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Ipswich Town 0-2 Portsmouth - Match Report
Saturday, 12th Dec 2020 16:58

Town fans had a disappointing return to Portman Road as two first-half Ryan Williams goals saw Portsmouth to a comfortable 2-0 victory over the Blues, who are still to beat anyone in League One’s top nine this season. Williams, who hadn’t scored previously this season, gave his side the lead on 29 and added the second a minute before the break and Pompey could well have extended their lead in a second half in which they struck the woodwork twice.

Town boss Paul Lambert made one change with Andre Dozzell returning in the three-man central midfield, alongside Jon Nolan with Alan Judge ahead of them, having missed last week’s 2-1 win at Plymouth as he was suspended having reached five bookings.

Brett McGavin dropped to the bench, while striker Aaron Drinan was also among the subs having recovered from his hamstring injury.

Portsmouth were unchanged from the team which beat Peterborough 2-0 at Fratton Park on League One last weekend with winger Michael Jacobs back from a knee injury and on the bench alongside ex-Town striker Ellis Harrison.

Fans were back at Portman Road, dotted around the stands aside from the Sir Bobby, for the first time since March with the game watched by 2,000 season ticket holders allocated their tickets via the ballot.

For the first time in 280 days the Blues players were cheered on to the pitch as they made their way from the tunnel.

Prior to the whistle both teams took a knee in support of Black Lives Matter to warm applause from the Town support.

Even with such a relatively small crowd the game seemed to have greater intensity virtually from the off.

The first serious action came in the eighth minute when Town lone striker Kayden Jackson chased a ball down the right into the area. Keeper Craig Macgillivray came off his line and the two reached the ball at the same time and the ball went out of play.

Jackson and the Blues fans made an ambitious penalty claim but referee Thomas Bramall opted to award a free-kick against Town, which seemed third in his list of possible decisions.

A minute later, Blues keeper Dai Cornell was forced into the game’s first big save, the Welshman getting down and across to his left to push John Marquis’s low curling shot from just outside the area wide.

Pompey were presenting the greater threat in the opening minutes, forcing Town into regular mistakes as they tried to pass out from the back and winning a number of corners which the Blues managed to repel.

On 16 Ronan Curtis, a scorer in the last two matches between the sides, was very fortunate to escape a booking for sliding in on Jackson well after the ball had gone, much to the annoyance of the Blues’ support. Two minutes later the Irishman fouled Dozzell on halfway and again managed to keep out of referee Bramall’s book.

Curtis might have made it three in three against Town on 22 when Marcus Harness out-battled Mark McGuinness on the edge of the area. The former Burton Albion man fed Curtis in space but the one-time Derry City man screwed his shot well over.

Town were next to threaten in the 25th minute. Dobra, playing wide on the right for Town with Jack Lankester on the left, tricked his way into the box from a Jackson pass before hitting a shot across Macgillivray which the keeper blocked with his feet.


But four minutes later, Pompey took the lead. Harness crossed from the right, Marquis, in acres of space, tapped back first time to Ryan Williams and the Australian international slammed his first goal of the season into the roof of the net. It was a very poor goal to concede from Town’s perspective if well-worked and neat from the visitors’.

Town suffered a further blow in the 33rd minute when Jon Nolan was forced off with an injury and McGavin took over alongside Dozzell in the deeper-lying midfield roles. Nolan was playing only his third game after returning from a groin problem.

Pompey probably should have made it 2-0 in the 36th minute when Lee Brown cut back from the left and skipper Tom Naylor shot wide as he broke unchecked to the edge of the box when he should at least have hit the target.

Two minutes later, Blues skipper Luke Chambers headed weakly through to Macgillivray following a Ward cross from the left.

Town, with Dobra having moved into the middle and Judge to the right, were starting to see a lot of the ball and in the 41st minute Alan Judge cut in from the left and hit a shot which Macgillivray was forced to punch away.

In the final scheduled minute of the half, Pompey doubled their lead. The ball was crossed from the right, Curtis nodded back into the box and Williams turned home his second of the afternoon and the campaign unchallenged.

The former Rotherham man had never previously scored twice in a match before, let alone twice in one half.

Portman Road rang with boos only 45 minutes after fans’ had made return following nine months away with the Blues appearing set for their third successive home defeat at the half-time whistle.

Pompey’s goals had both looked all too easy and they might well have had a third had Naylor hit the target.

