Ipswich Town 0-0 Burton Albion - Half-Time
Saturday, 10th Feb 2018 15:56

Town’s home game with table-propping Burton Albion remains 0-0 after a drab first period.

Bersant Celina replaced Freddie Sears on the left of the trio behind lone striker Joe Garner in an otherwise unchanged Town side.

For Burton, former Blues loanee Stephen Bywater was in goal, while ex-Town striker Darren Bent was up front.

The visitors dominated possession in early stages played in heavy rain but in unthreatening areas and without creating a serious chance. On six on-loan West Ham midfielder Martin Samuelsen shot well wide from distance.

In the 12th minute Lloyd Dyer, who turned down a contract with Town after a successful trial two years ago, cut in from the left and hit a shot not too far over Bartosz Bialkowski’s cross bar.

On 25 Dyer was shown the game’s first yellow card for pulling back Ward as Town looked to break with the Blues still to get going.

The Brewers continued to see more of the ball as the game reached the half-hour mark with both keepers still untested. On 32 Hope Akpan shot over for the away team.

As half-time approached with Town still having made little impression, sections of the Sir Bobby Robson Stand began to make their criticisms of manager Mick McCarthy’s style of football clear.

Seconds before boos greeted the half-time whistle, a Celina cross from the left was nodded behind at the far post.

That reaction to a thoroughly dull first half came as little surprise with the Blues having failed to register a shot on or off target. On the rare occasions when Town had been in potentially dangerous positions a pass had always gone astray.

The bottom-of-the-table Brewers had seen most of the ball, albeit while looking similarly unthreatening.

Town need to be much better after the break if they are to claim a second win in succession following last week’s victory at Sunderland.

Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Carter-Vickers, Chambers (c), Skuse, Connolly, Ward, Waghorn, Celina, Garner. M Crowe, Iorfa, Webster, Hyam, Sears, Gleeson, Carayol.

Burton: Bywater, Brayford (c), Allen, McFadzean, Bent, Akins, Dyer, Naylor, Davenport, Samuelsen, Akpan. Subs: Campbell, McCrory, Sordell, Buxton, Barker, Sbarra, Boyce. Referee: David Webb (Lancashire).

Photo: TWTD

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toxtethblue added 16:01 - Feb 10 What dross. MM will his excuses excuses ready and happy clapper's will inanely keep saying "careful what you wish for" like the apathetic, unambitious robotic idiots they are!
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TimmyH added 16:03 - Feb 10 Right if BBC stats are correct we had no shots on goal or off goal no blocked shots or corner kicks...if so absolutely shocking!!! against the club that is bottom. This has to be a first for any club in this league this season or maybe others.
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midastouch added 16:04 - Feb 10 Sounds like a thrill a minute! :-( Let's hope they can raise their game 2nd half as we don't really want to go into the EA derby next Sunday after a confidence-sapping performance.
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martin587 added 16:10 - Feb 10 Diabolical. Enough said.,
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Northstandveteran added 16:20 - Feb 10 Win one, draw one, lose one. Not looking good for the Norwich game. Sunderland are 3 0 down against an out of form Bristol city. Perhaps not such a great result last weekend?
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patthegimp added 16:32 - Feb 10 Boyce just on. He will score
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blueboy1981 added 16:37 - Feb 10 ........ after all it is Burton .... !!! Should we really be able to expect a shot on target against such opposition ?? I guess we expect too much against such superior teams . Just decided to talk a load of s-it like the 'happy clappers' do. WE HAD A SHOT - OMG - WE HAD A SHOT.
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