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Ipswich Town 4-0 Burton Albion - Match Report
Saturday, 4th Mar 2023 17:06

Conor Chaplin netted twice and Nathan Broadhead and Freddie Ladapo once each as Town comfortably beat Burton Albion 4-0 at Portman Road, their third league win on the bounce. After a sluggish start, the Blues sealed the win with three goals in 11 minutes from the 31st minute onwards, Chaplin netted the first, Broadhead the second and Ladapo the third, before Town’s top scorer took his tally for the season to 19 in the 69th minute.

Massimo Luongo and Ladapo started for the Blues in an otherwise unchanged team from the previous two matches, the 4-0 home victory over Forest Green Rovers and last week’s 1-0 win at MK Dons.

Luongo was handed his second full debut for the club in the centre of midfield with Cameron Humphreys dropping to the bench, while Ladapo came in as the number nine for George Hirst, who was also among the subs.

Burton made three changes with Conor Shaughnessy, Mark Helm and Jonny Smith coming into the team. Former Blues winger Mustapha Carayol was on the bench.

Town got off to a scruffy start, losing the ball in their own half twice within the opening five minutes but with the Brewers unable to capitalise.

On eight, Burton claimed a penalty when the ball bounced up and hit Luke Woolfenden as he battled with Dale Taylor on the left of the box, but the defender’s arms were down at his sides and referee Carl Boyeson waved away the protests.

The Blues slow start continued and in the 10th minute the visitors created the first opportunity, Tom Hamer nodding back a free-kick from the right played to the far post, Helm shooting on the turn and Woolfenden heading behind.

With Town still to really get going, Harry Clarke picked up the game’s first yellow card on the quarter hour for a foul on Helm as the former Manchester United youngster threatened to break away down the Blues’ right.

From the resultant free-kick, Deji Oshilaja, who came close to joining Town in his AFC Wimbledon days, scraped a shot well wide and Taylor diverted it nearer to goal but still beyond Christian Walton’s right post.

Jasper Moon joined Clarke in the book for a foul on Nathan Broadhead as the Town forward looked to breakaway following a Burton set piece, then visitors’ skipper John Brayford was also shown a yellow card for a high challenge on Leif Davis.

While still not on top of their game, the Blues threatened for the first time in the 20th minute, Chaplin looping a header high and wide from a cross from the right.

Three minutes later, Broadhead picked up a loose ball after a Chaplin pass had been cut out and fed Ladapo on the left but the striker’s low cross-shot was too far in front of any Town players and not close enough to goal.

Town were beginning to get on top and on 24, Wes Burns was sent away on the right into the area and cut back to Ladapo but a defender turned the ball behind. Davis’s corner was hit too long.

The Blues forced Craig MacGillivray into his first save of the afternoon in the 27th minute, Chaplin volleying from the right of the box and the former Portsmouth keeper saving sharply, Luongo having nodded on Broadhead’s ball across the area after it had been blocked.

Town were getting better and were looking more dangerous and a minute after the half hour, they went in front.


Clarke played in Burns down the right and the Welshman cut back towards Chaplin. The ball caught Hamer’s heels and fell the wrong side of the Blues’ top scorer, who twisted and turned before hitting a shot on the turn across MacGillivray and just inside the far post to give Town a vital lead and take his total for the season to 18.

Seven minutes after going in front, the Blues scored their second with the providers the same as the first.

Clarke again fed Burns on the right, the Wales international just reaching it before it crossed the byline and cutting back to Broadhead, who slammed his third goal in three home games into the net from the edge of the six-yard box.

And on 42, Town scored their third goal in 11 minutes. After Hamer had been booked for a foul on Chaplin inside the centre circle, the Blues took the free-kick quickly, Luongo played a ball out to the right and Hamer’s poor headed clearance fell to Chaplin, who threaded Ladapo in through a huge gap in the Brewers’ defence and the striker confidently slipped his 16th goal of the season past the advancing MacGillivray.

As the game moved into four minutes of injury time, Chaplin struck a shot from the edge of the area which deflected narrowly wide after a long spell of Blues’ possession around the Burton box.

That was the last action of what had been a half of two halves from Town. The Blues made an uncharacteristically sloppy start to the match, giving the ball away too easily and struggling to take control of the game.

However, as the match moved towards the half-hour mark, they began to take charge and create chances and once in front they dominated and might even have been more than three goals in front at the break.

