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Ipswich Town 1-1 Lincoln City - Match Report
Saturday, 9th Nov 2019 17:16

Town face a replay at Sincil Bank after their FA Cup first round tie with Lincoln City ended 1-1. Tyler Walker put the visitors ahead on 37 and, after the Imps goalscorer had seen a second-half penalty saved by Will Norris, Andre Dozzell curled home an equaliser 79th minute.

Town boss Paul Lambert changed all 10 outfield players for with keeper Will Norris the only survivor from Tuesday’s 1-0 League One win at Rochdale.

Ex-Imp James Wilson and Toto Nsiala started at the centre of a four-man backline with Janoi Donacien at right-back and Myles Kenlock on the left.

Flynn Downes and stand-in skipper Emyr Huws were in the pair in central midfield with Dozzell on the right and Blues full debutant Anthony Georgiou on the left. Will Keane was up front with Armando Dobra playing off him.

In contrast, Lincoln made one change from the team which drew 1-1 at AFC Wimbledon last week with Jake Hesketh taking over from Jorge Grant, who dropped to the bench.

Ex-Blues loanee Callum Connolly started, while former Norwich central defender Jason Shackell skippered.

Following the traditional Remembrance Day tributes, the game got under way in front of a now familiar low FA Cup crowd with the upper sections of some stands closed and Lincoln’s following given the whole of the Cobbold Stand.

The visitors hit the game’s first strike in the fifth minute but Jack Payne’s low effort failed to trouble Norris who pushed it away low to his left before claiming.

Lincoln appealed for a penalty after Hesketh went to ground inside the area but referee Kevin Johnson waved away his appeals with few of his team-mates joining in the protests.

Town threatened for the first time in the 11th minute when Downes won the ball inside the Imps’ half and brought it forward before feeding Keane to his right. The ex-Hull City man hit a shot from a tight angle which Lincoln keeper Josh Vickers batted away.

After a scruffy for 20 minutes, the Blues briefly took charge and put the visitors under some pressure.

On 24 Georgiou and Dobra exchanged passes on the left and the on-loan Tottenham man sent over a powerfully struck low ball which flew across the Lincoln six-yard box but without anyone being able to get the vital touch.

Five minutes later, Hesketh was booked for a late challenge on Kenlock as the Blues broke following a Lincoln corner. Play was waved on but Huws was eventually held up and then tripped, however, referee Johnson gave the decision the other way, not for the first time, much to the annoyance of the Welshman and the Town crowd.

Dobra joined Hesketh in the book on 33 for a foul on Bruno Andrade as he looked to win the ball back having lost it as he sought take it past Joe Morrell.


A minute later, the Albanian U19 international turned the ball against Connolly from the edge of the six-yard box after Georgiou had volleyed Donacien’s cross from the right back across goal.

Almost immediately at the other end, Andrade broke down the right and crossed low towards the unmarked Hesketh, the ball just going behind Wilson who was unable to check his stride. Fortunately for the Blues Hesketh rushed his effort and blazed into the stand.

But the visiting supporters didn’t have to wait too long for a goal. Andrade again broke away down the right, crossed low for Tyler Walker and the son of former England international Des turned into the net at the near post.

Town continued to be frustrated by referee Johnson’s decisions and, as half-time approached with the Blues still to be awarded a freekick for a foul, he official spoke to skipper Huws regarding some of those reactions. On 44 Downes was booked for a foul on Morrell.

The half-time whistle was greeted by boos, more towards referee Johnson than Town, although both had had poor halves.

Aside from a brief spell around the 20-minute mark and Dobra’s later effort against Connolly, the Blues had been poor.

The display was very similar to plenty of those over the course of the last near-decade in the FA Cup with a much-changed side looking disjointed against more settled opposition.

Town, who needed to be much better in the second half if their winless FA Cup run wasn’t to stretch to 15 games, were quickly awarded that first freekick of the afternoon after Downes was fouled by O’Connor.

