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Ipswich Town 3-2 Leeds United - Match Report
Sunday, 5th May 2019 14:50

Collin Quaner’s 90th minute goal saw ten-man Town to a 3-2 home victory over Leeds United in their final game in the Championship. Flynn Downes gave the Blues the lead on the half-hour but Mateusz Klich equalised for Leeds just before the break, then Andre Dozzell added Town’s second two minutes after the restart. Stuart Dallas again levelled for the Whites, who were already guaranteed a place in the play-offs, in the 76th minute before Blues skipper Luke Chambers was red-carded for bringing down Kemar Roofe, who missed the resultant penalty. Town looked set for a point until Quaner profited from a mix-up between Leeds keeper Kiko Casilla and full-back Luke Ayling to seal the win.

Town made four changes with Bartosz Bialkowski, Trevoh Chalobah, Andre Dozzell and Collin Quaner returning to the XI.

Dean Gerken and Kayden Jackson dropped to the bench, while Teddy Bishop and Will Keane, who suffered a recurrence of his hamstring injury at Sheffield United last week, were missing from the 18.

Forward Kai Brown, whose only first-team experience was during his spell in non-league with Grays Athletic, was handed a place in the Town matchday squad for the first time and the number 48 shirt. Ellis Harrison returned to the subs bench having after his back injury.

Leeds, already confirmed in the play-offs and with almost 4,000 of their fans in the Cobbold Stand, made one change from the team which drew 1-1 Aston Villa last week with Roofe replacing the suspended Patrick Bamford.

After an evenly-balanced first few minutes the visitors struck the game’s first shot in the eighth minute but Klich blazed high and wide.

Three minutes later Roofe squeezed a shot from the left of the box across the face of Bialkowski’s left post, then on 14 Stuart Dallas, a Town target prior to joining the Whites from Brentford in 2015, scraped another effort wide.

Town went close to taking the lead with their first shot of the game in the 19th minute. After Leeds had gifted possession to Alan Judge eight yards outside the area, the Irishman and Quaner eventually forced the ball wide to Flynn Downes but his shot was diverted behind for a corner.

Leeds were next to threaten when, after a Chambers pass was cut out, Adam Forshaw was fed on the right. The former Middlesbrough man’s shot was parried by Bialkowski and Pablo Hernandez was unable to direct the rebound anywhere near goal.

On 28 Dozzell played a clever pass down the right for Quaner to chase. The on-loan Huddersfield man beat Leeds keeper Casilla to the ball 10 yards outside the visitors’ area and was upended by the Spaniard.

Referee Gavin Ward booked the keeper - the situation couldn’t be viewed as an obvious goalscoring opportunity as Quaner would have had a lot still to do - and from the freekick the Blues went in front.

Judge whipped over the ball, no one was able to get a clean contact on it and it fell to Downes, who turned in his first senior goal from eight yards.

The game, played in a lively atmosphere despite it being all but meaningless with the two sets of fans exchanging banter, continued to be an evenly-contested affair.

On 37 Leeds weren’t too far away from carving out an equaliser when Dallas crossed for Roofe but Nsiala read the situation well and blocked.


The former Shrewsbury man made another important block ahead of Leeds skipper Liam Cooper a minute later, then got his head to an Ayling ball in from the right.

Leeds had been looking the more likely scorers of the game’s second goal and in the final minute of the half they levelled.

The ball was played into the path of Ayling breaking untracked from halfway behind Kenlock on the Whites’ right. The ex-Yeovil man cut back to Klich, who slammed a powerful first-time strike past Bialkowski from the edge of the box.

The Leeds goal was the final action of an entertaining, if not overly intense, first half with the visitors having deserved to be on terms going in on the overall balance of the game.

The Whites had created most of the chances with the Blues again unable to create too many opportunities aside from Downes’s well-taken opener.

Two minutes after the restart Town restored their lead. After excellent work from Skuse and Downes in the centre circle, Chalobah fed Quaner, who turned a superb ball into the path of Dozzell breaking into the area on the right and the England U20 international confidently swept a shot across Casilla and into the corner of the net.

It was Dozzell’s second senior goal for the Blues, his first at home, just over three years after his first at Sheffield Wednesday on his debut in April 2016.

