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Ipswich Town 1-2 Derby County - Match Report
Saturday, 30th Dec 2017 17:12

Joe Garner headed his seventh goal of the season for the Blues after Sam Winnall had scored twice for Derby as the Blues ended 2017 with a 2-1 home defeat to the Rams. Winnall nodded the visitors in front in the 13th minute as they dominated the first half, then added the second three minutes after the break. Town were better in the second half but were only able to respond with Garner’s goal on 65.

Bersant Celina, Jordan Spence, Kevin Bru and Grant Ward all returned to the Town starting line-up with David McGoldrick, Dominic Iorfa and Freddie Sears dropping to the bench, while Teddy Bishop is out for the season due to a hamstring injury which requires surgery.

Bru joined Callum Connolly in the centre of midfield with Spence coming into his usual right-back role and Celina and Ward either side of Martyn Waghorn in the trio behind lone striker Joe Garner.

Derby, who arrived at Portman Road late, made five changes with Winnall, ex-Blues loanee Tom Lawrence, Andre Wisdom, George Thorne, Johnny Russell all starting.

Former Canary Bradley Johnson and Wales international Joe Ledley both missed out with back problems, while Town nemesis David Nugent - scorer of 15 goals in 16 games against Town and 10 in eight matches at Portman Road - Chris Baird and Andreas Weimann dropped to the bench.

Garner struck the game’s first shot as the 10th minute approached after an uneventful opening to the game. However, the former Forest man’s shot deflected harmlessly through to Scott Carson in the Derby goal.

Three minutes later, the Rams went in front via their first attempt of the match. Lawrence sent over a deep corner from the right, Sam Winnall reached the ball ahead of Jonas Knudsen and the striker’s guided header just crept into the corner of the net.

The former Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday frontman’s sixth goal of the season looked like one the Blues really ought to have prevented.

Derby should have made it 2-0 almost immediately after skipper Luke Chambers and Adam Webster left a Rams through ball for one another just inside the Town half, allowing Matej Vydra a free run on goal. The former Watford man looked certain to double their lead but as Bartosz Bialkowski advanced he shot wildly over. It was a major let-off for the Blues.

Connolly looped a header towards goal from a Celina freekick on the left in the 18th minute, Carson claiming before he was fouled by Garner.

But the visitors were continuing to present the greater threat with Vydra finding space to shoot from the right of the area a minute later, however, Bialkowski was able his effort away.

On 26 Thorne unleashed a ferocious strike from distance which flew only just over Bialkowski’s bar.

Derby continued to dominate and Lawrence went close to adding to their lead three minutes later. Russell cleverly cut the ball back to him from the byline on the right and Chambers dived in to make a vital block from the ex-Town loanee’s goal-bound strike.

Town weren’t far away from an equaliser as the match reached the half-hour mark. Waghorn sent over a corner from the right and Connolly, who scored the only goal when the teams met at Pride Park last month, sent a looping header towards goal only for Lawrence to nod off the line.

Vydra diverted a cross from the right well wide on 36, then a minute later Huddlestone hit Winnall with a shot from the edge of the box, referee Oliver Langford irking the Blues players by pulling play back for the freekick when they were breaking.


The Town goal was at times living a charmed life. In the 39th minute Vydra cut the ball back from the right from the byline inside the six-yard box and Spence was able to clear from just in front of the line ahead of Winnall.

A minute later Town threatened on the break for the first time, Celina taking the ball forward at pace before turning inside and eventually hitting a shot not too far wide of Carson’s left post.

Soon after, Connolly struck another effort which deflected behind for a corner which the Derby keeper claimed at the second attempt.

But Derby were still looking the most likely scorers of the second goal and on 40 Winnall hit a shot from an angle on the right which Bialkowski helped wide. Webster was subsequently booked for a foul on Vydra in the build-up.

After one minute of injury time the half-time whistle was greeted by boos from some sections of the Blues support.

Derby had dominated the half, were good for their lead and really ought to have been even further in front given the chances they had created after Winnall’s opener.

Town had toiled for the most part, struggling to get out of their own half for long spells with Celina’s long-distance effort and Connolly’s looping header the nearest they had come to an equaliser.

Ward struck the first shot of the second half soon after the restart but Carson claimed confidently down to his right.

But in the 48th minute Derby finally scored their second goal. Winnall picked up a loose ball on the Rams left, brought it inside and smashed an unstoppable 25-yard strike beyond Bialkowski to take his season’s total to seven.

The visitors weren’t too far away from a third in the 53rd minute, Bialkowski doing well to cut out and then claim Russell’s cutback from the left.

