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Ipswich Town 0-2 Charlton Athletic - Match Report
Saturday, 28th Nov 2020 17:07

A goal in either half from Albie Morgan and Omar Bogle saw Charlton to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Town at Portman Road. Morgan put his side ahead with a low shot on 21 in an evenly-balanced first half, while sub Bogle scored with his first touch in the 68th minute to seal the three points for the visitors with the Blues, who are down to sixth, never looking like staging a comeback.

Liam Gibbs and David Cornell were handed their league debuts as manager Paul Lambert made four changes from the team which lost 3-0 at home to Hull City on Tuesday.

Gibbs, 17, came into the midfield three with Andre Dozzell, who was back after his three-match ban and Brett McGavin.

Bury St Edmunds-based academy product Gibbs, who had previously made two starts and one sub appearance in the EFL Trophy, started in a role ahead of the deeper Dozzell with McGavin completing one of the youngest midfields the Blues have ever fielded in a league game.

Emyr Huws is missing from the squad, presumably having joined Jon Nolan, Teddy Bishop, Flynn Downes, Cole Skuse and Tristan Nydam on a long midfield injured list.

Cornell took over in goal from Tomas Holy, who dropped to the bench. The Welshman had previously made five starts in cup games for the Blues since his summer move from Northampton.

At the centre of the defence, Toto Nsiala returned to the right of Luke Woolfenden with Mark McGuinness among the subs. Skipper Luke Chambers and Stephen Ward continued as the full-backs.

Up front, Keanan Bennetts was on the left and Alan Judge the right with James Norwood again the central striker.

For Charlton, manager Lee Bowyer, a former Blues midfielder, brought Chuks Aneke, Albie Morgan and ex-Blues loanee Jonny Williams into his XI for Omar Bogle, Alex Gilbey and Marcus Maddison, who were among the subs.

The Addicks were again forced to field a makeshift centre-half pairing of right-back Chris Gunter and midfielder Darren Pratley.

Prior to kick-off there was a minute’s applause in memory of football legend Diego Maradona, who died earlier in the week.

The game started scruffily but in the fifth minute McGavin won the ball midway inside the Charlton half and fed Bennetts, who took it on and hit a shot from the edge of the box which struck and Addicks defender. On the arm, according to Bennetts, but referee Craig Hicks showed no interest.

On 13 Judge found Chambers in space on the right. The Blues captain cut in and hit a shot with the outside of his boot which caught a defender on its way wide. From the resultant corner on the left, Nsiala rose highest but nodded beyond the far post.

A minute later, with Town looking the more dangerous side, Bennetts appeared to try to catch Addicks keeper Ben Amos unawares with a shot from wide on the left when a cross looked the more obvious option.

As the game approached the quarter-hour mark, the Blues came close to going in front when Dozzell played a ball through for Norwood, who held off Gunter but a heavy touch took it away from him and the striker was unable to avoid hooking his effort at goal from eight yards over the bar as well as Amos.


Two minutes later, Charlton felt they should have been awarded a penalty when Aneke’s flick sent Williams in on goal but Nsiala somehow got back to outmuscle the Welsh international and stab away and Cornell saved down to his right. A spot-kick would have been harsh but as Town know to their cost that penalties can be awarded in such situations.

The Addicks were starting to look more threatening and on 20 Aneke shot well over from a tight angle on the right.

And the South Londoners only had to wait another minute to go in front. Aneke won the ball from Woolfenden as he sought to play out on the edge of the area to the left and fed Andrew Shinnie. The Scot took it into the area before his low ball deflected off a Town defender to Morgan and the 20-year-old fired his first league goal for the Addicks past Cornell from 12 yards. Once again, Town’s defending had contributed much to an opposition goal.

In the 28th minute the Blues wasted a free-kick in a promising position not far outside the box. Dozzell played it wide to Judge on the left but the Irishman’s cross looped beyond Nsiala at the far post and out for a goal-kick.

Town lost striker Norwood to what looked to be another hamstring injury in the 35th minute. Aaron Drinan replaced the former Tranmere man a minute later, while Ward was receiving treatment for a knock of his own. Norwood’s exit was the third time in three games the Blues had lost a player to injury in the first half.

