Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Stevenage 2-0 Town
Tuesday, 6th Aug 2013 21:41

Town’s Capital One Cup campaign came to an early end as they were defeated 2-0 at Stevenage. The home side went in front via a Filipe Morais penalty in the 50th minute, then Jordan Burrow sealed it with 15 minutes to go.

Boss Mick McCarthy handed Frederic Veseli, Christophe Berra and Dean Gerken their Blues debuts in a side featuring six changes, while up front Paul Taylor made his first start in 11 months, alongside Frank Nouble.

Paul Anderson made his first start for Town having been a sub at Reading. Youngsters Kyle Hammond and Amir Berkane were amongst the senior subs for the first time in a competitive match.

With Aaron Cresswell (thigh) and Tyrone Mings (knee) out injured, former Stevenage loanee Tommy Smith switched to left-back.

Stevenage were forced into a late change when keeper Chris Day twisted his ankle in the warm-up. Steve Arnold took over.

Frank Nouble struck the game’s first serious shot in the seventh minute after exchanging passes with Jay Tabb, but the ball deflected behind.

From the corner, Christophe Berra came closer to opening the scoring, the debutant heading Tabb’s deep ball into the box goalwards only for Sam Wedgbury to nod off the line. From the subsequent flagkick, Cole Skuse almost found Berra with a header back across goal.

Stevenage should have gone in front in the 14th minute when former Arsenal youngster Luke Freeman crossed from the right and an unmarked Oumare Tounkara headed over from six yards when he should have scored.

Darius Charles’s overhead kick bounced harmlessly wide in the 21st minute after Stevenage skipper had headed Freeman’s corner from the right back across goal. The League One side were looking the more dangerous team with Town largely pinned back in their half.

There was an uncomfortable moment for Gerken in the 26th minute when a bouncing ball was left to him by his defenders. Tounkara challenged and the keeper dropped the ball but referee Gavin Ward blew his whistle for a foul.


Taylor, who had spent much of the half dropping deep and picking the ball up in the middle of midfield, scuffed a shot well wide in the 29th minute with the Blues continuing to make little headway.

Town were forced into a change in the 35th minute after Tabb succumbed to a shoulder injury he had suffered earlier on in the half. Skipper Edwards took over in his usual right midfield role with Anderson switching to the left.

On 40, Taylor wasn’t too far away with a shot from the edge of the box which ruffled the sidenetting. Soon after, Gerken was forced into a sharp save from Morais Filipe after the midfielder had cut in from the left after beating Veseli, who moments earlier looked to have been suffering with a knock.

Town again threatened again in the 41st minute, Hyam exchanging passes with Nouble before hitting a low shot across goal which Edwards just couldn’t reach at the far post.

The Blues were finishing the half strongly and in the 44th minute Edwards crossed low from the right but Wedgbury stabbed the ball behind ahead of Nouble.

Town continued to look dangerous as the half moved towards three minutes of injury time, Taylor unleashing a powerful strike from the edge of the box which keeper Arnold did well to push round the post.

The Blues had gradually got on top towards the end of a half in which both sides had had chances to go in front. Boro’s had probably had the better of it with Tounkara likely to feel he should have done a lot better with his header.

Freeman curled a freekick wide in the opening minute of the second period, then Anderson swept a superb ball wide to Edwards on the right, but the Trinidadian’s cross flew beyond Nouble. Moments later, the ex-Wolves man headed another Edwards cross over.

In the 50th minute Stevenage were awarded a penalty after Luke Hyam tripped Tounkara just inside the box. There seemed to be little serious argument prior to Morais slamming the kick to Gerken’s right and into the net.

The Blues switched strikers Taylor and Nouble for David McGoldrick and Daryl Murphy on 55 and three minutes later the former Forest man forced Arnold into a save to his left after he was found in space on the edge of the area by Hyam. Soon after, Anderson was booked for a foul.

The substitutions seemed to have woken Town up and in the 68th minute Skuse scuffed a shot towards goal. The ball was half-cleared and McGoldrick sent in a cross from the right which Wedgbury put out of play ahead of Murphy.