Town gradually began to make some headway, Connolly hitting a 25-yard strike wide off a team-mate on 55.

Winnall spurned a chance to complete his hat-trick on the hour, screwing his shot over from inside the area on the left after being found by Vydra.

A minute later, Thorne struck a low effort which Bialkowski pounced on to his left, then Lawrence shot only just over from 30 yards.

Town, with Celina now in the middle of the trio behind Garner, almost pulled a goal back in the 63rd minute when Ward crossed from the right and Bru headed wide when unmarked at the far post as he broke into the area from deep.

And three minutes later, the Blues did get on the scoresheet. Waghorn whipped in the third of three corners from the right and Garner headed into the net from close range. It was the first goal the Rams had conceded since losing to the Blues at Pride Park a month ago, 601 minutes of football ago.

Having got a foothold in the game the Blues began to look more confident going forward. In the 69th minute Knudsen cut in from the left and hit a right-footed shot which was deflected behind.

The Rams failed to deal with the resultant corner but the ball wouldn’t fall to a Town player and eventually referee Langford awarded a foul against a Blues player.

On 70 McGoldrick replaced Bru for Town, Weimann having taken over from Lawrence for the visitors.

Two minutes later, the Town number 10 almost made a dramatic impact, flicking a near-post header across the face of goal but wide from a Waghorn corner on the right.

Blues defender Webster went down having suffered a knock - worrying it appeared to his ankle - following the flag-kick and was replaced by Dominic Iorfa with Spence joining Chambers at the centre of the defence.

As the game moved into its final 10 minutes Town were having most of the ball but finding it tough to create an opening against Derby’s resilient backline.

The visitors were still having chances, however, Bialkowski doing well to force Weimann wide after he was played in on the right of the box by Richard Keogh. On 81 Marcus Olsson replaced Vydra.

Ward shot over on 85 with the Blues continuing to push for an equaliser. Four minutes later Derby swapped two-goal Winnall for Chris Baird.

The fourth official indicated five minutes of additional time as Town took a freekick on the left. Eventually Ward’s cross from the right reached Knudsen at a tight angle at the far post but the Dane’s header hit the side-netting.

Town were unable to threaten again before referee Langford brought the game to an end to cheers from the visiting fans in the Cobbold Stand. In contrast to the half-time boos, the Blues players were applauded off by their support.

Having been very much second best in the first half, and fortunate to be only a goal behind, Town were much better in the second, but after the Rams had already doubled their lead via Winnall’s brilliant second of the afternoon.

Garner’s goal got the Blues back in the game and they kept pushing until the whistle but without carving out the chance which would have won them a point.

Former Town loanee Jack Colback, these days with Newcastle, was in the crowd, understood to have been a guest of his former Sunderland team-mate Waghorn.

The defeat - the seventh successive game between the Blues and the Rams to be won by the away side - sees Town drop to 11th but still five points off the play-offs ahead of Tuesday night’s game at Fulham, who are one place behind them on goal difference alone following their 2-2 draw at Hull City this afternoon.

Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Chambers (c), Webster (Iorfa 74), Knudsen, Connolly, Bru (McGoldrick 70), Ward, Waghorn, Celina, Garner. Unused: M Crowe, T Smith, Sears, Kenlock, McDonnell.

Derby: Carson, Wisdom, Davies, Keogh (c), Forsyth, Huddlestone, Thorne, Russell, Vydra (Olsson 81), Lawrence (Weimann 69), Winnall ( Baird 89). Unused: Mitchell, Martin, Pearce, Nugent. Referee: Oliver Langford (West Midlands). Att: 18,267 (Derby 1,389).


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blue75 added 17:16 - Dec 30
I can point out loads of issues today but there is only one that needs to be answered!! Why when Webster was injured, as he was playing left sided CB did McCarthy bring on Ifora and not the left footed CB that is Tommy Smith? IMO he's the best defensive header at the club also can tackle and pass. Totally beyond me why he didn't come on!!
26

shakytown added 17:25 - Dec 30
We always seem to start on the back foot and end up playing catchup. Negative tactics will never work in this league particularly when your defence is as shoddy as ours.
20

joepublic added 17:26 - Dec 30
Gave Derby way too much respect first half and sat back. Gave it a go second half but we do not have enough to fight our way back against good sides.


