Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
dalianwasexciting added 22:39 - Dec 30
For once stopping in Ipswich after a game....so not having to write this from a train! Hard to describe the game, a bright start which faded, a second half which started badly and then moved to frustration and when Andre came on an excellent attacking 20 minutes.

Its it a co incidence we win with only half of Sluglass playing?

Bart. Was clattered by Berra in a mix up for their goal but not a lot to do.
chambers. As ever not looking like a secure right back but not terrible.
Kenlock. Refreshingly good at LB. composed on the ball but needs a run in the side because he is better than Knhdsen.
Berra. Had a real battle with Wilbraham and won it.
Webster, a couple of shaky moments but on the whole a good performance with one terrific Crossfield ball in the first half standing out.
Bru. Neat and tidy and toom his goal very well, but faded away and Andre shone as his replacement,
Skuse. Anonymous
Ward, our best player in the first balf, some good dribbles even if the final cross needed to be better
Lawrence. A great second half. But he really does need to pass to others at times!
Pitman. Save for his excellently taken goal did very little, I cannot recall him winning a single header out in the Steve Whitton role.
Didz. Still our most talented player, always looking to go forward and make things happen

Dozzell. For the 20 plus minutes he was on, man of the match! Forward passing with both accuracy and incisiveness, one wonderful run and through ball, composure on the ball and vision, he is going to be a star.

3



Mullet added 23:14 - Dec 30
Thick fog and gloom hung over Portman Road as 2016 as fellow strugglers Bristol City lined up against Town, less than a month after besting us in the return fixture. What better time than a festive lull and strangers dressed in red for the diehards to come out?

Knudsen dropped to the bench, instead Kenlock took his place in an otherwise familiar back five. Bru took the place of Douglas who was as missing as any goat or other old McCarthy type. Skuse sat next to the Frenchman fancied by Mick with Ward and Lawrence outside those two. They, the legs that switched and swapped on either flank as attacking midfielders. Dids and Pitman a more recognised partnership.

Town took Brizzle's kickoff and pressed them. After one minute McGoldrick opened his body and the play to find Ward who charged down his man and lots of space with one frantic touch too many. His cross swinging out of play to no one, just. Two minutes and Lawrence cuts inside as he does. Again forcing his defenders down and pushing play towards the goal line.

It was a game where Town's slightly altered 442 matched the shape Bristol used to beat us. The away side looked very much like one on a shaky run and when Town took the game to them they shuddered.

The giant Flint was tellingly bypassed by each goalkick and push forward. Bart targeting Ward and shifting the deadball away from the obvious defensive strengths. Along with the deeper central unit of Skuse and Bru Town found an excellent amount of space to turn the hips an inch and change the spread of play time and time again.

However Tomlin was the first to show what worked against us previously. Four players let him go before he skidded to the turf having decided long ago, running just isn't for him. The ref brought it. Bart caught it. A poor chip right into his arms.

Town went back on he front foot and combined well across the attacking line without drawing clear. Pitman beat is man more than once with a little muscle and a lot of guile, at times McGoldrick played some obscene touches. An unsighted cushion on the volley deserved a defensive inquiry as the away side looked at each other whilst crosses and shots whizzed past everyone or crashed against bodies without finding the target.

At the back Abrahams who caused Bart so much woe previously broke free only to have a heroic challenge from Chambers push him off course. It was a rare moment where the threat looked real, while Town schemed admirably but struggled to execute the final touch.

This summed up much of Kenlock's game who's final and first touch was neither consistently good or consistently bad. Either told how successful he'd be. Sometimes he'd turn Freeman at ease, sometimes he'd turn right into Freeman. The young left back deputy has lots to learn and lots to take heart from. He often spotted the run of Lawrence ahead of him but not his own chance to run ahead of him on the overlap. One nice crossing chance went begging too often, but Town weren't feeding on scraps tonight.

A beautiful run from McGoldrick saw him one step ahead of everyone thanks to the industry of Ward who drove a stake through the breathing room in the Rover defence. Dids touched delicately to make space at the near post then spray the ball across the face of the goal and everyone else for a throw. No one could catch up with his feet or thinking.

It was the long sweeping motions from deep inside Town that dictated the play. Webster didn't look like the £4m man when he underhit an audacious pass way behind the motoring Ward, with a stab of his weak foot. His edgy heading often squirted defensive moments neither side could savour. His strong suit on the floor rarely lead to a moment that would cause City blushes.

