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Ipswich Town 2-2 Sheffield Wednesday - Match Report
Wednesday, 22nd Nov 2017 22:02

Sheffield Wednesday sub Atdhe Nuhiu headed an equaliser four minutes into injury time to grab a 2-2 draw with the Blues at Portman Road. Joe Garner put Town ahead on 48, Gary Hooper levelled via a 64th minute penalty after Jordan Spence had handballed, then Martyn Waghorn’s header on 70 looked to have won it for the Blues until Nuhiu’s late goal stole an undeserved point for the visitors.

Myles Kenlock replaced the suspended Jonas Knudsen at left-back in what was otherwise an unchanged Town team.

The Blues again started in their increasingly familiar 4-2-3-1 system with lone out-and-out striker Garner ahead of David McGoldrick, Waghorn and Bersant Celina. Emyr Huws was on the bench for the first time this season.

Sheffield Wednesday named the same team that drew 0-0 at home to Bristol City at the weekend with ex-Blue Jordan Rhodes in the XI, while Nuhiu replaced Lucas Joao on the bench.

Town immediately went on the attack, Kenlock sending in a dangerous cross from the left which Wednesday did well to clear.

In the fourth minute Owls skipper Glenn Loovens was extremely fortunate not to be sent off after catching McGoldrick in the groin with a high, studs-up boot.

The Town striker unsurprisingly spent some time on the ground and received treatment before continuing. Referee Keith Stroud - who had seen the incident but had played on with the Blues in possession and breaking forward - subsequently spoke to Loovens but failed to issue a card of either colour.

While McGoldrick was off the field, the Blues threatened from a well-worked freekick on the right, Celina playing the ball to Cole Skuse on the edge of the box but the midfielder’s shot was blocked.

The Blues continued to look the more dangerous side and on eight Callum Connolly played in McGoldrick on the right with only one defender ahead of him but the Town number 10 shot over.

Wednesday went close for the first time in the 16th minute, one-time Town schoolboy Morgan Fox sending over a cross from the right which ex-Blues striker Rhodes headed not too far wide of Bartosz Bialkowski’s right post.

The game meandered a touch as it passed the quarter hour mark with further stoppages for injuries and freekicks.

But in the 23rd minute Kenlock played a superb cross-field ball to McGoldrick, who fed Connolly and the on-loan Everton man took a couple of touches before hitting a powerful shot which was too close to Owls keeper Keiren Westwood.

Moments later, Celina cut in from the left and hit a right-footed shot which Westwood claimed low.

Town forced the Wednesday keeper into another save in the 26th minute when Garner was sent away in space on the right and crossed deep to Celina, but the Kosovan international’s diving header was too close to Westwood who palmed away.

Seconds later, McGoldrick scuffed a 20-yard effort which his Irish international team-mate easily claimed low to his left.

Ross Wallace shot wide from distance for the Owls, then on 33 the Scottish international curled a freekick over from 25 yards after he had been fouled by Kenlock.


But the Blues continued to have the upper hand as half-time approach and the swirling wind grew stronger.

And they should have claimed the lead their first-half display deserved in injury time. Garner sent over a cross from the right towards Celina at the far post, Jack Hunt cut it out but presented the ball to Waghorn on the edge of the box.

However, the Blues’ eight-goal joint-top scorer scraped a rather hurried effort which Westwood saved when he could have taken his time. Referee Stroud ended the half soon afterwards.

Town will feel their first-half display ought to have yielded a goal with Westwood by far the busier keeper. But while the Ireland international had made stops, he hadn’t been forced to make any outstanding saves to keep his side on terms.

At the other end, Rhodes’s header had been the Owls’ only real chance, while Wednesday skipper Loovens will know he got away with what should have been a red card for his early challenge on McGoldrick.

Perhaps as a result of that challenge McGoldrick was replaced by Freddie Sears ahead of the start of the second half.

The former West Ham man was quickly into the action, teeing-up Waghorn for a shot on the left of the area, which was deflected just wide.

And from the corner, the Blues went in front. Celina sent the ball over, Spence flicked on at the near post and Garner volleyed into the roof of the net at the far post. It was the 29-year-old’s fifth goal of the season and his first in eight games.

At the other end, Spence then did well to hold off Rhodes as a cross came in for the right and the Blues withstood a brief flurry of Owls pressure following the goal.

Town might have added to their lead in the 56th minute when Adam Webster nodded a Waghorn freekick from the right over at the near post.

A minute later, Waghorn won the ball off Tom Lees on the Town left and tried an audacious 35-yard chip which looped well wide when the breaking Celina clearly wanted it played inside to him.

Skuse was booked for a foul on Barry Bannan in the 59th minute, then Wednesday swapped Fox for Steven Fletcher.

The Blues should have doubled their lead in the 61st minute when Waghorn sent Sears away in the clear. The sub rounded Westwood at pace but took the ball too wide and should have squared to the unmarked Celina but instead shot against the keeper who had retreated.

The Owls switched Wallace for Kieran Lee on 62 and two minutes later they were handed an equaliser they didn’t deserve in slightly freakish circumstances.