6

martin587 added 17:27 - Dec 30
blue75.
I agree with you totally in smith coming on.To me it looks as though MM has an issue with smith.Once again diabolical marking gave the first goal away.Nothing more to say really except the season seems to be very slowly ebbing away from us.
14

ipswichthickandthin added 17:30 - Dec 30
Same old McCarthey performance only attack when we're 2-0 down crazy attitude at home really gutted at this surely we must get two quality midfielders! Really hope Webster' Injury isn't serious or we are in trouble at the back! Happy new year to all at TWTD! Bring on Fulham😱
7

tractorlegend added 17:31 - Dec 30
A terrible 60 minutes cost us any chance of a result. Can't afford to give away goals like we did today, Celina had a woeful game and his terrible pass for their 2nd goal summed his showing up. The 2 centre backs gave the ball away so many times I lost count. In the midfield Bru got overrun we miss Skuse terribly had no steel in there and they battered us. The less said about McGoldrick the better he was so bad it was hideous. I can accept defeat against a quality side but our failure to beat QPR means this simply wasn't good enough! Realistically we need results from our next 2 games now!
15

prebsa added 17:31 - Dec 30
Defended way too poorly today! And as joepublic said we gave Derby way to much respect. Not really a lot else to add today but we need to defend properly and stop giving so much of the ball to the other team!
12

prebbs007 added 17:39 - Dec 30
Same issues under a dispicable manager. Same horrible selection issues. Our defence is a joke yet Chambers & Knudsen play EVERY game they are fit for. Both are a liability. Look at Knudsen when Winnall has his free header for the first goal. Doesn't even jump with his man. Disgusting. As for Chambers if he wasn't such a proper bloke who shouts a lot then how does he actually get paid for playing football ??? 2nd highest scorers in the division and were 11th. Ask yourself a question McJoke. You're not wanted here. Your a rude stubborn past it dinosaur who sticks with his favourites no matter how they play and still thinks “don't lose” before let's try to win !!!

Transfer window about to open. We have zero CM's available yet all that will happen is we will lose Bart for far too low a fee and get a freebie has been in as cover for midfield. Season over again. Just glad we've got enough points in first half to avoid relegation scrap. If Webster is out again for a time as our best defender by absolutely miles then we're in big trouble. We will have liability Chambers & useless Knudsen in front of calamity Gerken...

Our beloved club will go nowhere with this idiot picking the team and the huge numbers of fans he has abused won't return until he's gone !!!
8

TimmyH added 17:45 - Dec 30
11 defeats already! - I thought McCarthy teams were meant to be hard to beat, we also have conceded the most goals in the top half of the division, clearly not good enough.

Concur with the thoughts of several posters above, what's going on with McCarthy towards Smith at the moment?...he's good enough to partner Chambers?, remember Mick when you first came here!!! Predictable result today but at least we showed some fight second half, last season we would have been buried!
9

Blue_Moses added 17:47 - Dec 30
Martin587 - Smith has been told he's 5th choice for centre back at the moment, don't ask me how i know but it's genuine. Crazy.
5

irishtim added 17:50 - Dec 30
Prebbs. be real. Kenlock has been given game time and so far not up to it. Big problem is Skuse injured. He keeps the midfield together. Spend Marcus or any chance we have is gone. If offered 10 million for Bart would take it only if used as a war chest.
-2

Geddis78 added 17:55 - Dec 30
Forget tactics/managers, we were beaten by a better side. Both owners are absolutely loaded but ours runs the club as a business where their owner is a fan who is happy to spend his fortune on his passion and hobby. Just look at their bench, most would be automatic starters for Ipswich. They didn't even need to bring on Nugent. Completely outclassed for the first half but at least we made a fist of it for the last half hour. Need an attacking midfielder in plus bring Moore back and see if he can cut it in the Championship.
6

TimmyH added 17:56 - Dec 30
Hahahaha!...Smith 5th choice!?! (if that is the case)...McCarthy you want to start managing and work out what's wrong with the defence, too much muddling with centre backs? Chambers not up to scratch? holding midfielder/s not doing their job? or all 3...manage McCarthy.
4

blue75 added 17:57 - Dec 30
Blue Moses that is crazy as we only have 3 senior CB's at the club. Knudsen, Spence and Ifora are fullbacks. Another case of square pegs in round holes does anyone else remember McCarthy saying he wouldn't do that when he first arrived!! Think he also said he wouldn't let players contracts get run do to 6 months as well!!!
4

blueboy1981 added 17:58 - Dec 30
Well Happy Clappies - 1 point from 6 over Xmas from two Home games - Happy with that ?? ........

No doubt you will be as per norm'. No doubt you'll likewise be absent until you've trawled up enough excuses ref Referee's, Handballs, not forgetting Injuries of course, as the reason for this dismal show over two home games.

Let's get away from this mindset and accept that ALL other Club's have to tolerate the same inconveniences and anomalies over the course of a season.

