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Ipswich Town 2-5 Bolton Wanderers - Match Report
Saturday, 11th Sep 2021 17:04

Town’s disappointing start to the season hit a new low as Bolton Wanderers came from behind to defeat the still winless Blues 5-2 at Portman Road. Macauley Bonne put his hometown club ahead on five but Dapo Afolayan levelled for the Trotters in the 10th minute, then eight minutes later won the penalty which Eoin Doyle converted to put the visitors in front. A Ricardo Santos own goal put Town on terms on the half hour but just before the break Afolayan added his second in first-half injury time to make it 3-2 and after the break Josh Sheehan and George Johnston made the most of calamitous Blues defending on 47 and 57 to complete Town’s misery.

Christian Walton and George Edmundson were handed their Town debuts, Sone Aluko his first league start and Macauley Bonne and Conor Chaplin returned from injury.

Walton took over from Vaclav Hladky in goal with the Czech dropping out of the 18 and Tomas Holy on the bench.

Edmundson, who has been recovering from a hamstring problem since his move from Rangers, was at the centre of the defence alongside Cameron Burgess - for the first time since a 5-4 EFL Trophy defeat to Carlisle while they were both at Oldham in 2016/17, their only previous game together - with Luke Woolfenden missing from the 18.

Aluko was on the left of the three behind striker Bonne in place of Kyle Edwards, who is injured.

Scott Fraser was also absent from the squad, while Bersant Celina is not yet ready to be involved and Samy Morsy is suspended.

Aside from Bonne, who was released by the Blues at 14, there was no academy player in the Town 18.

Bolton made one change from Monday’s 0-0 draw with Burton with Sheehan taking over from Kieran Lee in midfield.

As has been the case all season, the prior-to-kick-off taking a knee was warmly applauded by the Blues support.

Bolton were first to threaten in the third minute, skipper Antoni Sarcevic looping a header well over from a Sheehan corner, conceded by Burgess as he defended a free-kick in from the right.

But a minute later, the Blues went in front with their first attack of the game. Wes Burns beat Trotters left-back Liam Gordon and, with the defender having gone to ground somewhat easily, crossed low to the far post where the unmarked Bonne was able to tap into the net for his fourth goal of the season. Bolton protests came to nothing.

In the ninth minute Bolton might well have levelled when Lloyd Isgrove chased Doyle’s flick-on and burst towards goal, however, Edmundson slid in to block and then dispossess the Wales international.

But the visitors only had to wait a minute for an equaliser. A long ball from Santos was nodded inside to Afolayan, who had been left a gap in which to shoot low through Walton’s legs and into the net to claim a birthday goal.

Kane Vincent-Young was yellow-carded for a foul on Afolayan in the 13th minute with the game almost like a basketball match with play quickly moving from one end to the other.

And in the 19th minute the Trotters took the lead from the penalty spot. Vincent-Young, already on a booking, mistimed a challenge on the right of the Blues’ box and felled Afolayan.


There were few protests prior to Doyle confidently slamming the kick down the middle as Walton dived to his right.

Isgrove was booked for a foul on Hayden Coulson in the 20th minute before Town boss swapped Vincent-Young for Janoi Donacien, almost certainly to avoid the risk of the former Colchester man being shown a second yellow card having already been booked once and conceded a penalty for challenges on Afolayan.

Bolton subsequently had a spell where they were well in charge but without threatening Walton’s goal further, but as the game approached the half hour mark the Blues began to get more into the game with Gethin Jones picking up the afternoon’s third yellow card for a foul on Aluko.

And on 30 Town levelled. Burns again burst away on the right, crossed low and Santos mis-cleared past his own keeper and into the roof of the net.

Their second goal seemed to give the Blues a huge shot of confidence and on 33 after a spell of possession on the right, Chaplin shot over from the edge of the box. Moments later, the former Barnsley man flicked a header wide at the near post from Coulson’s left-wing cross.

