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Ipswich Town 0-1 Peterborough United - Match Report
Saturday, 23rd Jan 2021 17:10

Town continue to look for a win against one of League One’s top sides as Mark McGuinness’s 69th minute own goal saw Peterborough United to a 1-0 win at Portman Road. Jonson Clarke-Harris missed a penalty for Posh in a dull first half and the game improved little in a second in which McGuinness scuffed past his own keeper to win three points for the visitors who otherwise didn’t manage a shot on target, while the Blues registered merely two.

Town boss Paul Lambert, who again watched the game sitting in the dugout, made one enforced change with Aaron Drinan replacing James Norwood up front.

Norwood dropped out of the 18 having felt some fatigue in his previously injured hamstring during last Saturday’s 1-0 win at Burton.

Kayden Jackson was also not in the squad having missed training earlier in the week due to thigh and hip injuries.

Winger Luke Thomas, who signed from Barnsley in the week, was among the subs, as was Jon Nolan, who had previously been out with a calf problem. Town’s other new loan signing, Josh Harrop, is self-isolating having tested positive for Covid-19.

Posh made one change from the team which beat Charlton 2-1 in midweek with midfielder Reece Brown coming in for Ethan Hamilton, who was among the subs.

After the two teams had taken a knee in support of Black Lives Matter, the game got under way with Peterborough controlling the early stages but without either keeper being tested.

Town gradually began to show more and on 16 Teddy Bishop won a free-kick five yards outside the penalty area to the right. The ball was played short to the midfielder on the edge of the area, where he worked himself space to hit a shot which deflected wide.

Five minutes later, former Posh wideman Gwion Edwards won a free-kick on the left, although the decision looked harsh on the visitors, and Alan Judge scraped a strike past Christy Pym’s right post with the keeper never looking in any trouble.

Clarke-Harris struck a powerful 25-yard free-kick only just over Tomas Holy’s cross-bar in the 25th minute but with the Town keeper similarly unflustered.

Just before the half hour, Sammie Szmodics, under pressure from Dozzell, was able to turn the ball into the path of Siriki Dembele breaking down the left. The former Grimsby striker took it on into the area and hit a shot which looked to be going wide before Holy’s right hand made sure.

In the 33rd minute the visitors were handed a golden opportunity to go in front when Toto Nsiala lunged in to make a challenge on Dembele in the area. Referee Antony Coggins didn’t appear to be that interested until his assistant on the right-hand side after a long wait waved his flag and the Oxfordshire-based official pointed to the spot.


However, fortunately for the Blues, Clarke-Harris smashed his penalty very powerfully straight down the middle but too high.

The visitors didn’t seem unduly affected by their penalty miss and in the 43rd minute again weren’t far away from the opening goal.

Dan Butler’s whipped over a free-kick from the right which somehow avoided everyone in the area and flashed past the far post.

Just before the whistle, Jack Taylor was booked for a foul on Bishop inside the centre circle as the Blues broke.

A not particularly memorable half with neither side having recorded a shot on target with the visitors’ penalty the only really significant opportunity, although Dembele might feel he could have done better with his earlier chance.

Prior to the penalty, the Blues had started play more in the Peterborough half but without being able to create a chance and having had a tendency to give the ball away. Posh seemed buoyed by their penalty, even if they had missed it, and had looked more threatening in the spell which followed.

Edwards whipped over a cross from the right a couple of minutes after the restart but Drinan, still looking for his first competitive goal for the Blues, was unable to get his head on it.

On 54 Chambers nodded a bouncing ball towards Drinan not far outside the six-yard box but a Posh boot took it away from the Irishman. Five minutes later, Stephen Ward was booked for a foul on Idris Kanu.

There was a scare for the Blues in the 62nd minute when a scuffed Butler free-kick from the right made its way through a crowd of players and bounced off Holy, but fortunately didn’t fall kindly for a Posh player.

Peterborough were looking the more threatening of two not at all dangerous-looking sides and on 68 they went in front, perhaps inevitably given the overall lack of threat shown by the two teams, via an own goal.