The Blues looked to gain in confidence having taken the lead for the second time with Dozzell pulling off a clever backheel-flick on the touchline.

But Leeds were still looking dangerous whenever they got forward and on the hour mark Hernandez hit a low shot which Bialkowski stopped and claimed at the second attempt.

Moments later, the visitors swapped Forshaw for Jack Clarke, then on 62 the Blues replaced Downes, who had just suffered a knock and was given a standing ovation as he left the field, for Kayden Jackson, who went to wide right with Dozzell moving into the middle.

Leeds began to up the pressure on Town, Bialkowski tipping over from Roofe having not adequately dealt with Kalvin Phillips’s cross from the right, then on 68 Cooper headed wide at the far post from Phillips’s deep corner which flew over Bialkowski.

The Whites went even closer a minute later when sub Clarke was found in space breaking towards the area. Bialkowski stood his ground to save the youngster’s initial effort then saved Hernandez’s follow-up before the ball was blazed into the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand.

Town had struggled to get out of their half but in the 72nd minute Jackson broke away and hit a shot from the edge of the box which deflected wide.

The Blues switched Dozzell for Callum Elder two minutes later, the goalscorer receiving a warm ovation as he left the field. The on-loan Leicester man took up a position on the left of a midfield four with Judge playing off Quaner.

Leeds had spent much of the half pinning Town back in their own half and in the 76th minute they levelled for the second time, and in not uncontroversial circumstances.

As with their first goal, Ayling was sent away unchecked down the right and crossed from the byline. Roofe flicked it on to the bar but Dallas bundled it over the line, with his hand according to the furious Town players but referee Gavin Ward was unmoved.

Three minutes later, things would get even worse for the Blues. Chambers upended Roofe in the penalty area and referee Ward deemed the incident an obvious goalscoring opportunity and showed the Town skipper his first ever Blues red card.

It certainly looked to be a foul, however, the Town players protested that Roofe had been offside when the ball had been played through. Chambers will now miss the first game in League One next season.

Roofe was given the responsibility of taking the spotkick but lost his footing and his shot looped well over the bar, much to the amusement of the home support.

With Chalobah having now joined Nsiala at the heart of the defence the Blues set about holding on to parity while looking for an opportunity to restore their lead.

On 85 Nsiala flicked a header wide from a Judge freekick, then following an angry spat with Pontus Jansson was booked by referee Ward. Three minutes later, Roofe headed Jack Harrison’s cross over.

Just as Town thought they’d have to settle for a point at best, Leeds gifted them their winner.

Chalobah played a hopeful long ball forward and Casilla and Ayling left the ball for one another on the edge of the box, allowing Quaner to stroke the fourth goal of his loan spell into the net.

Ten-man Town, having scored three goals at home for the first time this season, avoiding going a whole campaign without netting more than twice at Portman Road, something which has never happened before, set about hanging on to their advantage in injury time.

Nsiala made an important block from Harrison before referee Ward brought the afternoon to an end with the Blues able to end their 62-year stay in the top two divisions and 17 seasons in the Championship on a winning note.

Having gained the lead for a second time with Dozzell’s well-worked goal, the Blues were just about holding on to their lead until Dallas’s controversial equaliser and the penalty incident which saw their skipper dismissed.

But Town were handed the sort of gift-wrapped goal they could have done with earlier in the season, although Quaner took the opportunity confidently and clinically.

After the final whistle the Blues were warmly applauded off by their supporters who were in good voice after witnessing their bottom-of-the-table side’s fifth win of the season and only their third at home.

When they return in August it will be to watch third tier football for the first time since 1956/57 with the expectation that Town will make a swift return to the Championship.

Town: Bialkowski, Bree, Chambers (c), Nsiala, Kenlock, Skuse, Chalobah, Downes (Jackson 62), Dozzell (Elder 74), Judge, Quaner. Unused: Gerken, Harrison, Emmanuel, El Mizouni, K Brown.