Another game today where the points were left wide open for Derby to take from us in the first half - reaction, and some kind of effort from us, all too late yet again.

Officials have not impressed me at all this season, and I feel the standard continuously lowers season upon season - BUT it is the same for ALL teams - excuses for just us - not valid.

These were two winnable games - both ended as abject failures, and impressed no one other than the aforementioned sect.
5

Rensham added 18:05 - Dec 30
Hard Luck Town. Big Mick still the best man for the job. Has stuck this team whole team together with money Derby have paid on one player. Great second half by the boys who were fighting till the end. However Big mick needs to win the next two games to save his job.
-9

blueboy1981 added 18:06 - Dec 30
........ and the worst part of all - is that the Carrot Road Clan continue to reel us back in - yes, as dismal and abject as they most certainly are.

Think about it.
4

blueboy1981 added 18:06 - Dec 30
........ and the worst part of all - is that the Carrot Road Clan continue to reel us back in - yes, as dismal and abject as they most certainly are.

Think about it.
1

clint_eastwood added 18:12 - Dec 30
Can't string a pass together for 30 secs! WTF!!
4

jas0999 added 18:13 - Dec 30
Bluntly, despite a spirited fighback from two down, Derby by far the better side and thoroughly deserved to win. How they weren't at least three up at the break is staggering. Credit to the players for not letting their heads drop, but yet again today showed what we are - an average Championship side in need of strengthening in the transfer window.

2017 has been an average year for the club. Lowest finish for many years followed by a better 2017/18 campaign so far. But still lacking the quality needed to really challenge for promotion. It's been a tale of the good, the bad and the ugly. There have been some good wins, poor defeats and a mixture of decent performances, mixed with some truely poor showings. The first half today was atrocious.

Interesting to see what happens in 2018. Hopefully we push on and challenge the play offs. But not that far off 16 th place either. Sadly, I just dont think we are good enough. Can't fault the effort, hard work and spirit, but still lacking the quality which is needed.

Interesting to see what happens with MM. Still believe his position needs to be made clear prior to season ticket renewal. Fans aren't flocking back despite a few decent showings and last two home games certainly won't help the situation.

Happy New Year to all. Hoping for better as a Town fan!
14

dirtydingusmagee added 18:14 - Dec 30
no surprise, the season will just bumble along , pick up a few points here and there and we will get by, that suits the owner and is all McCarthy can manage to do. No ambition,no direction. Totally and utterly fed up with the whole ITFC scene now,.People will rattle on about the transfer window now, and it will come and go and probably leave us in a worse state.
11

therein61 added 18:15 - Dec 30
For our clubs sake Mick just go away you are running us into the ground, no spark, no tactical awareness, just an eff you lot attitude, enough is enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
9

therein61 added 18:19 - Dec 30
Tractorlegend, Skuse and powder puff rather than steel!! the man is not missed full stop!!
-6

TimmyH added 18:26 - Dec 30
Rensham...to save his job? - he's not going any where until at least May, surely you know that? you must know by now how Evans operates. Okay getting Waghorn/Garner/Celina and Huws (still question mark over Huws) was good work on his part in the summer but are we better any where else? absolutely not, the goals for and against clearly backs this up - in other words might be marginally better than last season but that's about it.

Oh and I'm sure a few McCarthy 'back-enders' will throw the injury list in as an excuse.
8

heathen66 added 18:33 - Dec 30
Just in from the game where Mick again got all his tactics wrong again.
It was only when we got the ball on the floor did we compete.
It has nothing at all to do with how much players cost, it is about attitude and endeavour.
We sat too deep and played the long ball to an isolated Garner far too often.
Celina and Ward were far too deep, and this more defensive role seems to have shot Wards confidence. When he arrived at the club he was a breathe of fresh air, but mow spends more time defending/covering than attacking. When the opportunity arrives to go forward he seems unable or afraid to. (The same is also said of Sears).
There was also a lot of talk on the radio on the way home regarding Kevin Bru and how we missed Cole Skuse.
IMO i thought Bru really tried hard to force the game and worked harder than most but with all others sitting so deep it was very difficult to be that creative.
What would Skuse have brought to todays game, certainly not pace and guile which Bru was trying to instil. Would Skuse have stopped either of the goals...No !!!
I also thought Kevin Bru done a lot of that work that no one notices :-) !!!

If we had have 'gone for it' from the off instead of hanging on for 70 mins and hoping to nick something then maybe,just maybe we may have got something from the game.
This game was all about attitude as it was against QPR, and unfortunately we again got it wrong !!!
5


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