Burton made a double change ahead of the start of the second half replacing Helm and Smith with Charlie Kirk and Josh Walker.

Broadhead saw a strike blocked two minutes after the restart with Town keeping the ball and continuing to probe before Luongo shot just wide from the edge of the area.

Four minutes into the half, there was a scare for the Blues when Walton, Taylor and Cameron Burgess collided as they battled for a cross from the left, the ball falling to Brayford on the right of the box with the keeper grounded. Fortunately for Town, the veteran ex-Derby man, who moments earlier had been fortunate not to be shown a second yellow card for a foul on Broadhead, shot well wide.

The Blues should have made it 4-0 in the 54th minute when Burns was again sent away on the right and cut back to Chaplin on the edge of the area but, having been given plenty of time, the forward scuffed his shot wide.

Within a minute, Burton broke following a Town attack, Woolfenden misjudging and allowing Walker to feed Taylor in space on the right of the box, however, Burgess slid in to make an important block. From the corner, the Blues failed to clear their lines and Taylor hooked wide but with the referee awarding a free-kick for a foul.

In the 59th minute, a Blues’ free-kick was cleared to Chaplin on the edge of the box and Burgess tried to flick on his underpowered effort but sent it wide from an offside position.

Just after the hour mark, Burton swapped Brayford for Bobby Kamwa ahead of a free-kick 30 yards out which Joe Powell struck powerfully to Walton’s right, the keeper scrambling across to palm it round the post.

The Brewers subsequently kept the Blues pinned into their area, winning three corners in quick succession, but eventually Walton confidently claimed a cross played in from the left.

However, on 64, following a long throw, Burton’s main threat in the early stages of the game, Kamwa hooked a shot towards goal which was blocked.

Three minutes later, shortly after Shaughnessy had been booked for the latest in a succession of fouls on Broadhead, the recent signing from Everton worked himself space before shooting across the face of goal following good work by Morsy.

And in the 69th minute, the Blues made it 4-0. Broadhead played Davis in on the left and the former Leeds man cut back to Chaplin on the edge of the box from where the forward struck his 19th goal of the season into the net, the ball taking a deflection off Moon on the way through.

Having established their four-goal lead, Blues boss Kieran McKenna swapped Ladapo, Chaplin and Broadhead, all of whom were given warm ovations as they left the field, for Hirst, Marcus Harness and Kyle Edwards. Three minutes later, ex-Town winger Carayol replaced Taylor for the by-now well-beaten visitors.

As Burton prepared to restart in the 77th minute following a Harness low shot wide, Australian international Luongo’s second full Town debut ended when he was switched for Humphreys, the January free signing receiving a standing ovation following a very impressive display.

In the 81st minute, Carayol cut back from the Brewers’ right to Kamwa but Woolfenden slid in to prevent the sub from getting a shot away. The ball eventually ran out to Powell but his strike flew deep into the Sir Bobby Robson Stand.

Town were forced into a change in the 83rd minute after Davis suffered what looked like an ankle knock. The left-back underwent lengthy treatment on the pitch before gingerly making his way around the perimeter, Janoi Donacien having come on on the right with Clarke moving to the left.

In injury time, the Blues weren’t far away from making it five when Humphreys crossed from the byline on the left to Harness just inside the area on the right from where the ex-Portsmouth man unleashed a volley which his one-time Pompey teammate MacGillivray did well to block.

That was the final action of a game which had effectively been over since the Blues’ quick-fire treble in the first half.

Town had opportunities to add to their lead beyond Chaplin’s fourth but the second period inevitably lacked the intensity of the latter period of the first.

The Blues have now won three in a row in the league for the first time since October and for only the second time this season. They have also kept four clean sheets in a row.

Town remain third with leaders Sheffield Wednesday and second-placed Plymouth both winning, but the Blues are now three points ahead of fourth-placed Bolton following their lunchtime 0-0 draw with Morecambe, the Trotters having played two more games than Town.

Elsewhere, Derby in fifth drew 2-2 at home to Shrewsbury and Barnsley, sixth, were held 0-0 at Bristol Rovers.

Town are next in action when Accrington Stanley, who beat bottom side Forest Green 2-0 at home this afternoon, visit Portman Road before a trip to Bolton a week today.

