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Accrington Stanley 1-0 Ipswich Town - Match Report
Saturday, 5th Jan 2019 17:16 by Nate Williams

Ipswich Town’s terrible run in the FA Cup continued as the Blues lost 1-0 on the road against Accrington Stanley at the Crown Ground.

Town have not won an FA Cup game since 2010 with their last victory a 2-1 win against Blackpool nine years ago, and they have now been eliminated from the competition by lower league opposition in three of the last four seasons.

In the first ever competitive meeting between Ipswich and Accrington, it was the home side who looked to catch the defence off guard as a corner came swinging into the centre of the box, but Freddie Sears cleared the danger after two minutes.

Town keeper Bartosz Bialkowski got bumped by Stanley striker Andy Mangan as he chased down a long ball and after an exchange of words, the referee restored order.

In the eighth minute, Paul Lambert’s men had their first meaningful attack with new loan signing Callum Elder, fresh from Leicester, linking up with Sears to make a run down the right but the 29-year-old wasted his delivery across goal.

Flynn Downes made a dart down the middle, only to see his burst of pace come to nothing as Accrington intercepted the ball and launched a counter-attack.

Stanley’s Sam Finley then unleashed the first shot on goal, which was comfortably collected by Bialkowski.

It was Gwion Edwards’s turn to try and spark a chance for Town and as the ball fell awkwardly in front of him, he released a wild drive into the Crown Ground car park with 18 minutes gone.

Bialkowski was made to work again soon after as Jordan Clark fired a low drive from the right but the Polish stopper was equal to it.

Tempers flared between the two sides after an altercation between Downes and Finley and for his intimidating reaction, the Brentwood-born youngster received a yellow card.


Approaching the half-hour mark, Clark caused problems for Town’s defence as he raced across the byline with quick feet until they were halted by a critical challenge from Toto Nsiala to clear for a corner, which came to no trouble.

Nsiala was forced to deny Clark again and the power of the Stanley midfielder’s shot was so vicious, the rebound inadvertently launched a counter-attack for Town, but Sears misread the path of the ball, as he ran underneath a high, awkward bounce.

In the 37th minute, Sears sprinted forward in search of support and he was joined by ex-Stanley striker Kayden Jackson, who followed the play through to Jon Nolan. Nolan had time and space for a strike from distance but again, the ball was way off-target.

At the other end shortly afterwards, Bialkowski was again forced to deny Clark as he tipped a low strike at his near post before keeping Town in the game again as he made a quick move to cancel out an attack from Finley.

Accrington were awarded a freekick with two minutes to the break after Downes and Clark collided in the middle of the pitch but that chance was given away by the home side with a high ball running out of play.

Sears desperately ran forward again on the right and cut inside to try and bend a shot into the far bottom corner but it was no problem for Stanley keeper Connor Ripley.

Accrington’s star-man Clark made the last move of the half to try and steal a half-time lead but his header fell wide of Bialkowski’s right post as the two sides went into the changing rooms goalless.

When play resumed, Town made a change as Downes came off for Teddy Bishop, and the 22-year-old had the first strike of the second half.

After Town’s freekick from the left was headed out, Bishop blasted a drive from distance, which curled wide to the left.

Bishop continued to make an impact as he surged forward and laid the ball off to the left wing, where Town earned a corner. Again, it came to nothing as a sea of heads deflected the ball out of Accrington’s area.

As the hour mark approached, Stanley attempted to catch Town out with route one football but Nsiala, was on hand to stop Accrington striker Billy Kee with a professional foul.

Bishop’s introduction much improved the visitors' style of play as he inspired more ball movement from across the midfield with two more attempts.

He dragged a left-footed effort across the face of the goal before failing to find the target from distance yet again.

Jon Nolan then found inspiration to have a go at pulling the Blues in front and his hard shot across the grass was parried away by Ripley with just over 20 minutes to play.

Town conceded a freekick in a dangerous position from the left in the 74th minute from which they fell behind.

Stanley captain Sean McConville posted a high arching ball to the far post, which was headed back across goal by Ben Richards-Everton for Kee to nod into an open net.

Sears burst into life again in the last 10 minutes to try and salvage an equaliser but he was denied a hero's goal once again by Ripley having been played in by Bishop.

The Blues pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages but once again their FA Cup campaign ends at the first hurdle, and as so often to lower league opposition. The Blues are now 14 games without a win in the competition they won in 1978.

Town's season of woe shows no sign of an upturn with their next fixture the visit of fellow strugglers Rotherham to Portman Road next Saturday.