Drinan was making his first appearance since the opening day of the league season when he suffered a thigh injury in the 2-0 victory over Wigan.

The visitors had keeper Amos to thank for maintaining their 1-0 lead in the 38th minute, the keeper flying away to his right to palm Judge’s flicked header from Dozzell’s free-kick on the right past his post.

A minute later, Drinan won the ball on the byline from the hesitant Pratley and cut it back to Judge, whose shot was somehow deflected over by Ian Maatsen. As has been the case too often of late, Town’s corner came to nothing.

In the 43rd minute Judge was shown the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Shinnie as Charlton broke.

In the final scheduled minute of the half, Paul Smyth got away behind Nsiala but threw himself to the ground just outside the area as the defender looked to get back in front of him. Referee Hicks was unimpressed with his dive but showed no card.

As half-time approached, most of the game was being played in the visitors’ half of the field but with Blues passes going astray at vital moments.

Again Town were left rueing having not taken chances at one end while being the architects of their own downfall at the other with there having been little between the sides during what had been a scruffy half overall.

Norwood will feel he should have taken his chance, while Judge’s header was kept out by an excellent Amos save, although the Irishman may believe he should have scored his other opportunity after Drinan had done well to win the ball back on the byline.

Keeper Cornell had had a relatively quiet half but the Blues still found themselves behind at the break from another very preventable goal.

Charlton were first the threaten after the restart. Morgan broke down the right and sent over a deep cross which Smyth looked to volley but the ball scuffed off his foot and out of play.

On 51 Aneke broke away from Woolfenden and hit a shot across Cornell which the keeper saved down to his right. Three minutes later, the Addicks swapped Williams for Gilbey.

As the hour mark approached, the Addicks were presenting the greatest threat, counter-attacking after Blues moves forward broke down. But fortunately up to now without seriously testing Cornell.

Town swapped Gibbs, who will have learned a lot from his first senior game and had shown one or two moments of his promise, for Jackson in the 64th minute as Charlton’s Smyth underwent treatment on the pitch having injured himself trying to bring down the Town youngster moments before his substitution.

Smyth was eventually helped to the stretcher cart, taken straight down the tunnel and replaced by Bogle, while Jackson joined Drinan in a front two.

Less than two minutes after being introduced, Bogle doubled his side’s lead with his first touch. Woolfenden failed to clear a long throw from the right, Pratley crossed and the former Wigan and Grimsby man slammed into the net at the far post having escaped Chambers’s attention. Yet another very soft goal from a Town perspective.

In the 71st minute Town were forced into another change with Nsiala suffering a knock and McGuinness taking over. The Blues also switched McGavin for Jack Lankester. Charlton replaced Aneke, a thorn in the Town backline’s side all afternoon, with Ben Purrington.

The Blues had a mountain to climb having gone two goals down, particularly as they had only scored more than once in one of their last six league games.

Their performance became more disjointed as the visitors grew in confidence having established their two-goal lead.

On 81 Judge hit a powerful shot against a defender, then took the rebound into the box before hitting another effort which was easy for Amos, whose only serious save all afternoon had been the Irish international’s header in the first half.

After seven minutes of injury time, referee Hicks’s whistle confirmed another Blues defeat to a side in the upper reaches of the division with Town still to win against anyone in the top eight and having taken only three points from their three back-to-back home games, and those via a very fortunate victory over Shrewsbury.

The Blues never really looked like getting back on terms in the early stages of the second period and once Charlton had gone two in front the destination of the three points never looked in any doubt.

Another defeat will see manager Lambert’s position come under further scrutiny with fans having made their frustrations known after Tuesday’s 3-0 loss to leaders Hull City.

The Blues have now lost three of their last four in the league and seven of their last 10 in all competitions.

Whether owner Marcus Evans heeds fans’ calls for a change of manager remains to be seen but something certainly needs to change to prevent the season going in the same direction as the last campaign in which the Blues started brightly before drifting to a dismal mid-table finish.

Town are now down to sixth, with their game the only fixture involving the teams at the top being played today, ahead of tricky away trips to Oxford on Tuesday and Plymouth next Saturday.

Town: Cornell, Chambers (c), Woolfenden, Nsiala (McGuinness 71), Ward, Dozzell, McGavin (Lankester 71), Gibbs (Jackson 64), Bennetts, Judge, Norwood (Drinan 36). Unused: Holy, Kenlock, Hawkins.

