Ipswich Town 1-1 Leeds United - Half-Time
Saturday, 18th Feb 2017 15:58

Freddie Sears put the Blues in front in the ninth minute but Stuart Dallas equalised for Leeds on 42 as the first half of Town’s home game against the Whites ended 1-1.

Sears, Christophe Berra and Cole Skuse returned to the Town side facing Leeds, while skipper Luke Chambers started despite suffering a cracked rib during Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at Brighton on Tuesday.

The Blues continued with their 3-5-2 system with Berra in the middle of the back three with Chambers on the right and Jonas Knudsen on the left.

Josh Emmanuel dropped to the bench with Jordan Spence moving to right wing-back.

In midfield, Cole Skuse replaced Toumani Diagouraga, who was unavailable against his parent club, while Sears took over from the suspended Tom Lawrence up front alongside David McGoldrick.

Tommy Smith was back on the bench for the first time since undergoing back surgery in September. Leeds made one change with Dallas replacing Kemar Roofe wide on the left.

The visitors started on the front foot but without creating an opportunity and on nine the Blues went ahead with their first attack of the match.

Emyr Huws, sporting a bandage having had stitches to a head wound at Brighton, won the ball midway inside the Leeds half on the left. The Wales international brought it across field before feeding Grant Ward on the right, who sent over a cross which Sears steered home on the volley

It was the returning striker’s third goal of the season and his first since October 29th.

The Blues began to probe for a second, Sears quickly won a corner on the left having been sent away by a clever McGoldrick flick, then on 16 Ward caught a dawdling defender in possession not too far outside the area and hit a shot which flew just over Rob Green’s bar.

Town almost went two in front in the 27th minute when, following a corner, Huws brought the ball in from the right and cut a low ball across the six-yard box towards Knudsen only inches out, but somehow a defender managed to deflect his effort at goal over.

From the resultant corner, Huws whipped in a dangerous ball which Green was forced to paw over from under his bar.

The Blues continued to dominate and just after the half hour Spence sent over a cross from the right which McGoldrick nodded behind from a difficult angle.

Leeds full-back Luke Ayling wasted a rare visitors break in the 32nd minute, cutting the ball back behind all his team-mates having escaped on the right.

The Whites had hardly been in it after the Town goal but in the 42nd minute they got back on terms.

Hadi Sacko sent over a deep cross from the right, which Chris Wood flicked on towards the far post. The otherwise excellent Spence got caught facing the wrong way as the ball came across and Stuart Dallas nipped in behind him and somehow slipped home between Bartosz Bialkowski and the post.

The Blues were unable to carve out an opportunity to restore their lead before the half-time whistle was greeted by warm applause from the home supporters after impressive half from Town.

Having made a sluggish start, the Blues - with Frans Thijssen and Arnold Muhren watching from the directors’ box - scored their very well-worked goal.

From there Town, with Huws again the standout performer, dominated the half with Knudsen’s chance the Blues’ best opportunity to extend their lead. The late Leeds goal came from their first serious attack and came very much against the run of play.

Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Chambers (c), Berra, Knudsen, Kenlock, Skuse, Ward, Huws, McGoldrick, Sears. Subs: Gerken, Emmanuel, Smith, Bishop, Bru, Moore, Pitman.

Leeds: Green, Ayling, Bartley (c), Jansson, Beradi, Vieira, O’Kane, Sacko, Hernandez, Dallas, Wood. Subs: Silverstri, Cooper, Roofe, Doukara, Bridcutt, Barrow, Pedraza. Referee: Keith Stroud (Hampshire).

Photo: TWTD

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