Town might have gone back into the lead in injury time when Burns, already with two assists to his name, beat his man on the right and cut back to Bonne, who scuffed his shot the wrong side of the post.

Bolton immediately went up the other end and claimed the lead themselves. Afolayan was found in acres of space on the left by a cross-field ball from Jones and curled an inch-perfect shot beyond Walton’s left hand and into the corner of the net.

Moments later, referee Madley ended what had been a frenetic half which could have ended with either side in front.

The Blues had grabbed themselves an early lead but once again left themselves too open at the back, allowing the Trotters to level and then go in front with Vincent-Young having been unable to deal with Afolayan.

Having weathered a spell where Bolton threatened to take control, the Blues got back into it via the own goal forced by Burns and had a spell in which they might well have gone back in front.

Bonne will have gone in rueing his late miss with Town again defensively at sea as Afolayan gave the visitors the half-time lead.

On-loan QPR frontman Bonne struck the second-half’s first shot from just outside the box in the 47th minute but Bolton keeper Joel Dixon saved with ease.

The visitors immediately went up the other end and scored their fourth of the game. Walton initially did well to save from Sarcevic with his feet, after Doyle again had been given far too much space, but the loose ball was played to Sheehan, who deftly curled low into the corner of the net.

Having extended their lead to two goals, Bolton sought to plunge the knife in further, Afolayan hitting a half-volley not too far wide, before Sarcevic looped a 51st-minute overhead effort well over following a corner.

The fourth visitors goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of Town with the Blues unable to get out of their own half and Bolton pushing for a fifth.

And in the 57th minute it came. Shortly after Walton and Burgess had collided as one sought to clear and one claim, the ball was sent in from the right by Santos and Johnston hooked into the roof of the net at the second attempt.

The fifth Bolton goal triggered loud and prolonged boos around Portman Road, the clearest sign of fan frustration since the start of the season.

There had been little sign that Town would mount anything in the way of a comeback and on 64 Chaplin, who again had looked a threat in brief spells but had been quiet overall, was swapped for Tom Carroll.

The Blues were within an inch or two of reducing the deficit in the 65th minute when Coulson’s free-kick from the left was flicked on to the inside of the post by Bonne, the ball agonisingly bouncing along the line before being cleared. Two minutes later, Evans curled a free-kick into Dixon’s arms.

Walton saved from Doyle on 71 with the visitors looking more likely to net their sixth than the Blues their third.

"Sarcevic belted well over from distance on 80 with the game appearing long over from a competitive perspective.

Four minutes later, moments after Kayden Jackson had replaced Burns, a well-worked Blues move ended with Evans crossing from the right of the box but just too far in front of Bonne at the far post.

The final minutes were played out to test match like chatter around Portman Road rather than the buoyant atmosphere in which the afternoon had begun and the final whistle was greeted with more boos, loud but briefer than earlier before the Sir Bobby Robson Stand applauded Bonne and other members of the team after they went over to clap their appreciation on another very disappointing afternoon for Blues fans.

The sixth goal of the game proved key with Town looking beaten as soon as Bolton scored it so soon after the break and their fifth ended any doubt that the points would be going back to Lancashire.

It was the Blues’ first home league defeat of the season and Bolton’s first league win at Portman Road since November 2001.

Town, who have now conceded 15 goals in six in league matches, were defensively more chaotic than at any time previously this season with the backline looking every bit one which had never played together previously and was regularly on a different wavelength from keeper Walton, who had a debut to forget.

Patience from the Blues’ support has been urged with it inevitable that it will take time for a team to settle after such a turnaround in personnel over the summer.

However, after such a comprehensive defeat to foes of old, it’s similarly inevitable that supporters will start to show their frustrations and start to question the manner in which the Blues have begun the campaign - and perhaps also that recruitment revolution - with the same frailties on show every week.