At the other end, as has been a familiar story, Town had had a lot of possession but had rarely threatened with Dobra’s direct running with the ball into the box having presented their biggest danger and their one real chance.

Town began the second half looking to repeat their FA Cup comeback against Pompey when they came from two goals down to level at 2-2, only to unluckily lose 3-2 in extra-time.

Pompey should have made it 3-0 in the 48th minute when goalscorer Williams crossed from the right and Marquis, again completely unmarked, headed wide when he really should have found the corner of the net.

Andy Cannon shot well over from distance on 53 with the visitors starting the half the stronger with Town looking deflated.

Marquis was inches away from making it three in the 56th minute when his header from Curtis’s free-kick on the left slammed against the bar and away with Cornell having badly misjudged it.

A minute later at the other end, Jackson looked to run on to a Ward through ball but a defender’s toe put it behind.

Following the corner a Dobra shot was blocked on the edge of the box, then Pompey make a promising break but Curtis was unable to find Marquis with a pass. On 59 Portsmouth swapped Brown, who had picked up a knock for Cameron Pring.

Town had shown few signs of getting back into the game so on 63 manager Lambert made a double change with Judge and Jackson making way for Keanan Bennetts and Aaron Drinan. The decision to stick with one up front was loudly booed.

A minute later Portsmouth again came close to their third of the game, Curtis hitting a shot from distance which stuck Cornell’s cross bar for a second time.

On 67 only a brilliant Cornell save kept the score at 2-0. Pring sent over a free-kick from deep on the left and Sean Raggett, the scorer of the controversial winner in the cup tie, headed goalwards only for the Blues keeper to get down to his right to palm it past the post.

Curtis was shown the game’s first yellow card in the 70th minute for a late tackle on Lankester, who joined him in the book for his unimpressed reaction. Having been cautioned, Lankester was immediately replaced by ex-Pompey man Oli Hawkins as the Blues finally moved to two strikers.

Moments later, McGuinness became the second Town played to be booked for a foul on Marquis on halfway. On 74 McGavin had his name added for a foul on Harness as Portsmouth looked to break following a rare Town attack, then five minutes later Raggett joined them for stopping Cornell from kicking the ball out.

Pompey had dominated the second half with the Blues first attempt at goal in the second half not coming until the 84th minute when McGuinness headed over from a corner. Jacobs replaced Curtis as the game moved into its final four minutes, then Jack Whatmough was booked for a foul on Bennetts.

The final whistle was again greeted by boos from the returning 2,000 plus shouts of 'Lambert out' aimed at the Blues boss as he made his way towards the tunnel, while skipper Chambers and the players’ applause to the fans as they made their way off was reciprocated.

The Blues had once again been made to look very much second best against one of the division’s better sides, as was the case against Hull and Charlton in the previous two home matches which also ended in defeats.

Town are still to beat anyone currently in the top nine and will have to be very much better than this if they are to defeat any of the other sides challenging at the top of the table.

Having secured their 2-0 lead in the first half, Pompey really should have extended it by one or two more in the second half with the woodwork hit twice, Marquis missing a sitter and Cornell making one terrific save.

Town looked short of ideas and short of confidence once they’d gone two down and a second-half comeback never looked even a remote possibility. Their only serious chance of the game and the only save Macgillivray made all afternoon was from Dobra in the first half.

Goals continue to be a significant worry with the two at Plymouth - both netted after the Pilgrims had been reduced to 10 men - the only two scored in the last five matches.

The Blues drop to sixth, although with three of the four sides directly below them having played fewer games.

Burton Albion are the visitors to Portman Road on Tuesday before a trip to another of the top sides Peterborough, currently fourth, next Saturday.

Town: Cornell, Chambers (c), Woolfenden, McGuinness, Ward, Dozzell, Nolan (McGavin 33), Dobra, Lankester (Hawkins 70), Judge (Bennetts 63), Jackson (Drinan 63). Unused: Holy, Nsiala, Kenlock.

Portsmouth: Macgillivray, Johnson, Brown (Pring 59), Naylor (c), Whatmough, Williams, Marquis, Curtis (Jacobs 86), Cannon, Harness, Raggett. Unused: Bass, Close, Harrison, Nicolaisen, Hiwula. Referee: Thomas Bramall (Sheffield).


Photo: Matchday Images



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midastouch added 17:16 - Dec 12
Lamboooooooooo!!!!!!
So predictable!
Easy money backing us to lose against anybody higher up the table! Sad but true!
Surely even Flipper the Dolphin needs to flip on Lambert soon?
8

cornishblu added 17:17 - Dec 12
Just waiting for the thread to fill up with the ...
at least we are still in the top 6 , let's take the positive , negative comments shouldn't be allowed let's get behind the boys brigade .

