Ipswich Town 2-0 MK Dons - Half-Time Saturday, 13th Aug 2022 15:59 Goals from Wes Burns and Marcus Harness have given Town a 2-0 half-time lead over the MK Dons at Portman Road. Town boss Kieran McKenna reverted to the XI which started the opening day game against Bolton, making 10 changes from Tuesday’s 1-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Colchester. Christian Walton was in goal with Janoi Donacien, Luke Woolfenden, who missed last week’s 2-1 win at Forest Green Rovers due to illness but was the only survivor from the midweek Colchester tie, and George Edmundson the back three. Cameron Burgess dropped to the bench having started at the New Lawn for Woolfenden and against the U’s, while there was no place in the 18 for new signing Richard Keogh. Burns and Leif Davis were the wing-backs with skipper Sam Morsy and Lee Evans in midfield. Harness and Conor Chaplin were behind lone out-and-out striker Freddie Ladapo. For the MK Dons, head coach Liam Manning, a former Town youngster and academy coach celebrating a year in charge at Stadium MK, started former Blues loanee Louie Barry, while skipper Dean Lewington played his 771st league game, taking him into English football's top 10 all-time appearance-makers. In sweltering conditions, the Blues were the first to threaten in the second minute, Ladapo dispossessing Daniel Oyegoke on the left midway inside the visitors’ half before taking the ball into the area and hitting a low shot which keeper Jamie Cumming saved down to his right. A minute later, a cross from the left fell to Chaplin inside the area and the forward claimed he’d been fouled as the ball was taken away from him. Referee Carl Brook wasn’t interested and the loose ball failed to fall for Ladapo. But Town fans only had to wait another minute for a goal. Donacien broke away on the right into the area round the outside of Lewington and cut back to Burns, who swept his first of the season across Cumming, just inside the post and into the net. There was a scare for the Blues in the ninth minute when a loose ball fell to Conor Grant in space on the right of the box following a free-kick just outside the area. The former Rochdale man hit a well-struck shot which deflected over. From the corner, Walton punched up in the air under pressure and the ball bounced around dangerously for a few seconds before on-loan Norwich forward Matt Dennis, making his first league start, inadvertently knocked it behind. MK should have been level in the 12th minute when they carved out a glorious chance. Grant and Barry played a one-two down their left before the Irish midfielder sent a cross into the box for Dennis, who headed over from eight yards when it looked easier to hit the target. It was a fortunate escape for the Blues who regained their composure in the following minutes, a Ladapo effort on the break winning a corner which keeper Cumming turned over from under his bar. In the aftermath of the subsequent flag-kick, Davis crossed back in from the left and Edmundson nodded wide at the far post. On 20 Morsy struck an effort from distance which flew wide of Cumming’s left post but with the keeper not showing any interest, then a minute later Harness hit Chaplin with a shot on the turn from the edge of the box. The teams made their way to the sidelines for the game’s first drinks break in the 24th minute with the temperature at Portman Road 30 degrees. Soon after the restart, Chaplin found Burns in space on the right and the Wales international sent in a cross to Morsy, but the skipper’s effort was deflected wide off a defender. But Town’s second goal wasn’t too long in coming. Burns was played the ball by Chaplin midway inside the Dons’ half and brought it forward before striking a powerful low shot which Cumming couldn’t hold onto down to his right. Harness followed it up and forced it over the line as Oyegoke clattered into the back of him, the former Pompey man’s second goal for the Blues, his first at Portman Road and his second in two league games. Had the ball not crossed the line, Town would have had a decent shout for a penalty. Having earned themselves a two-goal lead, the Blues were in complete control, continuing to look for openings and not allowing the MK backline any time on the ball, as had been the case all afternoon. On 32 Chaplin sent a 20-yard shot wide of Cumming’s goal to his right, then two minutes later the keeper did well to save Morsy’s effort from distance to his left. As the half entered its final 10 minutes, Woolfenden was caught in possession not far inside the Town half by Dennis, who took the ball into the area with Blues defenders retreating. Eventually, the ball was played to Barry on the left of the box with the on-loan Aston Villa man offside, but it was a second opportunity the Dons might have made more of. Morsy hit a shot straight at Cumming in the 38th minute with the Blues still well on top and pushing for their third goal as the half-time whistle sounded. Town were good for their 2-0 lead at the break having been on top from virtually start to finish, controlling the game and having 66 per cent possession. Burns took his goal with the confidence he showed throughout last season, while Harness was alert to the situation to get to the rebound first for the second. The Blues had had other mainly half-chances with Morsy hitting a number of efforts, but MK had had a couple of opportunities with Town guilty of being casual in possession on a few occasions in their own half, but fortunately without having been made to pay for doing so. As at Forest Green last week, having established a lead by half-time, the Blues should already have secured themselves the three points. Town: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Edmundson, W Burns, Davis, Evans, Morsy (c), Chaplin, Harness, Ladapo. Subs: Hladky, Burgess, Leigh, Edwards, Aluko, John-Jules, Jackson. MK Dons: Cumming, Lewington (c), Tucker, O'Hora, Smith, Robson, Oyegoke, Johnson, Grant, Barry, Dennis. Subs: Ravizzoli, Kemp, D Burns, Lawrence, Ilunga, Devoy, Jules. Referee: Carl Brook (Sussex).
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