The result sees the Blues, who last conceded five at home when they were beaten 5-2 by Southampton in August 2011, drop to 22nd in the table now 10 points off second and 13 from top spot, although with 40 games of the long League One season still to play.

Town are next in action at home to West Ham’s U21s in the Papa John’s Trophy on Tuesday before a visit to 17th-placed Lincoln - who won 5-1 at Cambridge today - next Saturday.

Town: Walton, Vincent-Young (Donacien 21), Edmundson, Burgess, Coulson, Harper, Evans (c), Burns (Jackson 84), Chaplin (Carroll 63), Aluko, Bonne. Unused: Holy, Penney, Barry, Pigott.

Bolton: Dixon, Jones, Williams, Santos, Johnston (Baptiste 81), Sheehan (Lee 74), Doyle, Sarcevic (c), Afolayan, Isgrove (Kachunga 62), Gordon. Unused: Gilks, Delfouneso, Aimson, Thomason. Referee: Robert Madley (West Yorkshire). Att: 19,267 (Bolton: 553)


Photo: Matchday Images



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NormEmerges added 19:31 - Sep 11
Look on the bright side folks - we've got three more points than Norwich!
2

RobsonWark added 19:31 - Sep 11
Reminds me of when MM continually played Gerkhan over Bialowski.
0

BerkshireBlue78 added 19:31 - Sep 11
I know this bucks the trend, and even reality... but... I still have the (blind) faith it'll come good.

Celina coming in, plus our defense / midfield stepping up a notch when Morsy sees out his suspension...

Yes, we should have strength in depth, what with 19 signings. And yes, its been a disastrous start to the campaign.

We'll turn this around. Any relegation talk... well... It'll "be over by Christmas". Someone said that in Sept 1914 too, right?


1

ChrisR added 19:37 - Sep 11
Ashton has signed a good squad , now he needs to find a proper manager with proven back up , and ditch useless Cook and his cronies before the US Owners pull the plug. Cooks record is beyond abysmal , something is seriously wrong there !
8

happybeingblue added 19:42 - Sep 11
That was a very tough watch the last time we were hit for 5 at home was by norwich i think in 2011, to think we beat bolton 5 nil a couple of years ago at the reebok when they looked like going under ffwd 2 years later and this, i cant work out wether they were really good or we were really awful atm. too many 5 out of 10 performances from our 11. we looked better with luke wolfy at the back,aluko and burns and bonne decent thats it im afraid. players still look off the pace unfit to me idk very little energy from the midfield chaplin and harper hardly touched the ball. did we make any tackles? surely your centre midfields should want and demand the ball have seen very little of that which is worrying,is it a confidence thing.another sat night drowning our sorrows.
2

Drifter3012 added 19:43 - Sep 11
Hopeless!
The 2-2 draw with Morecambe is looking a good result now.
3

JimInGreensboro added 20:12 - Sep 11
I'm true blue, but this was truly bad. I still have high expectations. And that's precisely why this season has been so frustrating.
2

londontractorboy57 added 20:36 - Sep 11
Evans out MM out oh they have gone BCWYWF
-3

Monkey_Blue added 20:40 - Sep 11
I'm not sure the pretend owners( 3 lions) were prepared for this S41t show. They need to act now or regret doing it too late.
1

suffolkblueeye added 21:16 - Sep 11
Get out Cook, you screwed up last year, dull boring excuses, other teams in our league have replaced 11 players but seem to gel, midfield like last year is small and weak….get a foreign coach in please
1

chopra777 added 21:18 - Sep 11
Just arrived back in Hampshire from the match. Bad outcome. But the first half was entertaining. Not sure why Vincent played like that. Was he not right mentally. But the same mistake was made by not stopping their no 17. Forgetting the mistakes made by the team. Is the result down to tactics. Can PC teach any team how to play. Since his arrival his winning record is so bad. Blame the manager and the coaches because there was no plan B to rescue the game. Someone on the radio suggested the same team must play against West Ham 21 just to get relationships sorted out.Defence were like strangers, midfield looked confused, the attack were starved of service. Back to Uncle Sam to make the decisions.
0