From the corner, the ball eventually reached Anderson on the edge of the box and his shot flew just wide. At the other end, Gerken was off his line to claim ahead of Tounkara on the edge of his area.

Stevenage made it 2-0 in the 75th minute. Sub Robert Shroot crossed from the right and Jordan Burrow stabbed home from a few feet.

McGoldrick hit a freekick from 25 yards straight into the wall, then as the game moved into its final five minutes struck a shot on the turn which Arnold saved down to his left.

With a minute of scheduled time to go and with Berra having joined the attack, Arnold did superbly to save at the far post with Smith looking certain to score. As the game moved into added-on time, Anderson’s deflected shot was easy for the keeper, who made a number of impressive stops.

As time ran out for the Blues, Edwards sent a dangerous ball across the box but no Town player was on hand to add the final touch, then from a Skuse cross Berra headed to Arnold.

A Stevenage victory was a fair result on the balance of the game, the home side having been largely on top aside from a spell towards the end of the first half and after the first Boro goal.

Town gave the ball away too easily and too often, while a determined Stevenage side never allowed them time on the ball.

Despite having made six changes to the team which lost at Reading at the weekend, Mick McCarthy is likely to be less than impressed that his fringe players failed to get the better of a League One side and exited the Capital One Cup at such an early stage, while Jay Tabb's injury is an addition concern for the Blues boss.

Stevenage: Arnold, Wedgbury, Hills, Ashton, Morais (Shroot 73), Charles, Burrow (Jones 90), Heslop, Freeman, Tansey, Tounkara (Haber 73). Unused: Day, Akins, N'Guessen, Deacon.

Town: Gerken, Veseli, Chambers, Berra, Smith, Anderson, Skuse, Hyam, Tabb (Edwards 35), Taylor (McGoldrick 55), Nouble (Murphy 55). Unused: Loach, Hewitt, Hammond, Berkane. Referee: Gavin Ward (Surrey). Att:


Photo: Action Images



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



fifeblue added 11:43 - Aug 7
Whichever way you look at it, this was a poor result. So was the one on Saturday. But instead of again trying to raid the loan market why don't they concentrate on making the current players into a TEAM, rather than a collection of disjointed individuals? Too many loanees is a recipe for relegation. Ipswich have enough decent players to forge into a team that can win this league this season.
0

BillBlue added 11:43 - Aug 7
Sorry, a slip meant Murphy! Thanks for pointer.
0

LewisITFC1991 added 11:51 - Aug 7
Matty Holland should have started last night, and what on earth was Paul Duncan thinking putting Matteo Sereni up front!
0

Blueray added 11:54 - Aug 7
Once again, massive overreaction to what has only been two games....Against Reading most neutral observers stated that we didn't deserve to lose. This is a side who have a largely intact premiership side, with the addition of Drenthe who is a standout player at this level.

Yes, I take on board last night's performance. It was diappointing and unacceptable...BUT, can we please save the doomongering until September once things have settled down?
0

fussysnake added 11:59 - Aug 7
Every single year we think "This is our year" and every single year another manager with a great promotion record fails :(
0

ManningtreeBlue99 added 12:09 - Aug 7
Fussysnake - we lost one cup game, we haven't failed yet
0

SuffolkMinotaur added 12:11 - Aug 7
Probably a good move to get knocked out of the competition early so that we can focus on the league. Could always have an F.A. Cup run too ....
0

fussysnake added 12:24 - Aug 7
Not given up yet Manningtreeblue99 but it does seem familiar all this....
0

whosroundisitanyway added 12:35 - Aug 7
Cheer up everyone, we're only 3 points off an automatic promotion spot!!
0