The Blues began the second half positively, with Dobra moving out to wide right in a 4-3-3 system, and on 49 Kenlock saw a strike blocked. Soon after, Lincoln swapped O’Connor for Ellis Chapman.

But the visitors were next to threaten, Norris rather unconvincingly saving from Hesketh, but Town were starting to look much more threatening,

On 56 Downes saw a shot from the edge of the box saved, then three minutes later the ball broke to Dobra in the area and the youngster found himself space before hitting a shot which was blocked. The ball came out to Downes and his subsequent effort was also blocked.

Lincoln broke straight up the other end and will feel they should have added to their lead but Norris was quickly off his line to save Walker’s strike with his chest.

In the 64th minute Georgiou broke quickly following an Imps corner and fed Huws, whose shot flew well into the Sir Bobby Robson Stand. As Lincoln prepared to take the goalkick Dobra was replaced by Gwion Edwards.

The Blues were beginning to dominate possession with Dozzell increasingly pulling the strings. On 70, a long spell of passing ended with Edwards sending a low ball across from the right but just ahead of Keane with just the merest of touches required to level the scores.

A minute later, Huws burst down the left and sent over a similar ball which again the sliding Keane was unable to reach with the goal gaping.

At the other end, Hesketh saw an effort deflected to Bruno who chested and volleyed, a Town defender diverting wide.

Lincoln should have had the tie settled in the 75th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Nsiala was adjudged to have felled Hesketh. The central defender protested vehemently and frustratedly towards the official - it was his foul that led to Accrington’s penalty last month - but to no avail.

Walker took the kick but sent it too close to Norris, who saved to his right. The ball bounced back to the on-loan Nottingham Forest man but somehow he diverted it well wide of Norris’s goal with it appearing easier to score.

The lucky escape woke the Town crowd and the Blues quickly regained their earlier impetus. And in the 79th minute they equalised.

Kenlock cut in from the left and laid the ball back to Dozzell on the edge of the area from where the England U20 international delicately curled his first goal of the season just beyond Vickers’s outstretched arm.

Town went pushing for a winner, Huws making a strong run down the middle but failing to find Georgiou with his pass, then Downes hit a shot which just flew past the keeper’s right post and hit the stanchion. With six minutes remaining, Town swapped Downes for Danny Rowe, while the Imps replaced Andrade with Harry Anderson.

Kenlock went close with a shot which flew just wide before James Norwood took over from Georgiou.

Lincoln went close to winning it in the 88th minute when Shackell hit a low shot from the edge of the box which Huws and Nsiala managed to divert past the post.

Town were unable to find a winner in five additional minutes with Lincoln going closer when the ball was sent high into the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand after crosse flew across the box from both sides.

At the whistle referee Johnson was booed off by the Town crowd, his decisions having continued to frustrate, not least a late flying challenge on Edwards which went unpunished.

The Blues were much better after the break and had enough chances to have won the match. However, Lincoln will point the missed penalty and one or two other opportunities.

The draw stretches Town’s winless run in the FA Cup to 15 games but with another chance to finally taste victory in the competition in the replay.

The game at Sincil Bank - scene of one of the club's greatest embarassments when they were beaten by the Imps in a replay in January 2017 - which will be on Wednesday 20th November.

Town: Norris, Donacien, Wilson, Nsiala, Kenlock, Huws (c), Downes (Rowe 84), Dozzell, Dobra (Edwards 65), Georgiou (Norwood 86), Keane. Unused: Holy, Judge, El Mizouni, Woolfenden.

Lincoln City: Vickers, Toffolo, O’Connor (Chapman 50), Shackell (c), Payne, Andrade (Anderson 84), Walker, Morrell, Connolly, Eardley, Hesketh (Grant 77). Unused: Smith, Lewis, Melbourne, Akinde. Referee: Kevin Johnson (Weston-super-Mare). Att: 11,598 (Lincoln: 1,190).


Photo: TWTD



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BettyBlue added 17:19 - Nov 9
“Winning games of football is a nice habit to have, whatever the competition."

