Ipswich Town 1-0 Fleetwood Town - Half-Time
Friday, 2nd Dec 2022 20:45

Luke Woolfenden’s second-minute goal has given Town a 1-0 half-time lead over Fleetwood at half-time.

One-time Fleetwood loanee Janoi Donacien and Freddie Ladapo were both fit to start having been doubts ahead of the match, manager Kieran McKenna’s 50th in charge of the club.

Kyle Edwards started in a team featuring one change from Town’s last League One outing a fortnight ago, the 2-0 win at Exeter.

Edwards came into the side for the injured Marcus Harness as one of the number 10s behind Ladapo.

Greg Leigh was on the bench having missed the Buxton FA Cup tie due to a minor knee issue.

Fleetwood’s XI included former Blues centre-half Toto Nsiala and ex-loanee Josh Earl, while Joe Garner was on the bench.

With rain falling heavily, Town went in front in the second minute. Leif Davis sent over a corner from the left, Conor Chaplin shot, Ladapo turned his effort towards goal and keeper Jay Lynch saved, but Woolfenden tucked it away at the far post, the centre-half’s second goal of the season, both in the last three league games.

Having got off to an ideal start against the division’s draw specialists - Fleetwood had drawn 10 of their 19 matches going into the game - the Blues looked to press home their advantage.

On five, Shaun Rooney was booked for a painful-looking challenge on Chaplin midway inside the visitors’ half.

From Davis’s free-kick, Cameron Burgess headed across the face of goal but behind Wes Burns.

In the seventh minute, Woolfenden appealed for a penalty after he had been manhandled by Fleetwood skipper Josh Vela as another Davis corner came over from the left, however, referee Sam Purkiss felt it was six of one and half a dozen of the other.

Two minutes later, Fleetwood attacked for the first time, Callum Morton beating Christian Walton to the ball as he chased a ball into the right of the area with the keeper well out of his goal. Morton teed-up Promise Omochere on the edge of the box but his effort towards the empty net wafted well wide.

On 11, Chaplin shot from the left of the area forcing Lynch to palm away. Edwards was first to the rebound but his deflected effort was claimed by the keeper.

Ladapo went close on the quarter hour when he diverted Chaplin’s cross from the left towards goal and Lynch did well to tip over the bar.

Fleetwood were forced into the first change of the evening in the 19th minute when Paddy Lane was replaced by Dan Batty having suffered a knock.

Two minutes later, Burns, facing his old club, was shown Town’s first yellow card of the evening for what looked a fair tackle on one-time Blues loanee Earl.

Town continued looking for their second goal, Edwards hitting a wayward effort from the edge of the box in the 25th minute after an interchange of passes involving Chaplin and Ladapo. Two minutes later, Burns headed a Davis cross from the left over the bar.

Following a series of stoppages, the Blues began to lose their impetus a little and on 38 the visitors had their best chance of the half.

After what looked a two-footed challenge on Cameron Humphreys just outside the area, Rooney played Morton in on goal but Walton was quickly off his line to block, the keeper and Cod Army striker both left feeling a little sore after colliding but OK to carry on.

As the half moved into additional time, Chaplin crossed low from the right and Davis tried to turn towards goal from a tight angle beyond the far post but his attempt was bundled behind.

From the corner, Burgess looked to be hauled down by Earl as the ball came over but referee Purkiss waved away the protests with the Sir Bobby Robson Stand particular vocal in their claims for a penalty.

Seconds later, Chaplin felt Rooney had handled on the touchline but again with no reaction from the referee, then seconds later the former Pompey man was awarded a free-kick having been fouled to sarcastic cheers from the home support.

There were muted boos for referee Purkiss as he made his way off at the whistle with a number of decisions having appeared to go against the Blues over the course of the half, Burgess appearing to have been pulled over at the late corner.

Having got off to the perfect start, the Blues had dominated and had been close to adding a second on a number of occasions before becoming sloppier and losing their momentum in the final 15 minutes.

Fleetwood, who having gone behind so early offered more going forward than some recent visitors to Portman Road, had had a couple of opportunities and Walton had been forced into one significant save late on in the half, illustrating that it’s likely to take more than just the one goal to tie-up the victory.

Town: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Burgess, Burns, Morsy (c), Humphreys, Davis, Chaplin, Edwards, Ladapo. Subs: Hladky, Edmundson, Keogh, Leigh, Vincent-Young, Jackson, Ahadme.

Fleetwood: Lynch, Vela (c), Morton, Lane (Batty 19), Warrington, Holgate, G Garner, Omochere, Nsiala, Rooney, Earl. Subs: Stolarczyk, Wiredu, J Garner, Hayes, Johnston, Baggley. Referee: Sam Purkiss (London).

Photo: Matchday Images

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runningout added 20:49 - Dec 2 must take chances if we are going to succeed
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blueboy1981 added 20:56 - Dec 2 Where's the pressing the advantage from the best possible start ??? Don't say we are going to give another Home advantage away please … !!
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