Town: Walton, Clarke, Woolfenden, Burgess, Davis (Donacien 83), Morsy (c), Luongo (Humphreys 77), Burns, Chaplin (Harness 70), Broadhead (Edwards 70), Ladapo (Hirst 70). Unused: Hladky, Jackson.

Burton: Macgillivray, Brayford (c) (Kamwa 61), Oshilaja, Hughes, Powell, Taylor (Carayol 73), Smith (Walker 46), Moon, Shaughnessy, Helm (Kirk 46), Hamer. Unused: Garratt, Lavelle, Ashworth. Referee: Carl Boyeson (East Yorkshire). Att: 25,000 (Burton: 147).


Photo: Matchday Images



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Stato added 17:07 - Mar 4
For me that is our strongest starting 11. Well done McKenna and the boys. Hopefully minimal changes for Tuesday.
26

CustardCream added 17:08 - Mar 4
Fantastic performance throughout, I think the team that started is our strongest team and the depth we have from the bench is scary for this level.

Luongo a class above (and I'm a huge fan of Humphries).

Shame Plymouth won too but the goal difference is looking healthy
20

Miaow added 17:09 - Mar 4
A combined 35 goals for Chadapo/Ladaplin so far this season! 🔵⚪️
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TimmyH added 17:11 - Mar 4
Good 1st half spell was the death knell for Burton today...Chaplin in a rich vein of form currently and good to see the Broadhead continuing to impress. So well done all on a good but expected victory!

The period after the next Accrington home game on Tuesday night will certainly be a far bigger test against the likes of Barnsley/Derby and Bolton and by then we'll know if the automatics are still on or have gone...
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Karlosfandangal added 17:13 - Mar 4
Bossman

Got a feeling there will be changes on Tuesday with Bolton in mind for the Saturday
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warktheline added 17:16 - Mar 4
For those claiming we'd probably slip out of the play offs…wrong! Another excellent result, ‘you can only beat what's put in front of you' 🙄…mention that today to Barnsley and Derby! Keep cranking up that pressure boys, exciting times to be a Ipswich supporter!
15

martin587 added 17:21 - Mar 4
Brillian all round performance from everybody.By far our strongest eleven and even looking at the bench it looks frightening ..All goals were taken well and Luongo looks a real gem in the centre.Everything to play for now.Just keep winning and one of the top two will eventually slip.Roll on Tuesday night.Well done supporters once again.
9

Saxonblue74 added 17:23 - Mar 4
9 points from 9. 9 for,0 against in last 3. 4 consecutive clean sheets. Could we be finding form at the business end of the season?🤔
14

Skip73 added 17:26 - Mar 4
Another convincing display and result, still a way to go but we seem to have turned a corner, albeit against sides we are expected to beat. Lets keep it going on Tues before more difficult tests to come.
Warktheline, I doubt we'll be hearing from most of those claiming we'll fall away tonight. Not much from them at all in the last couple of weeks, come to think of it.
3

blueboy1981 added 17:29 - Mar 4
Well Done All - Nice Win !
Let's see more use of a settled side to keep this rolling, whilst hoping the Pacesetters slip up !
Games are reducing in numbers, and they keep Winning - therefore we have to at least do likewise !
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Suffolkboy added 17:30 - Mar 4
Well done one and all ; but don't take your eyes off the target ,do not ease off the pedal at any time ,neither in attack or defence ,for there's still lots to be done , much to aim for and plenty of opportunities to take !
I'd guess ITFC brought a vey great deal of pleasure to a large number of people today – thank you .,
COYB
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Stato added 17:42 - Mar 4
Warkthekine and Skip we aren't competing with Derby or Barnsley for a play off place so I don't understand the gloating ?play offs are all but mathematically secure or do you two think otherwise? We are competing with plymouth Bolton derby and Barnsley for runners up spot which sadly looks too close to call at the moment. If we win at Bolton with a stuffy 1 nil please gloat all weekend long but irony is we all want promotion.
5

chopra777 added 17:42 - Mar 4
Another clean sheet and a healthy score, that's all we can do at present. Very good to see all teams behind us losing points. Sheff W and Plymouth not in full flow and will drop points. Keep on performing and automatic promotion is still possible. Good to see our forward line getting a hat full of goals. We do not want stress that Arsenal went through today.
4

jas0999 added 17:53 - Mar 4
Very good today. Burton had been on a good run, so three points, four goals and a clean sheet is very good. Thought the performance was also very good. Entertaining game. Good crowd. Great to see all three forwards on the scoresheet. An excellent Saturday night! Well done all.
13