Paul Lambert, you are all talk and no trouser.
-3

TimmyH added 17:20 - Nov 9
Another opportunity for the club to fool the supporters that they're taking this cup seriously...and lucky to still be in it after their penalty miss. Shameful well at least Dozzell has done something this season.
16

Walk_the_Wark added 17:23 - Nov 9
Play a better team and you avoid the extra game. Also, all these postponements for International breaks... We'll have to play these games at some point- probably resulting in over rotation, injuries and losses with the pile up...
15

Saxonblue74 added 17:23 - Nov 9
Losing that game would have been a better result. Very annoyed by the total disregard for fans who made the effort today, and by the total lack of respect for the FA cup. 2 weeks until the next league game, why not field a first 11 (if anyone knows what that may be)? So what happens now on Tuesday evening, another wholesale change of personell no doubt? Ridiculous.
29

ShropshireBluenago09 added 17:26 - Nov 9
Good to give the fringe players a run out, but it will be another game we don't really need away in late November on a Tuesday night now.
Good to see Dozzell get on the score sheet, has taken a lot of criticism recently and most unjust - he is still young and doesn't get much game time.
16

martin587 added 17:27 - Nov 9
Very disappointing enough said.Ten changes in my opinion is incorrect at any level (then what do I know.)Two weeks until our next league game.🤔At least we're in the hat for round two if nothing more.
I don't usually moan but today was something else.😩
19

DifferentGravy added 17:27 - Nov 9
Positives - an improved second half. An opportunity to get match fitness for fringe players in a competitive game

Negatives - now we have a difficult away replay.....to add to the postponements we still have to play. No doubt the same team will be fielded

Cant help feeling that if Lambert had actually played two up top and gone all out, we would have won this game.

But if you decide to make 10 changes.....with two weeks off until next league game......give the fans a financial incentive to attend the game.

Bad all round from the club.
18

cat added 17:28 - Nov 9
Kind of backfired this one, another unwelcome mid week game to squeeze into an already congested program. Very disappointed with the result, the fans did not get what they deserved.
14

ITFCsince73 added 17:34 - Nov 9
What's that, 3 defeats in last 20 games?
If you would have said that would happen, just 12 short weeks ago.
You would have been met with disbelief and plenty of laughs.
Yes we can play various different players, no other team has that luxury outside the Championship.
Today just maybe, the start of a cup run.
In Lambo we trust.
2

Saxonblue74 added 17:34 - Nov 9
Differentgravy, not sure if any of our guys will get fully match fit, they play so few games under this ridiculous system!
7

RobITFC added 17:36 - Nov 9
With no 1st team game next weekend , why not play your best team today ?
30

dukey44 added 17:43 - Nov 9
Sorry it just doesn't make sense. They changed 1 player from last weekend. Lambert changes 10? If we don't run away with this league sorry only 1 man to blame. They got a 2 week break for gods sake. How do u get 11 players to understand each other if you change it every week.. Don't understand?
18

runaround added 17:46 - Nov 9
I'm sure the club won't want a replay as it will mean 3 games in 7 days but it's their own fault. If they had not made so many changes & played a stronger team then we could well have won today & not had to replay & play another game that will probably effect planning for 2 important league games. The way the club approaches cup matches is all wrong in my opinion and they seem to get it wrong every time & have more of an adverse effect than playing full strength teams in first place
14

ringwoodblue added 17:47 - Nov 9
As the team we played was a effectively a second 11 against a first choice Lincoln team, I'd say that that was a good result. However, if we play the same sort of team in the replay, we will come unstuck. Why Lambo didn't put Norwood on earlier I simply don't understand. Nsiala worries me as that's two in two penalties conceded.
9

runningout added 17:48 - Nov 9
Combination of many years stagnant in the league above and inevitably falling. If we don't wake up to reality league 2 or below will be our place.
-6