Butler sent over a cross from the left and under no pressure McGuinness, the scorer of Town’s winner at Burton last week, sliced his clearance across Holy and into the corner of the net to give the visitors the lead.

Edwards was booked for a foul on Kanu on 71, then two minutes later skipper Luke Chambers smashed a shot high and wide after Bishop had found him on the right of the area.

Prior to the goal-kick, Town made a triple substitution with Nolan, Thomas and Freddie Sears replacing Bishop, Judge and Drinan.

Less than a minute after coming on, Nolan struck the Blues’ first shot on target from 25 yards but Pym was able to bat the ball into the air.

Thomas made his first contribution in a Town shirt on 78, cutting in from the right and playing a low ball to Edwards on the other side of the box. The Welshman turned inside his man before hitting a shot not too far over.

The Blues, as snow began to fall, briefly started to look a threat as the game moved into its final 10 minutes, Sears and then Thomas both having efforts blocked.

Posh swapped Hamilton for Brown two minutes later and the sub went close almost immediately, shooting over from Butler’s cross having initially played the ball wide to the former Newport man.

Niall Mason took over from Dembele for Posh in the penultimate minute with the Blues by now no more than huffing and puffing and an equaliser not looking particularly likely.

The Blues did have the ball in the net during five minutes of injury time but the ball had already gone out of play before Chambers had knocked back in to Nsiala, who had acrobatically hooked home.

Downes headed into Pym’s arms to register a second attempt on target before referee Coggins brought the afternoon to an end.

The winning goal summed up a game of little quality with neither team ever showing much incisiveness or invention in and around the penalty area. Despite their lack of attempts on goal, Peterborough probably deserved the three points marginally more than the Blues.

Town never create many chances but few opposition keepers will have had as quiet an afternoon as Peterborough’s Pym, who was only forced into action by sub Nolan’s shot.

On this evidence, both teams are some way off the likes of Hull City, Portsmouth and Doncaster.

The Blues have now lost five of their last six at home and taken 10 points from their last nine games.

The result, one which heaps yet more pressure on under-fire Blues boss Lambert, moves Posh up to third while Town are down to ninth ahead of another tough home game against Sunderland on Tuesday and a difficult away trip to Crewe next Saturday.

Town: Holy, Chambers (c), Nsiala, McGuinness, Ward, Dozzell, Downes, Bishop (Nolan 74), Judge (Thomas 74), Drinan (Sears 74), Edwards. Unused: Cornell, Woolfenden, Kenlock, Huws.

Peterborough: Pym, Butler, Thompson, Beevers (c), Kent, Taylor, Clarke-Harris, Dembele (Mason 89), Brown, Szmodics (Jones 84), Kanu. Unused: Gyollai, Eisa, Broom, Burrows. Referee: Antony Coggins (Oxfordshire).


Photo: Matchday Images



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midastouch added 17:10 - Jan 23
Yet again we fail to beat a team in the top half of the league. What a surprise!

LAMBERT OUT!
41

ntoms97 added 17:10 - Jan 23
That'll do it then Evans, time up. New manager in for Tuesday.
40

BeattiesBackPocket added 17:11 - Jan 23
I'm waiting for suffolkboy or dolphin to come on lambasting the fans for not getting behind the team!
One pathetic shot on target, poor quality on show from both sides, another top 8 side we cannot beat meaning if we get to the playoffs we've got no bloody chance, an owner telling everyone who criticises and wants the manager out ‘be careful what You wish for' no investment, an owner giving a poor manager a 5 year contract, our best potential kids being sold off before even getting in the under 23's, 5 losses at home in 6 with I might mention NO FANS AT GAMES to be blamed for this as some fans on here do, impending doom looking at our form guide and league two is looming but the apathy by some fans on here being ok with what's happening and our pants literally being pulled down by the owner and manager every week! Keep blaming the fans who want more in league two!!
39

BromleyBloo added 17:11 - Jan 23
We played quite good in the first half; matched them, albeit, as per usual, without creating any real chance to score. Penalty given away by, surprise, surprise, Nsiala - enough said. Tactically, credit due, we looked quite astute - pressed them high and forced their wing backs back, so more often than not they were passing backwards and hurried. Also we stopped playing from the back all the time, which again was right because Boro frontmen were looking to push on us and benefit from. 0-0 more than fair at half-time and we were in the game, but can we score - no shots on target, although same for Boro to be fair and we have no strikers!?!