Facts
We are dreadful
Toothless
Badly owned
Badly managed
Badly “captained”
We are no better than last year and in danger of finishing lower

....we are where we are because too many have sleep walked us here ......and too many have shrugged their shoulders and blamed the negativity for the reason ....whereas it's the “let's not upset anyone brigade” that need to take a hard look at themselves

This is not the club I was brought up to support
28

Help added 17:18 - Dec 12
For me, we need a manager who wants to win the game.....not a manager who hopes we dont lose and bang on about possession.

Description reminds me of another former manager who appeared to use the same tactics. Try not to lose MM.
11

timkatieadamitfc added 17:20 - Dec 12
Top 6 team = instant defeat, something has to give here this is ridiculous, LAMBERT HAS TO GO
17

LWNR2013 added 17:20 - Dec 12
Dreadful
10

therein61 added 17:20 - Dec 12
Of course he's going to blame the negativity running about the club, which he is totally responsible for, injuries or not we have enough fit players to do well in this division but unfortunately they don't appear to want to play for him.
14

Bert added 17:20 - Dec 12
Passive, tippy tappy, no end product whatsoever but the muppets that Warkthe line refers to, do at least want their team to win. Dobra good, Cornell decent, Lambert stubborn so yes, roll on the return of KVY, a midfield that is strong, Edwards, Norwood and two up front.
8

SickParrot added 17:23 - Dec 12
3 home defeats in a row without scoring, only goals scored in last 5 games were when opponents had a man sent off. We only beat the really poor teams but it's not Lambert's fault. It's the referees, injuries, Covid, Phil Ham, the negativity etc.
9

IpswichToon added 17:25 - Dec 12
Can any other clubs in the EFL 72 boast no promotions in 20 years? Probably not.

Isn't it odd how many bad omens we seem to have?
Terrible coming back off international break.
Terrible in front of the TV camera.
Unable to win a game in any cup, including much lower opposition.
Blighted by injuries for half a decade.
Haven't beaten Norwich is 11 attempts or so.

As much as I think Marcus Evans has good intentions, hasn't done anything particularly wrong (aside from hiring Paul Hurst) - he is the one constant through all of this. This rebuild malarkey clearly isn't working. It's time for a real shake-up.
6

Bluroo added 17:25 - Dec 12
Awful.
Should have lost 5-0.
Lambert is out of ideas and doesn't really care.
I'm not convinced our injured players coming back is going to change anything, more than half of these players would be in our “best” team anyway, under Lamberts uninspiring command.

Change of manager is the only solution.


11

Bluearmy_81 added 17:25 - Dec 12
1

IpswichToon added 17:26 - Dec 12
Has anyone else realized we haven't scored first in a game since October!
6

Suffolkboy added 17:26 - Dec 12
Sad, sad ,sad ! When oh when are we to be treated to a team performance from the very first whistle which encourages us to believe there is belief from within ?
Something's disappointingly amiss ; is PL labouring under his ‘burden' of managing to agreed objectives, is he simply making Managing look impossibly challenging , is he ‘depressed ‘ and can't shake off the shadow , does he suffer with seasonal'SAD ‘? , or what is it that ails both he and apparently our First team ??
Desperation stakes , it seems , though nobody wants this to be correct deduction ; there must be a key to effect an improvement in the health of the body ,or Doctors/ Consultants available OR is the Surgeon hurrying by ?
COYB , we all want to see you improve rapidly !!
6

Elizabeth added 17:27 - Dec 12
What is going on at this club 🙈 ? Are we being told the truth about injuries to key players or is there something else going on here ? Makes you wonder ...
it was clearly men against boys today and playing one up front is not acceptable .. no width either .. can't these SO CALLED MANAGERS see by now that the better teams play this way .. it isn't rocket science but still they continue to play the same old cxxx week in , week out and yes, sometimes it works against poorer opposition . This is the worst Town team I have ever seen in the numerous years I have supported this club .. we clearly need a change of personnel but that's not going to happen anytime soon .. so we're stuck with it .. mirrors the year that we've all had to endure and let's hope for a better 2021 ...
9

Dolphinblue added 17:28 - Dec 12
Hmmm.....#thenegcrew out in force again kicking the blues whilst they are down....changing manager wont alter the fact that our injury list is huge. Back the team! Try being proper supporters! COYB
-18

Len_Brennan added 17:29 - Dec 12
Need to make the change this side of Christmas to have any chance of being in the promotion shake up. Every day we stick with Lambert is a day lost.
13

Blue_Meanie added 17:29 - Dec 12
Boll0cks to all this Evans saved us blah blah blah; we've just been beaten by a side who in 2017 were about to go into liquidation when the supporters trust took the club on.
We,arguably have a bigger fan base than Pompey. Evans out; what's the worst that could happen, and don't say Bury FC or Macclesfield they're not comparable to us.