Charlton: Amos, Gunter, Williams (Gilbey 54), Aneke (Purrington 71), Shinnie, Pratley (c), Matthews, Morgan, Maatsen, Watson, Smyth (Bogle 66). Unused: Maynard-Brewer, Pearce, Maddison. Referee: Craig Hicks (Surrey).


Photo: Matchday Images



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Len_Brennan added 17:08 - Nov 28
Charlton, Hull, Sunderland, Lincoln, Doncaster -
Played 5, Pts 0, GF 2, GA 12.
The manager has to go.
54

timkatieadamitfc added 17:09 - Nov 28
EVANS PLEASE SAVE OUR SEASON TODAY - LAMBERT OUT TONIGHT
43

Bluearmy_81 added 17:09 - Nov 28
Ipswich Town are currently like a pitiful joke. If the buck doesn't stop with Evans then who on earth does it stop with?!
Join Evans out of ITFC on facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/305709660097210/?ref=share
9

Buryblue78 added 17:09 - Nov 28
More of the same rubbish
Sorry but its time for a change
37

barryblue added 17:10 - Nov 28
its got to be our most worst result of the season, against a very poor team with a very poor manager in very poor form. we are heading for mid table obscurity. lambert has achieved nothing. I think johnson who got sacked by bristol city is still out of work, got to be our best bet. shameful and inept
21

Nobbysnuts added 17:10 - Nov 28
Dreadful, diabolical, dogsh#t....shambo out....enough is enough 💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩


24

therein61 added 17:10 - Nov 28
He certainly has to go now i am tired of the same old excuses this once proud club is a laughing stock
48

cat added 17:12 - Nov 28
3 wins in the last 10 games (in all comps) perfectly sums up Lamberts win percentage since he joined us!!!! What can you add to that part from TAXI!
32

billysdad added 17:12 - Nov 28
Can't remember the last time I commented on here.
But then can't remember us being this bad.
Totally insipid display, clueless manager who HAS to go.
Could also do with an owner who actually gives a damn.
🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
30

Felstow1978 added 17:12 - Nov 28
Come back Bluefish, all is forgiven x
4

cromwellblue added 17:14 - Nov 28
Looking forward to the press conference.

I'm sure we were brilliant

Lambert is the only person on the planet more deluded than Donald Trump

16

TimmyH added 17:14 - Nov 28
Boo! Rubbish!...Lamberts get out of jail card will be the injuries but a number i.e. Bishop, Huws and Norwood are continually warming their bums on the physio's table and the management must know this...KVY I've almost forgotten about and Downes wasn't being picked even when fit. One player we are missing currently is Edwards who usually looks the most positive attacking wise.

So I say lets get PL out now before we sink even further...we need to be in the mix come March/April time not in mid-table, so taxi for Lambert!
25

norfolkbluey added 17:15 - Nov 28
Goal scoring nowhere to be seen. THIS JUST CAN'T GO ON!!! Now we seem to have Lost Norwood to add to the list, yet we still remain in the top six. What a waste of opportunities. Still only 6 points off the top but hey this is not going to stay the same when the rest of the league start playing again. NO Form in sight and with PL in charge no chance of promotion. I hate saying this and feel disloyal but it's the truth. We are only going down with him in charge. PL is okay when all are fit but not in this scenario. Thank goodness we have the points to build on to survive. Predicted this more than a month ago. I just hope we scramble enough points to survive before the end of the season. The recent stats tell us all. ME please listen to the enormous number of fans.
THIS CANNOT CONTINUE TO GO ON!!!
28

fistpumpfury added 17:16 - Nov 28
Agent Lambert return to Carrow road. Mission accomplished thank you....
15

itfchorry added 17:16 - Nov 28
One up front just says it all -
21

ringwoodblue added 17:16 - Nov 28
Result was never really in doubt, it was just how many we would lose by.

Huws and Norwood added to the ridiculously long injury list and our drop down the table continues.

I know things could be worse (eg Bury or Southend) but this current team is the poorest Ipswich team in my lifetime and I'm over 50.