But when it came, how Town fans smiled. A first corner from Little taking a big risk and clashing the ball off of Lawrence and then himself. The Welshman's swing cleared poorly, Ward fluffed his lines and a dominant Webster composed himself and a lovely stroke into Lawrence who again, cut inwards and drilled the ball into the danger zone. The Mauritian cocked his wand and knee to provide a little bit of magic and a deadly finish past Fielding. Barely 5 minutes from half time and Town's deserved pressure split the deadlock like an axe.

A wounded City struggled to muster an immediate answer but asked questions of Town's temperament. Another cheap booking for Pitman who disagreed with a nothing foul with his typical charm and the demeanour of a Parisian waiter. Tomlin served up another bit of gamesmanship to enable Abrahams and Wilbraham to hammer at Bart's door weakly one last time.

After the break Bristol would obviously come at Town wanting blood. Curiously they subbed both full backs. It was a telling swap. Not long after a few furious runs at us, Bart shanked a goal kick to none but the away bench. From there they launched a simple throw while their new LB loitered unmarked in no mans land. Abrahams would find just enough time to pick him out on the turn and let him fly down the line. Ward couldn't get to him and Chambers had his man already.

Robins' Bryan would launch a cross, Bart claimed, Berra stuck his nose in and somehow the ball squirmed free. It barely hit the deck before Abrahams run away from goal, this time already scoring as the Blues pointed out and at each other's failings.

All square and not in terms of balance. Town pushed back immediately and Berra this time found a header in the box not quite as deadly. He plopped a lovely Lawrence freekick back to Ward who could only nod right at the keeper in a split second.

If Town have been typically shot-shy this season it wasn't for lack of trying tonight. A much more composed passage of play that typified the first half, resumed now the scores were level. Pitman nearly changed the course of the game along with his centre of gravity. A looping overhead kick fell kindly to Fielding after a defending midfielder somehow looped the ball onto his own bar to tee up the Channel Islander.

Bristol made their final change as Town then made their first. Central Defender Magnusson hobbled off under no challenge after his colleague committed a foul. Although already booked, again the visitors played musical chairs on the bench and pitch. Winger O'Dowda came on as another central player dropped back.

Town soon removed Bru who's shine had dimmed whilst the fog lifted. The goal scorer rested in favour of Dozzell. The well-received youngster took a couple of minutes to make an impression, but when he did it stuck. As with the man he replaced, when he found the space he often found the ball and his man.

One such move saw Lawrence again slice through time and space to test everyone. A corner from his shot saw arms raised, as Blues were convinced the Captain's effort had been handled from the resultant corner. If you make your own luck, it's no wonder McCarthy's team have had such an unproductive year.

Ward who had put in the kind of shift the gaffer likes with his endless energy had sparked those around him into life more than once tonight, was changed for the ever-ready Freddie Sears. With his first touch the sub nearly scored.

Again Andre took a moment, and made one. His left foot proved to be so cultured it will one day be dragging him into a museum or two. His delicious chip, dipped to Pitman who sent Sears through. Once again keeper and defender collided but the loose ball meant Sears took just enough ground and time to see his shot clattered off the line by the recovering defence. A sure lead snatched away from us. There was red sprayed and sprawled all over the box but no reward for such penetrative play.

Both sides sensed an opportunity and Town knocked it about much better. McGoldrick finding his rhythm long enough to again run straight at goal only to. See yet another curling sidefoot end up the wrong side of the post.

Bristol used their sheer size and muscle to lump themselves and the ball forward. A rare piece of skill came earlier in the half when Freeman dared Kenlock and the kid jumped in. Leaving man and the ball in play as he careered out of touch, he could only watch like us as the man who got the winner and Ashton Gate drilled the ball at the near post.

Again Town showed how this type of attacking should be done. Lawrence remained where Ward had departed as a loose cannon, barraging Bristol. When he cut play across to Sears who now occupied the right sided spot, the one time Hammer knocked in the sweetest of crosses. Once more Pitman put his back into it. His indulgences and predatory skill combined in an arcing moment of centrifugal grace at the back post. Landing flat and flush on the cool, crisp turf in front of the risen North. The ball scorching inside the post and into the net.

It was worth the wait. It was worth the admission fee. It was worth the warm fuzzy feeling inside and for some maybe outside too. If the reverse was settled by a world, Town evened things up tonight.