7

Dolphinblue added 17:30 - Dec 12
LAMBERT IN!!!!!!!
-17

fifeblue added 17:30 - Dec 12
Ipswich Town NIL 0 Portsmouth 2

There are no goals in this team at all. Majority possession again and again no goals. You cannot play pitter-patter in this league. And where is the leadership on the field?
7

Cloddyseedbed added 17:32 - Dec 12
A managers job is to get the best out of what he has and improve, whatever job he is in. Team selection, tactics and motivation from Lambert is non existent. Do I want the club to keep changing managers on a regular basis, no I don't but I'm afraid PL in his time has shown we are not improving or even stabilising on the pitch. It is a continual decline, with little or no cohesion on the pitch. Injuries of course don't help, but if you look at the ones who are injured they miss more games in a season than they play most of them and that is not just this season. We have a physically weak and easily injured squad. Whoever we bring in to the club is of poor quality or is it not coached good enough? Confidence is now at rock bottom with the owner, manager, players and fans. Time for yet another shake up at the club. Unfortunately with how the club is run that will probably not be the fix we as supporters are craving for either. Mr Evans your attempt at an apology was not convincing enough for me and it is your fault we are where we are not us fans. We are the heart of the club not the problem. Don't blame lack of money or injury crisis. Clubs with far less resources than us can compete on a football pitch and a lot more able than us, that it what hurts me the most. Since ME takeover we have only gone one way. I will always be a season ticket holder and support the team but the club needs to address the issues or it will disappear even further down the leagues or worse.
19

RobITFC added 17:35 - Dec 12
"Prior to the whistle both teams took a knee in support of Black Lives Matter to warm applause from the Town support. " Before anyone else agree's with this , check out who BLM are , they are a marxist political organisation so why are we pampering to their demands ? Stop taking the knee and show that the club is anti-racist by linking arms instead.
8

TimmyH added 17:35 - Dec 12
Well that had away banker written all over it on the coupon and lucky to get away with just 2-0.

I'd suggest to Evans with a few players back by the new year - Downes, KVY and possibly Edwards it would be a great opportunity for a change of management, either a temporary Burley/Holland combo or even permanent appointment of somebody like Nigel Pearson for a morale boost to the business part of the season. Just look we're only 5 points of the top which shows just how open and lets be honest how poor this league is. Lambert tactically just is not doing it for me and should go!

But then again Evans thinks we're on the right track - chuckle!
16

blue_enough added 17:37 - Dec 12
The egos of Evans and Lambert is incredible, really really incredible.
In the real world they wouldn't be hired by anyone.

But in this dystopian nightmare they are king.
They love the power but can't justify why they have it
12

blueboy1981 added 17:40 - Dec 12
Call it what you will - do ee call it ‘reasons' or do we call it ‘excuses' ? - whichever, nothing chances season after season after season.
Personally, as I have previously stated, I believe we have been a ‘too easy' Club to Manage, and play for - all too easy to slope the shoulder when it should be otherwise.
The only people who seem to expect anything is us, and for that blamed for failure.
The mojo has long since gone - and all too easy for people, other than supporters, to go AWOL.
Lambert was a failed Manager before he came ti us - why was anymore expected ? although we all hoped !!
For the first time in a decade, I now believe it may be the only saving grace would be for Evans to try and sell, and Lambert to exit post haste.
Quite simply we are in reverse - blaming an overcrowded Treatment Room will only wash for a while - every Club in the League could do that.
Doesn't that Treatment Room tell it's own story - season after season ???
We're progressing slowly but surely into the mire - the Lifeguard will very soon be needed before we disappear.
We even have a situation where Pundits / Journalists are in fear if being banned from the Club for having an opinion and asking questions.

None of this is our true and beloved IPSWICH TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB.


9

midastouch added 17:41 - Dec 12
If In Doubt Lambert Out!
5


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