Accrington: Ripley, Johnson, Hughes, Richards-Everton, Clark, McConville, Finley, Sykes, Mangan (Brown 66), Barlaser, Kee. Unused: Maxted, Williams, Mingoia, Perritt, Conneely, Watson.

Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Pennington, Nsiala, Elder, Nolan (Harrison 80), Edwards, Downes (Bishop 46), Dozzell, Sears, Jackson (Keane 66). Unused: Gerken, Chambers, Kenlock, Lankester. Referee: Dean Whitestone (Northamptonshire) . Att: 2,869 (Town: 1,224).


Photo: Action Images



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TimmyH added 17:44 - Jan 5
No no more about McCarthy please! - it's not getting rid of Mick that has been the problem, it's the decisions that Evans has made since with quality leaving (will we ever know the truth about Garner/Waghorn going) and gambling on getting in Hurst who was a disaster from day 1 with all his league 1 and 2 inexperienced Championship players,(said it at the time).

Evans and Hurst take full responsibility nothing to do with Mick going...we still would have lost this game today under him no doubt.
21

smithy0981 added 17:45 - Jan 5
Total joke embarrassing again from town. Lambert needed to change something sooner. I like him but he is under pressure now and has just a bad a record as hurst. Still the only person I blame for ipswich being in such a mess is Marcus Evans. Continually not backed Manager's in the transfer market running this club into the ground. There needs to be a protest before the Rotherham game Evans needs to know what the fans think of this shambles.
4

Lathers added 17:47 - Jan 5
Congratulations Paul and the players. I thought things couldn't get any worse, but you keep proving me wrong on a weekly basis. At least you're achieving something.
5

NoelTheDub added 17:48 - Jan 5
Embarrassed to be a Town supporter just another nail in our dying club.We the supporters are to blame for taking this tripe of football dished out to us over the last few seasons. I stopped going over because of the type of football not the results.Ive seen Reading,Forest today playing football even against Prem sides and supporters enjoying the day even in defeat.I was bamboozled with minuses over the years even when we got a rare good result and all the happy chappies say how good the team,and manager is.Already some say its only the FAcup bulls##t we have the worst group of so called football players Ive seen at my club ever yes Mr Evans has to take some blame but the players that have come into our club since Keane,McCarthy and Hurst are second rate at best.Not one player now is fit to were our once great jersey, some like myself called for youth from our so called state of the art academy but if they are good they are sold and the rest are not up to it.We are in a dire state sadly but I knew this was coming a long time ago.
10

Dermotoreally added 17:48 - Jan 5
It's a sad time for all of us. Looking back I thought it was best that MM left the club. (Though I never booed him out as don't agree that helps the team in the slightest). But now we are looking for a MM to get us out of what surely is this time league 1 football next season.
No manager (including MM) ever wants to lose a game. Yes sometimes their tactic and ways baffle us but really if any one of use could do better we would be managing football teams for a living. Basically let's try and keep a positive attitude for PL and the players he has inherited until the end of season then decide. ME is a businessman not a true football fan like us. He needs to cut his losses now or invest heavily next season. He has the control over our future. He should receive the pressure and negativity from us first of all.
5

Swn98 added 17:48 - Jan 5
SMITHY protest no good get your buckets out collect 85 million pounds to buy ME out plus say 30 million to keep us going for 3 years then you can protest.
-4

pepperi added 17:49 - Jan 5
I do not often comment on this site but I just have to say one thing - swn98 - why don't you wind your neck in and crawl back under the rock you came out from under? I am sick of reading your sanctimonious whining about MM and being careful what we wished for etc. You are a very sad man who seems to get some joy from our predicament. No debate, no constructive view, just a constant desire to go backwards. MM was not a bad manager and did not deserve (some) of the flak he got but he was too bloody minded and his football was boring boring boring - much like your constant BCWUW4 comments. Grow up man and move on. Try and do one of your barbed responses to this and expect no reply from me - you are not worth it.
22

TimmyH added 17:50 - Jan 5
Martin587 - feel sorry for you mate and the great travelling support but this was a 'home banker' with our form in cup games and cash initiative for them to go through, anyway 'game on paper we should win' - can't agree with you there as we're certainly playing like a league 1 team now - honestly in the cup I wouldn't trust us against a National League side.
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BlueParadigm added 17:50 - Jan 5
Having reached rock bottom ITFC now seem determined to sink even deeper by drilling into the Earth's crust!
5

stevelincsexile added 17:51 - Jan 5
As much as people complain about ME he cannot effect how we play on the pitch. I like PL and believe he will get it right albeit from div 1 but he think his team selection today was wrong. We should have gone for a win with 2 up front, Bishop should have started along with Kenlock and Spence who costs us so many goals should not even be in the squad. It's a miserable drive home.
8

Northstandveteran added 17:51 - Jan 5
Predictable loss to Accrington.