Similarly, started second half well and then match reverted to cancelling each other out. McG then changed the game.........FO!!!

Three subs changed things positively and we pushed hard - played the best and made some chances, but still can't score.................

Really unlucky - cancelled each other out and draw would have been a fair result, but we can't score...............!!!



Sent from my iPhone
-5

cat added 17:12 - Jan 23
Bit unlucky today and there were some positives in the way we finished and the energy that Thomas delivered, but there's no getting away from the fact we are too lightweight at the back, have no threat in the final third and led by a tactically inept manager who's only capable of delivering 3 wins in 10. One up front again and Lambert stubbornly continues to stick with his losing philosophy. Lambert out!
39

Bluearmy_81 added 17:12 - Jan 23
The table is truly grim. Teams that win one home game in 5 don't tend to go up. This persistence, sticking with Lambert, as well as the repeated failure that comes with it is simply not good enough. No where near. #lambertout #evansout
Join Evans out of ITFC on facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/305709660097210/?ref=share
25

Nobbysnuts added 17:12 - Jan 23
Embarrassing crap....lambert out..enough said.
30

DebsyAngel added 17:12 - Jan 23
Not the thrashing we all feared and we had a lot of good play but lost to an unfortunate own goal. Impressed with the new bloke from Barnsley, Thomas. He looked really decent. Looked livelier after the subs, and thought Edwards was good, but it's another loss and really not looking great for us.
10

DifferentGravy added 17:13 - Jan 23
74 minutes before we finally have a shot on target. The last 16 minutes we actually created a few half chances but its all too late. Tactics/formation are all wrong.....clueless Lambert

Toto struggled with the pace of the player he was marking and it was a definite penalty. Chambers was dreadful, passing all over the place. Felt sorry for Drinan who was crying out for a partner up front. Edwards wasnt in it until we finally put more of an attacking intent into the game....which then gave him impetus and space to drive into. Dozzell has nothing to aim for....completely negates his passing ability.

New lad Thomas did well when he came on and should be starting

Lambert out
25

unknown100 added 17:14 - Jan 23
I know everyone's going to jump on the “lambert outs” but I saw a change in Ipswich today, our high press and tactical fouls actually stopped Peterborough ever getting going. We actually had a lot of fight and desire, the triple change was really affective but again it was lack of quality up front, we lost our way a little bit with the long ball up to the goal (which is a gutting way to lose a game like that)

It's not going to change over night but they just seemed to play with a lot more freedom and less pressure. A draw would have been a fair result but if we play like that til the end of the season I think we will do ok
-10

multiplescoregasms added 17:14 - Jan 23
Come on Shambert, do the right thing and resign. This isn't working for the fans, the players, or even yourself.
21

CustardCream added 17:14 - Jan 23
I'm not as disappointed as I expected I would be. I thought we were as good as they were today and unlucky to lose. Am I the only one that thought Toto's goal should've stood? Didn't look out to me. Luckily we're still in a decent position for top 6 with the games in hand we have
-1

masetheace added 17:15 - Jan 23
With our luck with midfield back and now no striker lets write off this season and look to rebuild for the next
-8

chopra777 added 17:16 - Jan 23
Receipe for success : Strikers and creative players and new tactics. Unfortunately we lacked ideas today. Back to the drawing board. Young Thomas was encouraging and with more time could have help the cause.
5

ringwoodblue added 17:17 - Jan 23
Let's face it, the season is over. It was when we lost to Swindon. We can't beat the top 6, we can't win at home, we are the laughing stock of East Anglia.

