebsa added 17:36 - Apr 30
A really enjoyable game of football against an average MK Dons side. Didn't really look like they would score until they got that penalty. And then we seemed to look half asleep for the second. But we kept working and playing some good football and by the end got a win I thought we deserved.

Should start by saying that I thought Kenlock and Emmanuel had a really good game. Kenlock I thought defended well and made some good forward runs and I would happily see him play ahead of Knudsen. Same with Emmanuel who I thought look much more composed with the ball at his feet than chambers does.

Skuse I thought sat well infront of the back four cleaning up well and moving the ball about. And with Bru and bishop infront the creativity from the midfield really showed. And when skuse was covering Bru and bishop were both happy to drop back and help out.

Sears freeny and McGoldrick ran the game up top well and worked well together feeding my off each others plays and runs.

McGoldrick looked back to his best along with bishop. Two players we have clearly missed a lot this year! Thought when bishop went off McGoldrick went back there and played the roll well picking the ball up making runs and some great creative passes.

This game has clearly proven that if you pick the right players and get them to play the right way we can entertain the fans. Not once did we hoof the ball in panic. Only hoofing it for a clearance which is fine!

Gerken was an interesting choice but I'm guessing it was to give him a game as I'm sure Bart will be out number one next year.

Normal down marks for me from the people that vote me down on my name alone and not my actually opinion of comment and most likely haven't even made it this far down my post.

Don't have a problem with you voting me down but let me know why!

Good game to end the season and a throughly enjoyable performance of football on show. Should be a good 2016/17. COYB!
42

TheSelkirk added 17:37 - Apr 30
Impressed by both fullbacks who played very well today ... encouraging !
27

EssexTractor added 17:37 - Apr 30
And so the final Portman Road curtain comes down in a tepid match.
Moments for both Emmanuel and Kenlock to smile about.
MCGoldrick showed touches of class and both Pitman and Varney demonstrated their main abilities as being substitutes.
Nothing to look back on in 2015-16 with great joy outside of the first month and some glimpses of Premeiership class from Ryan Frazer.
So to look forward, we know some will not take their seats next August, that is understood.
But every August that hope does come alive again.
And for those who have subscribed please, please bring back entertainment, and for that to happen this seasons personnel cannot be relied upon to provide it.
It seems highly unlikely that the owner will dismiss MM so unless he " walks" we have what we have, and so will ME release more funds, but IF he does will our manager use it wisely, that is our summers sixty four thousand dollar question !
4

essexboy added 17:49 - Apr 30
Don't get too excited lads.We did play a team who are relegated and had many young lads playing for them today.Nevertheless it was still good to see a win although we made hard work of it.yes,both fullbacks had a good game,but remember they were up against a very average side.Time to put our feet up now and hope and pray for better things to come.!!
11

phillo added 17:49 - Apr 30
Going to Derby next week & really hope Mick keeps faith/true and keeps the young'uns in ...... whether he does (& keeps the attacking midfield/formation and doesn't revert to type with 2 dm's away from home in a game that means nothing to us OR to a certain extent Derby) is an acid test for me ....... as is whether he then does it next season.
With 2 more attacking full backs we can go 4-3-3 (or even 4-2-3-1) & really go at teams.
Wishful thinking ?
6

TractorBoy666 added 18:09 - Apr 30
The amount of fans who moaned about the banner today in the SBR stand shows we have a lot of fans who remain happy with championship football. 'At least we didn't get relegated' should we really be aiming that low?! I had the pleasure of two different people next to me today talking about if fans are bored then why come! Because we actually care for our club and are very passionate, as the football I have witnessed this season at PR has been dreadful. These two fans weren't even watching the game for most of it!

Positives on today's performance were our two full backs who were so much better going forward, although a little less experienced when defending.

Can somebody explain why we hardly ever put the ball in the box from free kicks? When we did this we scored!
8

yungblue added 18:20 - Apr 30
Let's not kid ourselves, it still wasn't that good, only positive thing was the full backs
1

essexboy added 18:20 - Apr 30
Surely that's down to the managers tactics,isn' it.!!
1

Knightsy added 18:26 - Apr 30
I support the lad who had the banner, he was on Radio Suffolk, and he made a lot of great comments.

So today's game was my last as a season ticket holder, and there was a lot of promise out there today, with the full backs, Teddy Bishop , McGoldrick all starting.