Leeds: Casilla, Dallas, Cooper, Jansson, Ayling, Phillips, Klich, Forshaw (Clarke 61), Harrison, Hernandez, Roofe. Unused: Peacock-Farrell, Beradi, Edmondson, Shackleton, Gotts, Bogusz. Referee: Gavin Ward (Surrey). Att: 20,895. (Leeds: 3,963).


Photo: TWTD



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runningout added 14:51 - May 5
Easy!! Goodbye Leeds Utd Hello Rochdale.
4

OwainG1992 added 14:52 - May 5
Fair play to the lads.
Leeds were not at their best but we dug in there and got a lovely win to put a smile on a few faces!
Great to see Downes and Dozzell on the score sheet too.
Onwards to league one! Here we go.
18

dangerous30 added 14:52 - May 5
Well done lads have a good rest and come back fit and hungry.
10

BeattiesBackPocket added 14:55 - May 5
Mr Evans you should thank Lambert he's probably sold you a few more hundred season tickets after that performance from his boys. Brilliant to see Nsiala was immense today. Chambers has been a great servant to our club and I'm not going to be disrespectful as some can on here however he has turned into a liability the guy is always the wrong side of defenders and doesn't have the pace to make up hos reading of the game is terrible maybe time to go. Time to back one of your managers fully Evans if you're not giving him the transfer budget fair enough just give him a decent wage budget so we can compete with wages instead of losing out to league one and championship side smaller than us you can see the fans will come if we have a positive progressive team! Nsiala, Kenlock, Downes, Chalobah were amazing today as were the fans
23

Girthyguy added 14:55 - May 5
Nice to finish with a win. Let's hope we can get back up first time of asking.
10

unknown100 added 14:57 - May 5
Shame we could do that every week, great game! Well done lads
4

Blue56 added 14:58 - May 5
We played well and made Leeds look average at best, disappointed for Chambers who put in a good shift, Nsiala was by far the best Town player, best I have seen him play.
11

TimmyH added 14:59 - May 5
Well a good way to end the season with only our 5th win of the season and again probably have to add this to our fortuitous collection but I wouldn't read too much into it being a dead rubber...3 goals (yes three) and 3 shots on target! We do seem to have a strangle hold over Leeds at home what ever the circumstances.

Good to see Downes get his first senior goal and Dozzells first goal since the 2015/16 campaign so hopefully this will boost them going into the summer break and this game will have done no harm to boost ticket sales.

If I were a Leeds fan I'd be more than alarmed though at their promotion prospects based on the finishing games to the season...the colly wobblers seem to have set in!
4

baxter7 added 14:59 - May 5
Good chance now of winning our first game in div 1 now chamber's won't be playing in it
7

martin587 added 15:03 - May 5
Good performance from the lads today.Leeds not at there best but three goals is fine by me and a win to finish the season albeit a sad one bodes well for next season.
Tomorrow's meeting with PL and the players should be interesting.Great support today as usual and some very good performances from some of the players especially Chalobah who I rate very highly and has a big future ahead of him.Would like him here next season.Happy drive home.Have a great summer you posters on here and look forward to the banter next season.👋👋
10

blue86 added 15:03 - May 5
was great that both downes and dozzel scored today! should give those young lads a lift. and it has to be said, although its been a nightmare season its still great to beat dirty horrible leeds! with a few signings and a full pre season hopefully lambert will get us moving in the right direction. didnt make the game as currently on holiday, but already looking foward to going to the first game of next season! its gonna be a long summer. coyb
3

TimmyH added 15:07 - May 5
Question is Leeds have looked nothing 'like their best' for some time but still easily had far more opportunities to score than us so was that down to us or a mix of nothing to play for or the continuation of loss of form? but hey ho take the win and lets hope and pray for improvements next season which will certainly be different!
2

Lightningboy added 15:12 - May 5
Great way to finish off an awful season.

Cannot wait now until new kit,new fixtures,new signings & a new season.

Onwards & up.

