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Blackpool 0-3 Ipswich Town - Half-Time - Ipswich Town News

Goals from skipper Luke Chambers, Gwion Edwards and Teddy Bishop have given the Blues a 3-0 half-time lead over Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.

Town boss Paul Lambert made three changes from the team which drew 1-1 away against the MK Dons last week with Myles Kenlock, Emyr Huws and Alan Judge coming into the XI.

Kenlock was at left-back for Stephen Ward, who was expected to miss out with the achilles injury he suffered at Stadium MK, Huws took over in midfield for Jon Nolan, who was left out as a precaution due to a calf strain, and Judge came in for Freddie Sears, who dropped to the bench. The Irishman started on the right with Edwards moving to the left.

Loanees Mark McGuinness and Keanan Bennetts were both included in the 18 for the first time, while Luke Woolfenden and Kayden Jackson were also among the subs.

Former Town midfielder Grant Ward and ex-loanee Luke Garbutt, making his full league debut, both started for the Seasiders.

Striker Gary Madine was handed his first start of the season, while new addition Jordan Gabriel made his League One debuts for the home side.

The players took a knee in solidarity with Black Lives Matter before the game got under way in blustery conditions.

Toto Nsiala blocked a Madine effort on the edge of the box in the fifth minute with the Tangerines starting the game on the front foot and Town struggling to pass their way out from the back.

On 14 Garbutt shot over from distance following a Blackpool corner on the right, but two minutes later, the Blues took the lead via their first serious attack of the game.

Andre Dozzell played a ball into the feet of Oli Hawkins, who laid it off to Edwards, who left Gabriel standing as he broke down the left at pace and sent over a cross which reached Chambers bursting into the area.

As the ball bounced up to him potentially awkwardly, the skipper smashed a superb strike which flew past Blackpool captain and keeper Chris Maxwell to his right and into the roof of the net.

Chambers celebrated his second goal of the second, and almost certainly his best for Town, in front of the empty stand behind the goal, cupping his hand to an ear.

Chances were a rarity at both ends following the goal with neither side able to create a significant opportunity. However, just before the half hour, a loose ball fell to Keshi Anderson on the edge of the box but his strike flew well over.

Moments later, the ball was cut back to Ward who turned and shot but the former Town man’s effort was charged down by a determined Blues backline.

Town made it 2-0 with their second shot of the game in the 37th minute. Kenlock dispossessed Gabriel on the Town left and brought it inside before it was stabbed away from him. Bishop played a clever ball out wide for Edwards and Hawkins left it for the Welshman, who cut in and hit a low shot between Maxwell and his right post for his third goal of the season.

A minute after the goal Ethan Robson was booked for the latest in a series of fouls on Bishop and in the 39th minute the midfielder almost created a third for the Blues.

The midfielder chased a ball down the right and crossed it low towards Hawkins, who shot over from the edge of the area under pressure from Marvin Ekpiteta, who the former Portsmouth man felt had fouled him. Referee Christopher Sarginson believed otherwise and it would have been a harsh penalty.

In the final scheduled minute of the half, Town made it 3-0. Anderson went to ground somewhat easily on the Blues’ right just inside the Blackpool half, Bishop picked up the loose ball and made a trademark driving run towards the area before curling a low shot which crept just inside Maxwell’s right post.

It was the midfielder’s third goal of the season at a ground where he enjoyed one of his best afternoon’s as an 18-year-old in his breakthrough 2014/15 season, picking up two assists in a 2-0 win.

Gabriel was booked for a frustrated foul in injury time before referee Sarginson brought to an end a half which couldn’t have gone much better for the Blues.

While it was never a fluent passing display, the windy conditions made that unlikely, they looked a threat every time they went near the Blackpool area, scoring with three of their four shots.

At the other end, the Town defence had been as resolute as they were at Stadium MK last week with Nsiala and Wilson repelling everything sent in their direction.

Blackpool: Maxwell (c), Gabriel, Robson, Anderson, Yates, Madine, Ward, Turton, Ekpiteta, Hamilton, Garbutt. Subs: Sims, Thorniley, Williams, Mitchell, Kemp, Antwi, Lubala.

Town: Holy, Chambers (c), Nsiala, Wilson, Kenlock, Dozzell, Huws, Bishop, Judge, Edwards, Hawkins. Subs: McGuinness, Woolfenden, Jackson, Lankester, Bennetts, Sears, Cornell. Referee: Christopher Sarginson (Staffordshire).

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