However MM has his favourites, and I doubt he will change his selection next season.
5

sidtheswan added 18:32 - Apr 30
Not good but better than the dross we've be served up recently. Thought Bish and the young full backs were excellent. Can't see the point of playing Gerken would have thought Crowe could have played all though he was busier during half time than he would have been in the match !
4

essextractorboy93 added 18:38 - Apr 30
Lots of positives today, especially Kenlock and Emmanuel who at times showed real potential! Great to see Bishop back too, he will be like a new signing next season. McGoldrick just looked class and glad he managed a goal. Plenty to build on for next season! COYB!
6

Jimmy86 added 18:38 - Apr 30
Gerken in goal was a strange decision, based on Barts form of late. Can only imagine it was a farewell game at Portman Road. Hopefully Mick has seen what we all have and has told Gerken that Bart is going to be his number 1 next season. I thought Emmanuel and Kenlock were a breath of fresh air. Thought both were tested at times defensively, but stuck at it. And were a marked improvement going forward. Didz showed class but still always looks a bit greedy and tries to do too much by himself. Keep faith with that time but bring a Bart back in against Derby and we laughing. Nice to see the players bring their kids round at the end. Still a real family club
5

Westy added 18:38 - Apr 30
Enjoyed that - a good crowd, good atmosphere - and a win. But (and I must have my final wing of the Season), it was so dark in the last 15 minute with thunder clouds gathering, in any other game this Season the floodlights would have been switched on. But, with supposedly nothing to play for the Club thought they would save a fiver and not do so. It would have made it so much more memorable and been a spectacle as it always is when the lights are on.
-2

HarryS_H added 18:38 - Apr 30
This does show us that with a couple of big signings and a bit of work in the midfield we're not a million miles away. I know we were playing mk dons and they got two (in my opinion undeserved) goals. But there were promising signs of good play and we found a balance between some longer balls forward and a passing game.

Only down point for me is the people showing the sign in the lower sir Bobby. Saying "no ambition" is delusional. What do they think we as a club have been trying to do for 14 or whatever years?!?! We have a clear aim of reaching the premises, just because we haven't done it yet doesn't mean that A. We're not trying and B. We won'the. And I for one am not a bored fan going to Portman road every week to watch the team I support. I know the play hasn't been great but I still enjoy it and I'm definitely not bored!
-7

StochesStotasBlewe added 18:45 - Apr 30
Had a feeling today would be a bit better when the no 15 bus turned up on time for the 1st time this year, there was no queue in the bank at 2.15 & even got served with a degree of competence with beer in the concourse pre match.
Well done to our young full backs who looked fairly composed for the most part, D Mac & Bish providing the bit of quality that has been sorely missed & managing to score 3 at home at last. Yes, the opposition was poor, but, so it has for several of our recent home games. At least we tried to play a more passing style today & it was pleasing to see some good movement off the ball resulting in much less aimless hoofball. Would hope the management will give these lads another run out against much better opposition to see how they cope next weekend, we shall see.
A much more enjoyable afternoon than of late, hope this is the norm next season. COYB.
12

jas0999 added 18:54 - Apr 30
Nice to finish the home season with three points and also good to see some goals. However, this was a nothing game against relegated opposition whose manager stated before the game that they weren't bothered by the result. To give the lead away twice and have to rely on a last minute goal - again- is somewhat disappointing. More importantly despite the goals this certainly wasn't that entertaining and although there was some good stuff, this wasn't the performance of a team that had so called promotion aspirations nor look good enough to be more than mid table next season.

As we know the entertainment on offer this season has been poor and ultimately since the lack of ambition in January it's been an extremely disappointing 2016. This result hasn't changed things and we now need to plan for the future which involves a complete overhaul in terms of transfer policy, standard of football and the quality of player signed. Backwards season, much better needed next year.
13

finzha added 18:57 - Apr 30
Great game from every single town player on that pitch. Yes the team we beat was MK Dons and that's not amazing but lets be honest both their goals were undeserved. Ken lock and Emmanuel were brilliant and we played some attractive football!
Bishop was excellent as expected and good to see sears up top again!
Gerken did well in the big boots he had to fill and was good to see McGoldrick and Varney get their first goals in ages.
Yes it was against an under par team but play like that again and we'll deserve a comfortable win over Derby!
Not many negatives people can search for today, sorry!
2

BlueMachines added 19:04 - Apr 30
Harry what have you been watching. It's been as boring as I have ever seen football at times. We all have our opinion but mine is in 100% agreement about being bored this season. It's been awful. 6 times in 23 homes games we managed to score in the first half. 6. We score 3 goals once against an already relegated team. We played one game of passing football at home all season and the best player from that match is immediately dropped. If you're happy with what you have seen them fair enough. More people agreed with that banner than they had the guts to admit to today.
15


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