suffolkblueeye added 21:23 - Sep 11
This is sh*t……very sh*t
0

getawig added 21:58 - Sep 11
Chris Wilder
0

Drifter3012 added 22:13 - Sep 11
Back in the side after going down with a bout of Covid, the midfielder occupied a deep-lying role and really gave his side the platform to control the game. Some fine defensive interventions too.
Wales online re Flynn Downes
Swansea's star player today.
Say no more!
4

shakytown added 22:34 - Sep 11
Awful tactics. The players just dont seem to know what their position is with the style Cook wants to play and are constantly lost and confused. Time to go back to a standard 442 and let the team settle. These players are good enough but just need to get confident with each other.
3

FrankMarshall added 23:15 - Sep 11
I'd be happy if we end the table in mid-table now. Why did we not build a team around James Wilson? Awful mistake in my opinion.
4

FrankMarshall added 23:17 - Sep 11
Wilson, Downes, Bishop and Gibbs should have been retained.
3

atty added 23:25 - Sep 11
We should be playing better than this.Full stop. If Cook is going for a Kevin Keegan you score we'll score more team then we've had it. Re think required, going for solidity, otherwise we'll disintegrate.
0

Reusers_Tash added 23:26 - Sep 11
Embarrassing
2

DavefromWatford added 23:28 - Sep 11
Lets hope Cook changes to 442 on tuesday. play Edwards,Carroll,Morsy & Burns. Piggott & Bonne up front. If Edwards is still injured play Barrie.
3

Blue56 added 23:35 - Sep 11
45 years as a season ticket holder, bottom of league, 3 Paul Cook, you are hopeless.
2

WonTheCupin78 added 23:45 - Sep 11
Poor defending. Poor is not the right word. Woeful.

We have some difficult games coming up. Never thought I would ever say this but we could be in a situation where the game with Shrewsbury (October 9th) is a relegation 6-pointer. So much hope this season but that hope is evaporating fast. Lose the games against Lincoln and Wednesday and think we will be firmly entrenched at the bottom of the league. And this is League 1 (division 3!).
2

WonTheCupin78 added 23:53 - Sep 11
NormEmerges

3 more points than Norwich? They are in the Premier League! Sadly no comparison at the moment.
0

bluesman added 00:09 - Sep 12
FOUR TWO THREE ONE - GO AND STICK IT UP YOUR BUM
1

BcarefulwhatUWish4 added 00:44 - Sep 12
Rarely see myself (ever) agreeing with monkeyblue but 4 wins in 24 in this division is a truly shocking statistic.

Will try to stick to positives and negatives.

Positives
Aluko did ok. Donacien also ok after coming on for KVY. Burns always looks threatening with his runs. Bonne works hard and offers real goal threat. Coulsen sometimes good going forwards.

Negatives
Too many to mention (look at all posts above).
@GrantOB92- Walton shipped 5 goals, hardly a noteworthy debut.

Expectations were really high this season and it looks like they were merely that; expectations. Season disappearing very fast down the kitchen sink. We do have enough in this squad to stay up (relegation seems highly unlikely). However, if we continue to grind out these results we could be in for nervous times ahead. Don't care about the West Ham game, we need at least 4 points from the next two games to give us some breathing space away from the relegation zone.

Will our owners expectations also change due to our recent firm? Hard to tell. We look a long, long way from being a top six side. Defence needs sorting out ASAP, they are letting the rest of the team down.

And if I was an opposition manager right now I would be relishing playing us (Wycombe must realise they made a mistake cancelling that game). Just put men in the box and cross the ball in and watch chaos ensue. And fire some shots in from 35/40 yards= always a chance against our defence. Strikers will be looking to add to their tallies against us.
0


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