There needs to be a massive clear out from management down to the senior players and we need to a new manager who can bring in some new faces and build a team of players who care and aren't injured every 5 mins.

I won't be watching on Tue night as it's too painful to watch the team I love play such utter cr@p.
30

jdtractor96 added 17:17 - Jan 23
Best 3 strikers out injured. KVY presumably our for the foreseeable. Even a loanee signed only the other day now misses 3 matches. When will this horrible bad luck run out? Injuries aside, how on earth can Donacien be any worse than Chambers at RB? Truly shocking all game. As was Nsiala - get Woolf back in. Desperately need a new LB too. Lambert isn't getting much out of these players at the moment but I'm not sure many managers would! So, so, so, so poor. #EvansOut #LambertOut
18

DifferentGravy added 17:17 - Jan 23
"saw a change"......!?!?!?!?

Some of you need to watch the games rather than just look at the stats.......we basically played to negate the other team. No attacking intent until we go 1-0.

Let me remind you......74 minutes until we had a shot on target (only had three shots off target until then)

Mark me down all you want Lamberteers.......................LAMBERT OUT
27

chepstowblue added 17:18 - Jan 23
Only Ipswich could lose to a side that didn't have an attempt on target!!
27

muhrensleftfoot added 17:18 - Jan 23
If fans were in the ground I am sure Lambert would have been sacked by now. This can't go on. It's unacceptable
38

elcdman added 17:20 - Jan 23
anyone want to organise Lamberts leaving present?
7

dirtydingusmagee added 17:20 - Jan 23
only the score line was surprising, the outcome never in doubt. NOBODY playing for the shirt, Lambert cant motivate, and now playing passenger not driver, IT IS PAST TIME LAMBERT WAS SENT OUT TO GRAZE, EVANS WAKE UP. Auto promotion ,no chance , playoffs unlikely and we would noteven get to the final anyway. THIS RUBBISH HAS TO STOP NOW,
22

Linkboy13 added 17:20 - Jan 23
Why was Thomas on the bench we weren't creating anything and he still didn't bring him on until late on. I see Donasien went straight into the Fleetwood team today none of this sitting on the bench for a few games. He will do well there and prove Lambert has fallen out with a lot of players and can't motivate them and is only picking his yes men.
14

WhoisJimmyJuan added 17:22 - Jan 23
A lot of straw clutching by some. Losing at home to Peterborough is simply not acceptable and we should not start making it acceptable. A draw would have been but not to be. MAJOR changes needed.
16

Tractorboy1985 added 17:22 - Jan 23
Another absolute sh1t show by this pathetic incompetent embarrassment of a football club! When will this haggis bag piped to55er realise 4-5-1 DOES NOT WORK!!!! Chasing a game and we put the great Freddie Sears up top as a lone striker????? Chambers clearly well beyond his sell by date but his body language tells more of a story by telling me he doesn't believe in the manager! Get RID OF BOTH! Nsiala will and always will be a total liability! Out spoken luke clearly won't get a look in until this fraud of a manager is SACKED!!! clearly you are even more content in this league Mr Crook.. oh sorry Evans.. you can hide behind the salary cap and continue to milk these fans with your pathetic Spin 2-3 times a year! If COVID has helped anyone it's the rich.. like you.. because if it was normal times I would be standing on my seat bellowing out for you to get the F OUT of our football club!!! SHAMBERT OUT... EVANS OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'
20

RobsonWark added 17:22 - Jan 23
If anyone gives Chambers more than 2 out of 10 for his performance today please tell me why.

I feel sorry for McGuinness and Nsiala having to play with an inept right back. Chambers didn't stop the guy from crossing the ball for their goal. His passing of the ball was atrocious. He spent more time in the opponents half than doing his job defending. Our centre-halfs and midfielders had to cover him most of the game.

I get why presumably PL aks him to play more forward so that he can't cock up at the back - but he is a defender!

HE IS THE WEAK LINK IN OUR TEAM. GET HIM OUT!!

19


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