Goals from Kayden Jackson and James Norwood - from the penalty spot - have given Town a 2-0 half-time lead against Shrewsbury, who have been reduced to 10 men.

Danny Rowe and Luke Woolfenden returned to an otherwise unchanged side. Rowe replaced Gwion Edwards on the right of midfield while Woolfenden was back at the heart of the defence for James Wilson with the two Welshmen dropping to the bench.

Kane-Vincent-Young made his home debut at right-back, while Jon Nolan was back on the bench after his calf injury for the first time in League One against his old club.

Shrewsbury, who employed a 3-5-2 system with ex-Norwich frontman Steve Morison up front, made one change with midfielder Sean Goss starting and Ben Walker on the bench.

Town took the lead in only the second minute. Cole Skuse won the ball on halfway to the right, Rowe fed Norwood, who played into the path of Jackson, who hit a shot across Shrews keeper Max O’Leary - who will feel he ought to have done better - and into the net, the striker’s fourth goal of the season, all in the last three games.

The visitors threatened to hit back immediately with Shaun Whalley crossing for Morison, who headed not too far over Tomas Holy’s crossbar. A minute later, Whalley was booked for preventing Town from taking a quick freekick midway inside the Shrews half.

On nine, the Blues were awarded their third penalty of the season after home debutant Vincent-Young had twisted and turned his way inches into the area on the right before having his legs taken away from him by Josh Laurent.

Referee Kettle checked with his linesman before pointing to the spot as a number of Shrewsbury players protested with photographic evidence suggesting the challenge may have been outside the box.

Norwood stepped up and slammed a low kick straight down the middle, his second converted penalty of the campaign and his fifth goal for the Blues.

GOALLLLLLLLLLL!

Norwood smashes in from the spot. Have it. #itfc pic.twitter.com/hOR3l5L48g– Ipswich Town FC (@IpswichTown) August 31, 2019

Despite Town’s lead, the Shrews were seeing a lot of the ball and much of the game was being played in the Blues’ half, although without Holy having been threatened other than Morison’s early header.

On 18 Judge struck a low effort from 25 yards which O’Leary saved down to his left, then two minutes later Town appealed for a penalty as Judge’s ball in from the left appeared to be diverted behind by a Shrewsbury hand. Norwood in particular seemed convinced but referee Kettle felt otherwise.

Rowe saw a shot blocked two minutes later, then on 26 at the other end Whalley hit a low effort from distance which gave Holy little trouble.

The Shrews gifted Norwood a chance to make it 3-0 in the 27th minute when the ball was surrendered needlessly not far outside their area but the striker scuffed his strike wide.

Shrewsbury, who could count themselves unlucky to be two goals down on the balance of the half, almost pulled a goal back in the 29th minute. Goss whipped a freekick in from the right and Ethan Ebanks-Landell turned against the outside of the post. Aaron Pierre blazed the rebound high and wide.

There was another scare for the Blues on 32 when Whalley got in behind the Town backline but skipper Luke Chambers expertly shepherded him away from goal and the danger was eventually snuffed out.

In the 38th minute the Shrews were reduced to 10 men when Whalley was shown his second yellow card of the game.

Chambers took the ball away from the Shrewsbury attacker as he broke into the right of the area before being left in a heap by the one-time Norwich youth player’s very late, and entirely needless, challenge. Referee Kettle spoke to his linesman before showing issuing a yellow then a red card.

Whalley, who took an age to walk from the Sir Bobby Robson Stand-Cobbold Stand corner to the tunnel, ought to have had no complaints, it was certainly a yellow card. While the former Luton man made his way off, Donald Love was booked for his protests.

Judge appealed for another Town penalty in injury time after his powerfully volleyed cross from the right caught a Shrews player on the arm. Kettle on this occasion waved away Town’s protests.

Just before the whistle, Holy was twice called into action, first getting across to his right to save Laurent’s strike from the edge of the box, then from the resultant corner catching from Morison.

Almost immediately, Kettle’s whistle ended a half which couldn’t have gone any better for the Blues.

Jackson’s goal settled any early nerves before Norwood converted th penalty after good work from Vincent-Young, who will have enjoyed his first 45 minutes at Portman Road.

Shrewsbury will have felt the scoreline was harsh on them at 11 v 11 having seen plenty of the ball and they were unlucky not to have pulled a goal back when Ebanks-Landell hit the post.

Whalley's challenge for his second caution was as pointless as they come and referee Kettle had little option by to issue a card for the challenge.

Town should now go on to win very comfortably, boosting their goal difference which will see them continuing to top League One this evening.

Town: Holy, Vincent-Young, Woolfenden, Chambers (c), Kenlock, Skuse, Downes, Rowe, Judge, Norwood, Jackson. Subs: Norris, Wilson, Edwards, Nolan, Dozzell, Georgiou, Huws.

Shrewsbury: O’Leary, Beckles, Ebanks-Landell, Pierre, Love, Edwards (c), Goss, Laurent, Giles, Whalley, Morison. Subs: Murphy, Golbourne, Walker, Vincelot, McCormick, Thompson, Udoh. Referee: Trevor Kettle (Rutland).

Photo: TWTD

TimmyH added 16:09 - Aug 31 Storming start...then the old proverbial foot off the accelerator, they looked better when down to 10!
0

Ipswich Town Polls