Ipswich Town 0-0 Barrow - Half-Time Saturday, 4th Dec 2021 15:57 Town’s FA Cup second-round tie against Barrow remains 0-0 at half-time. Kayden Jackson, Idris El Mizouni and Cameron Burgess kept their places from Wednesday’s Papa John’s Trophy exit to Arsenal’s U21s. Jackson was wide on the right with El Mizouni alongside skipper Sam Morsy in central midfield with Scott Fraser reverting to the left, with Burgess at the heart of the defence. From the team which beat Crewe in League One last Sunday, Sone Aluko dropped to the bench, while Bersant Celina and George Edmundson were absent from the 18. Joe Pigott was on the bench with Macauley Bonne continuing as the lone central striker. Town also included youngsters Cameron Humphreys and Fraser Alexander among the substitutes, while there was no place for Kyle Edwards. For Barrow, at Portman Road for the first time in their history, Connor Brown, skipper Mark Ellis and Patrick Brough returned to their XI. After both teams taking a knee had been warmly applauded by the Portman Road crowd, Barrow saw most of the ball in the early stages but without threatening, although on six Josh Kay cut in from the left and shot low past Christian Walton’s right post. Moments later, applause echoed around the ground in tribute to six-year-old Birmingham supporter Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, who was killed by his father and step-mother, as was the case at stadiums across the country. Town began to control play but without making any headway into the final third. On 12, a Barrow break down the left ended with Janoi Donacien blocking from Kay after the Bluebirds’ left winger had appeared to have got away from him. Three minutes later, Fraser exchanges passes with Chaplin, then fed in Bailey Clements from left-back but the ball was just too strong for the youngster. Barrow won two free-kicks in quick succession around the Blues box and from the second Joe Grayson hit a low shot which Walton did well to palm past his left post. Following the resultant corner, Josh Gordon was allowed a free header but struck the post, although with the linesman’s flag having been raised. Despite the chance having been one which would have been ruled out, the Town support showed their frustration after an underwhelming first 20 minutes from their team. The Blues briefly began to step things up and on 25 Fraser struck their first shot on target from 25 yards, visitors keeper Paul Farman, who played for Lincoln City in their FA Cup third round giant-killing of Mick McCarthy’s Town in January 2017, doing well to tip over. Town continued to keep up the pressure and two minutes later, Jackson sent a low ball across the face of goal after a long spell of possession. No one was able to get a touch on it until it reached Clements beyond the far post and his low ball back in was cleared. Barrow might have gone closer to a goal just before the half hour when Brown crossed from the right and skipper Ellis headed weakly straight at Walton. Town were still to really get going with the visitors having had the better of the chances. However, on 38 Chaplin made a strong run having turned his man on the left and cut across to Bonne but Grayson slid in to make an important interception with the Blues’ top scorer otherwise all but certain to score. A minute later, Bonne screwed a shot from the edge of the box so far wide it looped out for a throw, adding to the already palpable frustration in the stands. Boos greeted the half-time whistle after a thoroughly uninspiring first 45 minutes from the Blues. Despite having a lot of the ball, Town’s play had little tempo to it and they had rarely looked like creating a chance with Fraser’s shot which Farman tipped over their only real opportunity. Barrow had looked little threat for the most part, however, the League Two side had had more of the first-half opportunities. Town will need to step up their performance after the break if another FA Cup campaign isn’t to come to an embarrassing early end. Town: Walton, Donacien, Nsiala, Burgess, Clements, Morsy (c), El Mizouni, Jackson, Chaplin, Fraser, Bonne. Subs: Hladky, Vincent-Young, Alexander, Carroll, Evans, Harper, Humphreys, Aluko. Barrow: Farman, Brown, Brough, Ellis (c), Kay, Gordon, White, Jones, Gotts, Grayson, Banks Subs: Lillis, Taylor, Jones, Zanzala, Beadling, Hutton, Arthur, James, Stevens. Referee: Sam Purkiss (London).
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