A deep cross was sent over from the Wednesday right and Spence looked to flick the ball beyond Fletcher behind him. However, the right-back missed his header and the ball subsequently hit his outstretched left arm - the wind may have been a factor - and referee Stroud pointed to the spot.

Ex-Norwich striker Gary Hooper took the spot-kick - Wednesday’s first for 34 games -and lashed the ball to Bialkowski’s left to level.

Wednesday briefly looked like getting on top but without testing the Blues’ keeper further, the penalty having been their first shot on target.

On 67 Huws came off the bench to make his first appearance of the season after signing on a permanent basis from Cardiff in the summer following his loan last season. Celina made way.

And the Welshman made an immediate impact, helping to create Town’s second goal with his first touch of the campaign.

Sears crossed from the left and found Huws beyond the far post from where he sent the ball back in towards Waghorn, who headed his ninth goal of the season across Westwood and into the corner of the net.

Wednesday sub Lee was booked for rather cynical challenge on Garner on 77, then a minute later Grant Ward replaced Waghorn. On 81 Hunt was booked for a foul on Garner.

Town were looking more likely to increase their lead than the Owls were to pull on back and on 84 a Sears cross from the right was deflected out to Spence in the box but the full-back’s first touch let him down and he was crowded out.

Rhodes was replaced by Nuhui in the 87th minute, seconds after appealing for a penalty but the Town academy product appeared to have tripped over the Blues midfielder rather than been felled.

In the final minute of scheduled time Fletcher headed over for Wednesday and Town looked to be seeing the game out comfortably until the fourth of five additional minutes.

After Town had lost the ball in the far corner, Wednesday broke, Adam Reach crossed from the left and sub Nuhiu rose above Webster to nod past Bialkowski from close range.

It was an equaliser the Owls didn’t deserve but one which claimed them a point with referee Stroud bringing the evening to a close soon afterwards.

Town would thoroughly have deserved which was theirs until the final moments having been much the better team throughout against a poor Owls side.

Having got their noses in front, the Blues were then able to get themselves ahead for a second time after the penalty and had had further chances to score prior to conceding the last-gasp equaliser.

The draw - Town’s second in two games having gone 25 matches without recording any - sees the Blues stay in ninth where they were prior to the midweek games, three points from the play-offs, ahead of Saturday’s trip to Aston Villa.

Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Webster, Chambers (c), Kenlock, Skuse, Connolly, Waghorn (Ward 78), McGoldrick (Sears 46), Celina (Huws 67), Garner. Unused: Gerken, Iorfa, Ward, Nydam, Bru, Huws.

Sheffield Wednesday: Westwood, Hunt, Fox (Fletcher 60), Rhodes, Butterfield, Bannan, Loovens (c), Hooper, Lees, Reach, Wallace (Lee 62). Unused: Wildsmith, Jones, Van Aken, Palmer, Nuhiu. Referee: Keith Stroud (Hampshire). Att: 15,702 (Owls: 1,158).


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RobITFC added 22:04 - Nov 22
2 points thrown away, why and try and waste so much time in a home game? Sears was awful , but was impressed with Connolly tonight. A dissapointing result.
8

dangerous30 added 22:04 - Nov 22
I thought we played well at times tonight and it was a shame we never hang on but well done town.
16

Reuserscurtains added 22:05 - Nov 22
I want to come on here and completely slate us after that late goal but something makes me not want to.
I think positives were shown in the second half - I felt Garner was excellent, Huws came on and showed a touch of class and even Connolly put in a good shift.
Disappointing we didn't get the 3 points but just one of those games. Only problem is I can't see us picking up many points in the next few games.
10

runningout added 22:05 - Nov 22
We are not far off getting a decent team together
24

SheptonMalletBlue added 22:05 - Nov 22
Two words to say to that, sh*te and sh*te!!
-17

prebsa added 22:08 - Nov 22
What a complete waste! Agree RobITFC that Sears was poor but that's because he is a bang average player. Talking of average Chambers was poor yet again. Every time he gets the ball he either taps it to Spence to put him in trouble or lump it down the line and hope a striker runs after it!

Yet again proving we can't pick up points against top half teams. Obvious because we clearly are a bang average middle of the table team.

Can't wait for the end of the season when we finish middle of the pack, mick leaves and we can start to build get his favourites out the team and start injection some fresh players and tactics into the team!
-5

gamezone added 22:09 - Nov 22
We need Tommy Smith back ASAP, leaking too many goals.
Anyone know if he is any closure to fully fit. He has been so unlucky.
2

gamezone added 22:09 - Nov 22
We need Tommy Smith back ASAP, leaking too many goals.
Anyone know if he is any closure to fully fit. He has been so unlucky.
5