Adrian_Paz added 12:37 - Aug 7
Don't really think anyone should be comparing the current management to the likes of Keane/Jewell. They are much more shrewd, focussed and organised, and although they will be less than impressed with the start we have made I have every confidence they will do well again this season. Lets not forget so soon the amazing job they did last year to keep us up. The season is 2 games in so let's not be getting all negative about it, we will get better. Agree though that we might still be a bit short on goals, so hopefully they will look to get another 1 or 2 players to assist in that area.
0

ericclacton added 12:56 - Aug 7
Kick the ball footballers.
0

Warkys_Tash added 13:18 - Aug 7
Another false dawn?? As I said before we need a midfield maestro & a top striker.. ME over to you to release the funds..
0

mickymacsbarmyarmy added 15:25 - Aug 7
taylor just behind the front 2 as that midfield spark weve been missing !!
0

tractorcolls added 16:15 - Aug 7
I said after the Reading defeat that we needed more goals from midfield with more creativity and a proven 20 goals a season striker. Well after last nights defeat nothing has changed but the strikers need service and I think there is goals in McGoldrick, Murphy, Nouble and Taylor. With Southampton looking for more money for Billy Sharpe than we can afford it looks like Mick will have to look hard into his midfield options, whether thats a loan or permanent signing. I'd still like Stearman from Wolves and Henderson from West Ham but at least the team is our own and not made up of loan signings but the squad does look a bit thin. Give the team time to gel and Mick and Terry will get it right. I'd hoped Marcus Evans would have backed Mick and the coaching team a bit more after what they acheived last season when it looked a near certainty we were heading for league 1. Keep the faith and hope we can get three points on Saturday. We don't want to lose the best manager we've had in a few years.
0

BlueMachines added 18:49 - Aug 7
I would go 4-3-1-2 against Millwall. I would've suggested Tabb behind strikers with Hyam Tunnicliffe/Edwards and Skuse as the 3. Due to injury I'm with Taylor behind front 2 as the link.
0

Keaneish added 18:53 - Aug 7
90% idiot on here isn't it!?
0

Keaneish added 19:56 - Aug 7
-1?
Make that 91%!
0

karls_dad added 20:06 - Aug 7
Si its a poor start yet again, but i will stick to my opinion that we still need a proven goal scorer, i doubt very much that Murphy, and co will score twenty between them, we are toothless in front of goal, have been for too long, Its easy to say MM,s theory we will be hard to beat, but how are we going to win without scoring?
I can still see more newbies arriving before the window shut! i really feel that to be contenders we will be needing them!
0

charlie added 20:06 - Aug 7
I'm not worrying yet, Saturday now becomes a big game, in front of our fans and against a team that lost their opening game to Yeovil!!! COME ON YOU BLUES!
0

warktheline added 20:21 - Aug 7
Short memories.MM pulled us out of the mire last season,we were Div 1 certs until he arrived.If punters on here feel 2 games without a win merits the crap posted,what about PJ and RK eras in charge.Press the minus button boys,because Town will finish top 8 by the end of this season.Keep grinding MM and TC.
0

lonelyblue added 20:21 - Aug 7
Must say, I'm astounded by all the negative comments. Remember the thrashing we got at Palace? Remember how Chambo played? He looked totally lost. Totally inept. A month later he's a different player - because of the management - and so quite frankly I'm going to trust MM and TC for the time being thank you all so much. Of course I worry like everyone that maybe we will not be all that good this year. But how can we tell? Might win or lose 5-0 on Saturday. Still wont tell us anything. MM saved us from certain relegation last year. Least he's owed is a few months' recognition that he quite probably knows a little bit more about football than you and I. C.O.Y.B.
0

Pilgrimblue added 21:09 - Aug 7
Same old Ipswich. No creative players and certainly no goal scorers. I doubt any of the current squad will score more than 10 goals and that includes whoever takes the penalties.
While MM has tried to focus on the defense, he's not paid enough attention to how Town are going to win games. Murphy was a bad signing. He's slow, has poor goal tally (I doubt he'd do well in 1st or 2nd division) and is totally unsuited for this level. Same goes for Nouble so why MM didn't sign one of many prospects in the lower divisions is beyond me.
Another season of mid table at best
0

Seasider added 21:34 - Aug 7
Reality check???!!!
0

Keaneish added 23:14 - Aug 7
40 posters when we win, 120 when we lose. Who are you other 80?
Get off. Same boring, clueless, negative rhetoric whoever the manager!
0

paulcooperisgod added 02:55 - Aug 8
mickey mouse cup - means nothing - move on - end of!!!
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