💙
7

DifferentGravy added 15:15 - May 5
Great to end the season with a win. Have to commend the attitude and loyalty of the home support. Nice to see some of the youngsters beginning to show

Not bothered how many times I get marked down. Chambers is a good egg and and off the field a model pro. But Town desperately need to replace him. He has been dreadful for the last two seasons. How he won POTY i will never know. Penalties/sending offs/ stray passes......week in/week out. People voting with their hearts rather than heads. You cannot concede two goals every game and expect to keep winning (except today bizarrely). Before anyone says its not just down to him...fair point but...he is the captain, leads by example and is the central linchpin of the defence and team. We require two new scoring forwards who do more than just run but equally need to sort the spine of the team out. I pray the hoodoo is at an end and that the new season brings us far more than 5 wins to cheer about.

Great history, great support. Onward and upward
18

Wishing4arightback added 15:18 - May 5
Well I wasn't expecting that!!!!!!!
Downes bossed the midfield and Toto was an absolute rock! His best game in a blue shirt!
Today did show that all, even Big Colin were able to 7p their game, apart from Chambers, often lost his man and the penalty was blatant and a direct result of getting the wrong side of his man. At least Lambeet will have to plan his pre season around a start with no Chambers. Then please let him win the shirt back, not have it given to him.
A great end to the season and some positives to sign off on!
One sad note was watching Bart slowly waving to all of the ground, think that was him saying goodbye. Will be missed!!!
14

borge added 15:24 - May 5
Not interested in people saying Leeds we're off the pace, we played very well and that's all that matters.

If ever there was such a thing as a 'downward promotion' we've just experienced it. Amazing possitivity in the face of a fairly desperate situation. Seventeen years of sameness, with fifteen of those being pretty dire football are about to be replaced with a new adventure. Not all adventures are positive, but there's a good chance this one will be and I can't wait for next season.

Ref the second Leeds goal, I thought it was Ayling being fifty odd yards offside that the players (and us in the stands) we're all angry about rather than the handball.
2

borge added 15:32 - May 5
*were
0

EssexTractor added 15:50 - May 5
Well it took 46 games to actually go home HAPPY
Yes Leeds were maybe playing less than 100% of their capacity but no way did they come to lose in front of their 3,963 travelling supporters
Today we battled, we had skilful moves, scored three including one excellent goal from Andre and provided reasons to be cheerful.
Have we had much luck this season...very little of it, but somehow the man who decides the ways of our beautiful game, gave the penalty takers feet snow shoes and the goalie flapping seal arms, as Collin rolled in that unlikeliest of winners.
A great effort on the field and in the stands.
But now the work really begins , ...roll on August.
6

Walk_the_Wark added 15:53 - May 5
Fantastic win. A bit of luck for a change! However I think we all know now that despite having been a loyal servant and a decent defender in the past Chambers is now a total liability....
4

jas0999 added 15:57 - May 5
Great to actually win a game - just five all season! Pleased to see the back of this one and just like the players, looking forward to a break, before returning refreshed for a new a difficult challenge in a League One.

There is of course a lot of irk to do behind the scenes with multiple players leaving; loans returning to parent clubs, those who want to go and/or out of contract. Also anticipate a sale or two. Evans must now support Lambert in rebuilding arguably the worst ever ITFC side. Not millions in fees, but a realistic budget in League zone to be very competitive at the very top of the table. Next season must see an instant return to the championship, nothing else will do and must be the expectation.

5

runaround added 15:58 - May 5
Nice to end a horrible season on a positive winning note. Thought Downes & Dozzell were excellent in midfield whilst Toto was in fine form at the back. Glad that the season is over & we can now put it behind us & look to bounce back next season. Despite the poor results & poor performances this season it had been enjoyable to be at matches mainly due to excellent atmosphere the fans have been producing every match. My daughter and I cannot wait for next season to start & be part of that atmosphere once again!
Happy summer to you all
7

londontractorboy57 added 16:02 - May 5
Great result Town send the fans home with some hope for next season brilliant atmosphere,
Happy break to all and sundry.
4

nathitfc89 added 16:10 - May 5
Decent team performance and never gave up which was nice to see. Also good to see Downes and Dozzell on the score sheet. Have a decent pre-season and take league 1 by storm. Coyb
4

afcfee added 16:16 - May 5
Hopefully that boosts us up to 12k get that discount in.
6

RobsonWark added 16:23 - May 5
The first attempted tackle that Chambers makes this season and he gives away a penalty and gets sent off - Incredible!

He's GOT to RETIRE!
-7


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