Nobbysnuts added 17:58 - Mar 4
Well well well. Could luongo be the missing piece of the puzzle? This last part of the season could perhaps be our strongest....KM I think you have found your starting eleven just at the right time. Please stick with it.
17

IpswichT62OldBoy added 18:07 - Mar 4
We move up to seventh in the current form table, Burton had been eighth.
0

EssexTractor added 18:13 - Mar 4
For twenty five minutes Burtons possession and potential threat caused some concern and then suddenly the class we know is there came to life with superbly worked and taken goals.
Congratulations to Freddie who led the lie with force and holding the ball up and his marvellous smile after scoring underlined his jubilation .
Conor Chaplins clinical finishing is a joy but pleased to hear him say with laughter that he has retired from penalty taking , for the moment.
Braoadhead know where the net is and Burns pace returned.
Morsy played with his usual enthusiasm and even more so as beside him was Lunongo, whose calmness , his ability to play , and his toughness are clear benefits to the squad .
The fourth goal meant match was dead and so five substitutes were made, purely to give them game time.
So with clean sheets and a return to goalscoring the top two will continue to look over their shoulders as the race is not yet over .
2

IpswichT62OldBoy added 18:13 - Mar 4
After we lost to Oxford I thought we needed 20 pts out of the next eight games to get back at it, that was seven games ago.
Win on Tuesday and I think we have done it.
0

IpswichT62OldBoy added 18:15 - Mar 4
No, its 18 but back to two points a game
0

DaGremloid added 18:15 - Mar 4
Excellent win today. I was getting a bit anxious after the first 20 minutes but thankfully we stepped up and blew them away. More difficult games to come after Tuesday but this run will be building confidence for sure, albeit against teams we really should be beating anyway. Hopefully we can run into consistent form now at the right time of the season.

warktheline and skip73 - isn't it about time you and your ilk grow up and stop the constant sardonic criticism of those who don't see things the way you do? The way we were playing and the results we were getting were causing concern amongst many of us that we could slip away completely and blow the wonderful start to the season we had. That's completely different to people being negative. As it is we are still in a massive fight to gain automatic promotion, and the play-offs, if that's where we end up, will be a nerve-wracking lottery for all of us. Not sure you possess the ability to understand the nuances of people's disappointments, concerns and worries but at least have a try.
8

ringwoodblue added 18:25 - Mar 4
Great performance, superb win and another clean sheet all breeds confidence for the team in the games ahead. Special mention for Chappers who looks nailed on for top scorer and player of the season.

It has helped cement third place but unfortunately it did nothing to close the gap on Plymouth. The next two games could be a chance to make up some of the deficit.

This season is certainly exciting and there is still plenty of hope.
2

SickParrot added 18:37 - Mar 4
A good win against a team that had taken 10 points from their previous five games. KM and the players must be congratulated for getting three consecutive wins and four straight clean sheets, which looked beyond us a few weeks ago. The Sheff Wed machine keeps on winning and I believe they will be champions. After their heavy defeat last weekend I was hoping that the wheels had come off at Plymouth but their win today suggests otherwise but we need to keep the pressure on them by keeping this winning run going. Some difficult away games coming up but fingers crossed.
2

algarvefan added 18:48 - Mar 4
Luongo was pure class today, well done lads!!
4

therein61 added 18:54 - Mar 4
Well done you boys keep at it with performances like that and who knows? i still think Plymouth will falter but not Wednesday.
1

Linkboy13 added 19:14 - Mar 4
After our second half midfield performance against MK Dons i would have been amazed if we hadn't started with the same line up. I wasn't overly excited when we signed Luongo but i was proved wrong and im not too proud to admit it. Luongo and Morsy certainly add muscle and guile to the midfield and we look more solid in that department. We lost a bit of dominance with all the substitutions but with another game on Tuesday players have to be rested. I was surprised Ladapo came in for Hirst who had his best game last week but was proved wrong again. Very difficult to pick a man of the match as there were many good performances but I'd plump for Conner Chaplin who always looked dangerous and scored his two goals which normally means he's going to be replaced strange that. Very odd performance from the referee who didn't appear to be playing the hand ball rule and was woefully unfit to be officiating a league one game but nothing surprises me at league one level.


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