EssexTractor added 22:09 - Nov 22
Despite high profile names Wednesday leaden footed for much of match, only needed one hand to count number of Jordan Rhodes touches
Should have played against 10 men after dreadful challenge on MCGoldrick
But then we missed three scorable chances before match flattened out
But early second half Google first goal but not pressing enough for a second before Wednesday thought they might luckily equalise and so they did
But Huws and Waghorn combined with excellent second..and in injury time the Owls fouling and having little chance BUT in the 94th minute with three of our players around the ball by corner flag at THEIR end we contrived to lose it...and one of the Worlds worse scoring strikers equalised.
Connolly excellent, Waghorn and Garner ran as if no tomorrow...but oh dear what a silly way to drop two points....
6

oldegold added 22:10 - Nov 22
Paid the price for not continuing to attack but instead preferred to "fanny" about and lose time...why can't we just keep going for goals instead of shutting up shop every time we go in front.Very disappointing and a lesson learnt..and 2 points stupidly thrown away.
21

jas0999 added 22:10 - Nov 22
Due to work commitments I ran out of time to attend tonight. After the first half I was glad. Poor. Second half was entertaining though and I'd agree we deserved to win. But, football has a habit of evening itself out. We won several games at the start of the season, which arguably we didn't deserve to. We nicked a point at Hull ... albeit deserved.

Reality is we improved the strike force in the Summer and have reaped the rewards. Scoring goals - great. We failed however to improve a somewhat mediocre defence and if anything, with Berra leaving, are worse off. We are paying the price. It all leads to a better season than last. But nonetheless an above average mid table side.

Decent tonight, second half at least. But overall a disappointing result. Same as Hull. Fine margins, but overall two points from six is okay but not fantastic.
13

Rensham added 22:10 - Nov 22
Good point gained tonight. Why were Sears or Ward on the pitch? Well played Connolly but where was Skuse for the equaliser. Hope everyone learns a lesson tonight. COYB
1

EssexTractor added 22:10 - Nov 22
* Garner first goal
1

blueherts added 22:11 - Nov 22
For all sheff w possession created nothing. Think we do need to try kill teams off and push for a 3rd . Garner can protect a ball . Sears cannot . Thought celina could feel hard done by as was in gt positions twice and sears and waggers made wrong call . Not terrible but needed a win with tough run coming . Louvens and Hunt should both have seen red as well . Louvens foul was terrible
9

MickCuresInsomnia added 22:11 - Nov 22
Rollox!!!!!!! 😬

Unlucky Town........a bit more clinical with some of our finishing and their late goal counts for nowt.

Nice to see Huws back 🙂
13

TractorBeezer added 22:15 - Nov 22
I enjoyed the game with good effort from all.....and minimal hoofball.

It was an unlucky pen against the TBs....ball fell on Spence's arm and as suggested by Phil the wind may have been a factor. Felt sorry for Celina who was ignored on two occasions when open in front of goal.

Otherwise MM and TC orchestrated things well.

8

jdtractor96 added 22:15 - Nov 22
Even Tommy Smith isn't good enough at this level anymore. If we want to be challenging for the playoffs we need a marquee CB otherwise we will continue to concede silly goals. I still think we are overachieving given our budget and resources in comparison to the majority of other clubs. If you'd told me in the summer that we'd be 9th at this stage of the season I wouldn't have believed you. Another tough game to come on Saturday but I'm hopeful we can nick something. Keep faith guys. COYB!
13

SheptonMalletBlue added 22:16 - Nov 22
Some keep knocking Sears, but McCarthy in his wisdom continues to play him out of position! He's a striker and plays well in the middle. McCarthy has spoiled a very good player.
6

martin587 added 22:17 - Nov 22
Played very well tonight and should have won by three clear goals.Wednesday should have been down to ten men for a very bad foul,ref bottled it.!!
Sears for me was very poor,has lost all his confidence and should have scored. Hope David Mc is ok for Saturday.
Real shame about the draw but there was good positives to be taken from tonight.
7

BraveDave added 22:18 - Nov 22
On a separate note, where did that 5 minutes come from?? Did I miss something?
10

iaintaylorx added 22:19 - Nov 22
No need to hold the ball in the corner with so long left! Garner did a good job of it, but Sears can't do it... Dissapointing as I thought we played well, and pressed very well. Good to see Huws back and was impressed with Skuse and Connolly tonight.

Also, just quickly, I thought when we bought in Webster, he was a “ball playing centre half”...Just shows what Mick has turned him into, which is very sad. Onto Villa!
10

joepublic added 22:20 - Nov 22
Enjoyed the game but we dropped two points due to just two mistakes.

Daft to play for time with about 8mins to also.

Good seeing Hews back and Ward looked bright too.

5

Tony88 added 22:36 - Nov 22
We played against 12 tonight Wednesday and the referee.
1

prebsa added 22:40 - Nov 22
Plenty of people out tonight just voting people and not giving their own opinion on the game! Maybe due to the fact that they don't like it when anyone says anything bad against their beloved Mick and his wonderful tactics.
-6

essextractorboy93 added 22:44 - Nov 22
We deserved to win that tonight. Created plenty of chances but just need to be more clinical. Obviously disappointing to concede such a late goal but there were a lot of positives from the evening. Garner was outstanding and Waghorn very good too. Huws played his part in the Waghorn goal and its great to see him back. COYB!
9


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