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Ipswich Town 0-0 Wigan Athletic - Half-Time
Saturday, 15th Dec 2018 15:57

The Blues and Wigan Athletic remain locked at 0-0 at half-time at Portman Road.

Town boss Paul Lambert named the same team which lost 2-0 at Stoke last weekend. Dean Gerken continued in goal behind centre-halves Matthew Pennington and skipper Luke Chambers with Jonas Knudsen and Jordan Spence the full-backs.

Trevoh Chalobah was the deeper midfielder with Flynn Downes and Jon Nolan ahead of him.

Up front, Jordan Roberts was in the middle with Jack Lankester on the right and Freddie Sears on the left.

For Wigan, ex-Blues loanee Callum Connolly and Will Grigg came into the team for the suspended Kal Naismith and James Vaughan, who dropped to the bench.

Former Blues winger Gary Roberts started with ex-Town striker Joe Garner on the bench and one-time defender Alex Bruce not in the 18.

In freezing and breezy conditions, Town started positively, taking the game to the Latics. An early corner came to nothing but the Blues kept the visitors pinned back in their half in the opening minutes.

On nine, Nolan crossed from the right and the ball reached Knudsen beyond the far post. The Danish international tried a shot but the ball deflected behind off a defender and keeper Christian Walton.

Wigan caused the Blues their first moment of danger on 14 when ex-Blue Roberts chipped a ball behind the Town backline for Will Grigg but too far in front of the Northern Irishman and Gerken claimed.

Roberts, who played for Town during Jim Magilton’s time as boss, sent over a dangerous cross from the left two minutes later but with no one in the box to add the final touch.

But the Blues continued to control the game and on 19 Lankester hit a freekick from the right towards goal which was headed away.

A minute later, Josh Windass, subject of a Town enquiry prior to joining the Latics from Rangers in the summer, was sent away into the right of the Town area but sent a low ball beyond Grigg.

There was a big scare for the Blues right on the half-hour mark when Windass and Grigg both somehow failed to get a touch on a cross from the right when they seemed certain to score.

The Latics subsequently had a short spell on top but without seriously threatening again before the Blues regained the ascendency, Lankester just failing to find Sears with a return pass after a swift Town counter-attack in the 36th minute.

A minute later, Sears was sent away on goal towards the right of the box by Roberts’s flick but the ex-West Ham man shot just over Walton’s bar when he might have taken it on a few strides further.

On 42, Town struggled to clear a Wigan corner from the left but the Latics were unable to get a clean sight at goal, Connolly hitting a shot which screwed well wide before Windass took it out of play on the right.

Neither side threatened again before referee Scott Duncan brought a not overly-enthralling half to an end.

The Blues had been on top for most of the period but only rarely creating chances, Sears’s shot over and Knudsen’s effort which was bundled behind the only opportunities of note.

Wigan had looked the more likely scorers when they had the ball in and around the Town are despite having seen less of the ball. If and when it comes, the game’s first goal will be key to the destination of the points.

Town: Gerken, Spence, Chambers (c), Pennington, Knudsen, Chalobah, Downes, Nolan, Lankester, Sears, Roberts. Subs: Bialkowski, Edwards, Jackson, Bishop, Nsiala, Dozzell, Kenlock.

Wigan: Walton, James, Kipre, Burn, Connolly, Morsy (c), Evans, Byrne, Windass, Roberts, Grigg. Subs: Jones, Gibson, Vaughan, Massey, McManaman, Dunkley, Garner. Referee: Scott Duncan (Northumberland).


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TimmyH added 16:07 - Dec 15
Well that half was about as bleak as the weather...
1

blueboy1981 added 16:08 - Dec 15
No Goal threat once again - chances have to be taken when in short supply.

In not doing so, pressure is always going to be increased on defence in not conceding, to extract a megre point. That in itself being of little use to us anyway right now.
0

blueboy1981 added 16:19 - Dec 15
........ looks like being a 0-0 at best, at this rate,
0

TimmyH added 16:30 - Dec 15
Christ! we're leading...somewhat against the run of play, what would we do without Sears up top at the moment, if he gets injured then we are done for!
0

warksonwater added 16:36 - Dec 15
Right, let's put it to bed now, and not just hang on. I don't want a nervous last few minutes!
1

blueboy1981 added 16:52 - Dec 15
...... doing all we can to lose it - ably assisted by the Referee.... !!

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warksonwater added 16:59 - Dec 15
All over. Good. I'm going to have a brief glass of wine but that's it. This is just the start. A very long way to go.
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leftie1972 added 17:01 - Dec 15
3 points!!!!!! com eon you blues, well done Freddie
1

leftie1972 added 17:02 - Dec 15
Callum Connelly nearly cost us dear!
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blueboy1981 added 17:06 - Dec 15
ALLELUIA ......... but what a bloody struggle ?
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WalkRules added 17:09 - Dec 15
Well done Gerken, Pennington, Chambers, Knudsen and Spence for keeping the clean sheet. Two good games - lets build on that. We done Spence, Nolan, Downes, Chalabah, Roberts, Lankester, Dozell and Edwards for putting in a shift. And well done Sears for being an absolute savior. There is still a good way to go but keep the faith and we will be ok. Nothing negative today guys - baby steps maybe but lets get behind the Town. COYB
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Saxonblue74 added 17:16 - Dec 15
Wasn't at the game today but sounds like a performance below recent standards? Could this signify a change of fortune? 3 points makes 5pm on a Saturday feel so much better! Well done boys!
0

Churchmans78 added 17:18 - Dec 15
Season starts now! 3 points in next home game then new faces in Jan COYB
0


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