Those of you that are saying "concentrate on the league" I really do admire your optimism but forget it. Gone.

Those of you wanting Evans out?

Yes, his years in charge have been disastrous, but if he decides to do one, this club will be in such a financial mess, God only knows where we will end up.

Millions in debt, don't own the ground and a squad worth a fiver. No assets whatsoever.

Ipswich town really would be in severe danger of going out of existence.

Not much hope for next season. Any youngster who gets in the team will be sold.

All we have to look forward to (at the very best) is years in the wilderness.

But do celebrate today. This is the last time we will make the 3rd round for many years to come.

Blue Army!

13

ChrisR added 17:51 - Jan 5
Paul Hurst must be laughing his head off again .
2

Blandford added 17:52 - Jan 5
So we have played two mid table league sides this season and barely troubled either of their keepers. If Evans is still destroying our club in 12 months time we be facing back to back relegations. We might be playing better football but that is sod all good if we can't score or defend and although PL says the right things very few of the players seem to care. Must be nice to get thousands of pound a week to be a failure.
4

Swn98 added 17:52 - Jan 5
Sorry to rattle your cage Pepperi unfortunately a little bit of truth and honesty always seems to cause offence on this site.
-10

Fadedblue added 17:54 - Jan 5
To get this in perspective, consider PL's record so far. 5 points out of a possible 30 or 0.5 points per game. To catch Rotherham we have to score 0.5 points more than them in every one of our last 20 games. It ain't going to happen. We're running on empty guys and today's result is likely to be typical of those in League 1 next year. Depressing times.
4

Swn98 added 17:55 - Jan 5
By the way pepperi there's no one hurting more than me especially when my self and others were verbally brutalised for warning about the consequences of the knowall boo boys.
-11

Lukeybluey added 17:56 - Jan 5
We have an owner!?.....
1

Stato added 17:57 - Jan 5
They have only beaten 4 sides at home in the league all season so shows what standard we now are. Sears way past his best and the lack of goals from all areas of the team is a major concern. Lambert doesn't look the answer and I hope we look elsewhere in the summer unless he has saved us from relegation.
-1

TonyMowbray added 17:59 - Jan 5
Bloody embarrassing. I don't think there is a worse team to 'have' to support in the country right now. Barely anything to cheer about for over 20 years. Maybe a season league 1 will help with that.......but i'm not sure........could get worse yet.
5

smithy0981 added 18:00 - Jan 5
Swn98 no offence taken by me.

People still sticking up for Evans makes me laugh, Evans is the cause of everything he owns the club, he brings in the managers, he decides to not invest in the squad year on year, he decides to sell all our best players. I'm not trying to persuade you all to hate Evans I'm just giving u me opinion and no one will change that.
5

Suffolkboy added 18:01 - Jan 5
Seems pretty plain we lack some technical expertise ,AND heads cool enough to immediately make the correct assessments of how to do what , and which is the best route for your own side .
I suppose quite a lot can be attributed to a growing lack of conviction & confidence : if so this'll be a reflection not only of how much work PL has in front of him , BUT also of the terrible misjudgements of our owner : I can't criticise his commitment for without him we'd be right up the Swanee ,as per days of Administration .
I do, and have for a long time ,continued to wonder who on earth actually brings him advice ,and where in the equation our so called MD, Ian Milne figures .
My experience of contact with the Club tells me we have some intelligent , earnest and driven individuals BUT I can not see ANY evidence of public leadership from IM .WHY ?
We all care for ITFC , but long for a glimmer of hope and find ,of course , that patience is a bit tested !
Come on EVERYBODY show us you can & will step up to the mark !
COYB
5

happybeingblue added 18:03 - Jan 5
A NEW LOW.... NOT FIT TO WEAR THE BADGE
6

OliveR16 added 18:03 - Jan 5
Two mid to lower League 1 teams meet in the FA Cup. Home advantage tells.
2

TimmyH added 18:08 - Jan 5
Swn98 - verbally brutalised!?! really? maybe you are Mick incarnate.
1

Swn98 added 18:09 - Jan 5
Not
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