Please Mr Lambert, if you have a decent bone in your body, just go and let someone else have a try cos you've proven you're not the man for the job.
24

ShropshireBluenago09 added 17:17 - Nov 28
Yes we've had injuries and today Norwood went off as well, however with the squad we have we should still be competing. All lies at Lambert feet, poor formation, poor tactics. Why bring Drinan on when Jackson or Hawkins should be much fitter and better quality.
Get that banner out at PR but make it less polite.
17

BeattiesBackPocket added 17:17 - Nov 28
The manager and a lot of players are out of their depth and as a club top to bottom we've accepted mediocrity and there's too many fans accepting mediocrity under evans and those fans who constantly stick up for him or don't want to protest or make a fuss because according to them there's ‘no alternative' (even though no one actually knows if that true until the club goes up for sale however I'll bring your attention to an interview from only 2019 where he admits turning down two offers to buy the club below

https://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/m

we have constantly offered contracts to mediocre players and managers who were partly responsible for our demise not through their own fault but because they were not good enough, not passionate enough and Some of our fans seem okay with it as Fuller wrote in EADT only last week some of our fans accept it well not many other fans would?

What would anyone on here who supports Evans rather have? what we had before evans took over in 2007? Which is the following; Out of administration, 30 million debt, a team challenging near and around the playoffs a passionate ex player as manager, players inc wilnis, Tommy Miller, legwinski, De Vos, Sito, Alex Bruce, Richard Naylor, Garvan, Cornago OR maybe you guys prefer;
The 100 million debt, a journeyman manager, a team not even challenging in league one and this is not based on just tonight but where we finished last season and the fact we've yet to beat a team anywhere near the top six as yet?? Please comment and let me know I'm interested in which you'd prefer and please don't ask me for an alternative as we had two previous buyers that Evans turned down so 🤷‍♂️
20

DifferentGravy added 17:17 - Nov 28
Want to support the club but wont be wasting another tenner. So frustrated at Lamberts continual lack of formation/tactical ability....utterly clueless........absolute plum. No surprise to the rest of us that Charlton were pushed back when he FINALLY put two up top.

Lambert out


13

Bluearmy_81 added 17:18 - Nov 28
Norfolk, oh but it will. We have 4 more years of this. He didn't cancel MMs contract early and he won't cancel Lamberts. Absolute joke club
6

essextractorboy93 added 17:18 - Nov 28
Backed Lambert up until now but feel like his time is up. If he stays we will finish mid table and that is nowhere near good enough. He was lucky to have continued as manager when last season was cut short. I feel like the club has to act now to save our season, otherwise we are just going to finish in mid table.

Its all well and good having good possession stats but its all in the wrong areas of the pitch. You can have all the possession in the world but what happens in both boxes is more important.

Feel for the fans. Hopefully better times are ahead but its sad to see our club like this.
10

Tractorboy1985 added 17:19 - Nov 28
Come on then you happy clappers... keep defending the ownership.. keep defending the management... keep defending the conditional side of the club... we are rotten and a change needs to happen from TOP to BOTTOM!! Staff not good enough and nor are the players!!! WAKE UP AND REALISE THIS CLUB IS ROTTEN TO THE CORE AND US FANS PROTEST AGAINST IT!!! SHAMBO OUT... EVANS OUT
13

barryblue added 17:21 - Nov 28
come on cornwellblue, at least trump did what he said he was going to do...
just listeneing to mick mills saying we got too many injuries... !!! hello, so has every other team!! we playing too many games in short space of time, all teams in the same boat, but we have a big squad compared to most, thats no excuse
8

grubbyoik added 17:21 - Nov 28
You will find the compensation awarded to Lambert if Evans gets rid of him will depend on where we are in the league when he pulls the plug. I imagine if were in a play off olace it will cost Evans more than if were in 10th.. so it might not happen just yet... I would get Burley back in with the likes of Nash.. Butcher and Dyer around him till the end of the season.. if it works.. extend it.
5

multiplescoregasms added 17:21 - Nov 28
Well we all saw it coming, so no shock we lost. This is a very average bunch of players in a very average league. Still can't compete against a top 10 team. It's utter madness. More injuries to add to the list, but hey, nothing to see here. Time for PL to go no doubt, but which available manager at the moment would want to manage this s*it show? Think we have to consider that this is where this club is going to be for many years to come.
5


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