Throwing everything and everyone at us, defence became attack as the gigantic Flint became a forward-looking focal point of every lump with and without the ball. Town held on and even placed Reg out there for McGoldrick. His work done, it was time to pin down the injury time with a little more power and less precision.

Overall Town may well look to the future with every opportunity. Webster proved, he is an abundant talent but not the finished article. Kenlock a worthy deputy but not yet fully rounded enough to wear the badge of definite starter. He sometimes made the right choice, he sometimes looked at ease but not every time and not often enough yet.

Dozzell made his biggest mark yet. Just by doing simpler things. His vision and passing is wonderful. When he sticks to his game and his position he showed tonight what a skill set he has at his disposal. Lots of cameos, will mean when his time comes he too could be a leading man.

Really it was about the established patterns and players under McCarthy. Pitman may well hate the supersub tag, but that late goal was superb and it was a 90 mins where again he didn't always get the service, but he got his deserved plaudits.

The defence where largely solid and ultimately Bart will have to shoulder the blame for not commanding the area and the cross which led to another soft and potentially disastrous goal. Ward and Lawrence where the wheels that kept Town running tonight, and while Skuse and Bru had their moments they also slid from view when Town were looking to keep momentum their way. McGoldrick just has it. We just need to see it more often.

Disappointing to see such a low crowd. But not a browbeaten or defeatist one. Rarely was there a lot of noise, but not a lot of complaints either. A strange time at Portman Road.
4



Les57 added 10:41 - Dec 31
Once again Luke Chambers is given the lowest player rating which I stated to friends would happen before the match. The only way he would not be bottom is if Jonathon Douglas was playing. These ratings are a waste of time when idiots do not bother to mark fairly the players.
No doubt elsewhere there will be some muppet saying he disrespected the fans by not doing his normal fist pump after the game. Well in my opinion that should work both ways, when he is shown some respect by the fans then perhaps he will do the same.
0



Sam added 17:08 - Dec 31
By SAM ITFC FAN (AGED 10)

A better performance than other home games this season but not amazing. We created good chances but couldn't do much with them. Tom Lawrence made some good runs and had the ability to take on players. Grant Ward played well in the first half . He made a few good runs but faded in the second half.
And what a goal from Brett Pitman. He didn't really do much otherwise but the point is he scored the winner.
We've got three very winnable games now so we have to see them as a chance to move up the table.
I'm a season ticket holder in the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand lower with my Grandad and it was a better atmosphere than usual so everyone clearly enjoyed themselves more than other home games.
1



You need to log in to participate in Your Report

Your Report

6 AugSunderland A1 - 213
9 AugBristol R CCR1H2 - 00
12 AugStoke City H2 - 05
19 AugQPR A0 - 13
26 AugLeeds H3 - 46
29 AugReading CCR2A2 - 22

2 SepCardiff City H3 - 28
16 SepSheff Wed A0 - 16
19 SepSouthampton A0 - 16
23 SepBlackburn H4 - 35
26 SepWolves CCR3H3 - 23
30 SepHuddersfield A1 - 13

3 OctHull City H3 - 06
7 OctPreston H4 - 24
25 OctBristol City A0 - 13
28 OctPlymouth H3 - 26

1 NovFulham CCR4H1 - 32
4 NovBirmingham A2 - 27
7 NovRotherham A2 - 22
11 NovSwansea H3 - 24
25 NovWBA A2 - 09
29 NovMillwall H3 - 13

2 DecCoventry City H2 - 16
9 DecMiddlesbrough A0 - 25
12 DecWatford A1 - 28
16 DecNorwich H2 - 28
23 DecLeeds A4 - 06
26 DecLeicester H1 - 16
29 DecQPR H0 - 09

1 JanStoke City A0 - 01
6 JanWimbledon FACR3A1 - 36
13 JanSunderland H2 - 113
22 JanLeicester A1 - 17
27 JanMaidstone FACR4H1 - 213

3 FebPreston A3 - 27
10 FebWBA H2 - 29
14 FebMillwall A0 - 45
17 FebSwansea A1 - 21
20 FebRotherham H4 - 310
24 FebBirmingham H3 - 13

2 MarPlymouth A0 - 25
5 MarBristol City H3 - 212
9 MarCardiff City A2 - 14
16 MarSheff Wed H6 - 010
About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© TWTD 1995-2024