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dalianwasexciting added 17:56 - Aug 30

A game of two halves..... Well in the first game post McGoldrick (seemingly), the omens were not great, a side with Murphy the lone attacker and a relatively lightweight midfield did not auger well and in a nondescript first half that went pretty much according to that view. With neither side looking likely to score it was Town who blinked first, the endless stream of side wards, backwards, side wards, hoof achieving little but Derby did not look threatening either until a defensive lapse and a suicidal pass from Hyam saw the ex Budgie bruiser Martin knock home after a good Gerken save and the. The post had kept efforts out. Half time could not come soon enough, the second half saw a sort of 4 4 1 1 formation with Kevin Bru playing off Murphy. But a transformation had occurred PASSING football by the blues with young debutant Teddy Bishop growing into the game and influencing it, Luke Chambers having been replaced by Mings after what seemed a clash of heads towards the end of the first half. This saw the assured Parr move to right back.

The second half saw some great Town interplay and the earning of corners which saw the prolific Christophe Berra power home a header. Town looked good now with young Bishop excelling with forward runs and even shooting, one such run and shot forcing Grant to tip over. Bishop went off midway through the half but must surely start against Milwall. The introduction of Henshall once more brought him running at defenders, beating them and getting in dangerous crosses, again he has to start against The Lions. The game petered out a bit but still Town gave nervous minutes as a Derby flooded forward. A spat between Hyam and Martin could have got out of hand after Luke reacted to yet another niggling Derby foul by a man not unknown to mix it. A good point but more importantly a new optimism.

Ratings. Gerken 6, Parr 7, Chambers 4, Berra 7', Smith 6, Bishop 7', Tabb 7, Anderson 7, Hyam 5, Bru 7, Murphy 6. Mings 6. Nouble 5

Plums added 18:34 - Aug 30

Awful first half, we were lucky to go in at only one down. Presumably at half time, Mick told the boys that as we were crap at the back, we'd better play in Derby's half. That's what we proceeded to do and it was a different game. After much trepidation before the game and for the first 45, I left heartened. A little more composure in front of goal and we could have left with all the points.

Stourbridgeblue added 19:07 - Aug 30

Thoroughly outplayed in the 1st half but only behind to a cock up from Hyam. But much better 2nd half. New guys Bishop and Parr were good. Bru was out on his feet at the end of the match but will get better. Mings and Henshall caused chaos for both Derby's defence and our own ;-) but were worth the admission price on their own. Feel a whole lot more positive than I did this time last week - or even this morning.

Mullet added 20:38 - Aug 30

Another game, a different Derby. Very different circumstances for a very different Ipswich. The iPro has proved happy enough hunting ground for Town in recent years under many different guises and long may it continue. Parr replaced the much-favoured Mings at left back with the usual back four in front of Gerken. In midfield Hyam sat with the youngster Bishop and Bru stood just off Murphy up top as Ando and Tabb flanked from afar. Flat banks formed gentle holding pens for the Rams as the game ambled through the first 45.

The opening five was fast but not all that frantic as neither team got foot nor hoof on the ball. Town looked to miss McGoldrick, the talisman joined Cole Skuse in not joining their colleagues on their travels and it showed in both cases. Dead leg or turned head aside, the play was straightforward enough as the inventive Bru had the best of the game's opening before being felled.

Recently Town's stopper has heaped pressure on himself and he carried this recent form into another spillage from a Derby corner. Once again nothing came from it but it showed the two sides to Town's game and Gerken's play. Soon enough he would redeem himself just long enough to see the ball beat him regardless.

Hyam continued Town's recent generosity with a wayward header across goal. Dean dealt with it, a strong hand fell for Beccles badboy Chris Martin to predictably stab home. We were all blue. With the game swinging away from the blues it was back to battle stations and plenty of time in the game and fight in our boys. Youngster Bishop looked lightweight and every bit the debutant on and at the ball. Neat and tidy but unable to find the move or step too often initially, he played a part in Town's spoiling game in the middle as the half drew on. While he looked far from unsettled the same could not be said for the hurried hosts.

A dodgy penalty shout from Hendrick was soon rewarded as the Ram went down minutes later clutching his arm. Six minutes of injury time would be added on before the break, because of the suspected break to his limb. Town pushed on with the endeavour we know all too well. Bishop stood tall amongst the flocking Derby midfield making one nice run amid plenty of action. However despite being supposed experts at set pieces Town failed to make the number of corners and throws count even as they began to add up in the stattos' notebooks.

In the second half Town brought on Mings for Chambers who took a whack on the head and was presumably seeing double, with Parr moving to the right the same could not be said for Derby. Their lead may have been marginally deserved however Town started much brighter.

Soon enough another set piece and another goal. Ando whipped a freekick up, leading goalscorer Berra headed it down. Net rippling, hearts fluttering, two rows of Halesworth embraced all around me as if the Town jumped a dozen miles north. Delicious and delirious, we were back in the game and on the front foot.

It says much that Tabb is POTY so far, and was so quietly effective. Moving the ball nicely it would be all eyes on Bishop raised spirits once again as all Town fans took to singing his praises despite no chant of his own yet to be forthcoming. The youngster showed balls and no respect to Derby as he smashed an effort from distance which caught Grant out. Scrambling and tipping backward to deny the wunderkind a wonder goal another corner came.

It would be down to Gerken to perform another spectacularly simplesave, palming away acrobatically before Bishop would take a bow. Henshall on, Tabb in the middle and Town kept their shape whilst looking a different proposition. He and Mings were the right side of impressive as they hammered down the wing and looked much better in tracking back. Their speed and directness would worry home fans and defenders often.
With the game moving one and Town looking to take the momentum into the final quarter of an hour Bru announced himself back into the game with a petulant but harsh booking. Appearing to fuss the ball after the whistle he irked the ref enough to see yellow. Swiss was the precision of his passing at beginning and end of the game there was a big hole in the middle where he failed to get the ball enough. Chasing down defenders he kept it moving regardless.

Soon after his best pass came when he lofted a neat chip on for Hyam to break, but the bounce alluded the hometown hero. It was not be. In the meantime we were treated to old boy Nouble making a cameo. Out wide on the right, the recently resigned attacker pinned back the home side without showing enough to hold down a place here. The brawny approach Town showed was not an adequate replacement for the brains Ando had shown as he and Murphy looked to have heavy legs without the weight of a price tag to contend with.

Despite a lot of corners and niggly freekicks it was not be in strong second half for Mick's set piece specialists. A lot of questions and nowhere enough answers from such a new look side. However even the harshest of neutrals would have begrudged us a point on a day like today when all three were perpetually just out of reach.

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