ITFCsince73 added 17:49 - Nov 9
After being so downbeat, and critical about the club over more years than I care to remember.
It will take more than 10 changes and a unwanted draw to change me right now.
Lost 3 games in 20....you carry on Lambo, it's working so far..
6

d77sgw added 17:54 - Nov 9
From PL's perspective he's got a squad to manage and that means giving them (esp the youngsters) a bit of game time - if not in the cups then when?
3

EssexTractor added 17:55 - Nov 9
Today a fiasco
Starting with Mr PR man deciding that Ipswich Town fans without a victory in the FACup for 10 years would put up with 11 players who have never played as an eleven before.
Irrespective of reduced prices that was very poor.
As for the team fielded I ask again are they coached?
No semblance of that in first half and had Lincolns finishing matched their nimble passing to each other on the floor we would have not recovered .
To the players, individually
Norris did OK, the penalty his highlight
Donacien has played worse
Wilson woeful passing
Nsiala seems a nice guy but not a footballer
Kenlock huffed and puffed and rescued a couple of his own mistakes
Huws off the pace for much of time , didn't give up , but so far little sign of the dominant player once we saw
Dozzell obviously improved when played in centre of field
Downes, individually best player
Georgiou threatens to be really good but can't really reach that level.
Dobra, why oh why was he asked to play up front in first half..skilful but not there
Keane...if this man is really our best back up striker then buy in January..hopeless .
So as team it improved toward the end but why play Norwood for 5 minutes?
And did Rowe touch the ball in his short time ?
If PL really thought about the FACup ( even if just to win one match) and not want another match ( for more rotational purposes) he could have engaged his ability to substitute earlier and in greater number.
And finally is it possible to have any decent referees in League One?



10

RobsonWark added 17:57 - Nov 9
I don't understand why Anthony Georgiou started today. Yes he looks good when he plays but he is not one of our players. Why do we want to give him a starting place to develope him when he will be going back to Spurs in January? He should be an impact sub like he has been used this season.
1

SickParrot added 18:01 - Nov 9
Totally unnecessary to play a reserve team when we don't have a game next weekend, especially when PL is aware that we haven't won an FA cup match for 10 years. PL has let the fans down today and to make matters worse, we now have an extra game to play.
20

OldClactonBlue added 18:04 - Nov 9
EssexTractor that is an excellent summing up.
Can't really disagree with any of it
1

Wishing4arightback added 18:05 - Nov 9
Got to say this, Lambert says the fringe players deserve a game, but do the fans and the club NOT deserve a strong team and a victory in the FA cup?????
It was obvious by the lack of changes etc that he was not fussed about winning, despite what PR he spouts.
Will Keane, the man the management praise so highly was absolutely in the pocket of Callum Connolly, who is a 5ft 10 make shift defender. Keane won 2 headers all game, is not mobile and his scoring record does not lie.
Dozzell, yes he scored, really am pleased for him, and he was better in the middle but first half he might as well not have been on the pitch. Didnt run, didnt track and poor passing which always consisted of slowing it up and going onto his left. It was almost a statement of, if you wont play me in the position I want I cant be arsed!!!
Too many changes, clearly not fussed about actually winning an FA cup match which would mean so much to the fans.
If we were playing a non league team or a poor div 2 team then we may have got away with it, but we were playing a solid team from the same league as us, very arrogant to assume our reserves would beat them.
Come on Lambert, be fair the fans who have come back in numbers to support the team!!!!!
10

RobsonWark added 18:06 - Nov 9
We almost won the treble in 1981 by playing our best first eleven week in week out. Players get used to playing with each other and build up an understanding. Changing the team each week just doesn't work.
13

RobsonWark added 18:11 - Nov 9
I can not understand why we signed Will Keane. 8 goals in his professional career and 3 of them for us. SHOCKING!!!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Keane
8

delias_cheesy_flaps added 18:12 - Nov 9
Not much to add to what has already been said as we do like to shoot ourselves in the foot!

By not playing our first team (god only knows exactly who that might be) especially with an international break next, we know have an additional game, really clever stuff PL.
4


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