Stevenage 1-0 Ipswich Town - Half-Time
Saturday, 22nd Jul 2023 16:18

Jamie Reid’s early goal has given Stevenage a 1-0 half-time lead over the Blues at the Lamex Stadium.

Christian Walton was in goal with Dominic Ball again at right-back with Greg Leigh on the left and George Edmundson, back after an ankle problem, and Elkan Baggott the centre-halves.

In central midfield, skipper Sam Morsy was joined by Jack Taylor with Kayden Jackson, Sone Aluko and Kyle Edwards behind Nathan Broadhead, the central striker.

George Hirst was among the subs although not listed on the teamsheet, but Wes Burns (calf), Janoi Donacien (tendon) and Harry Clarke (tendon) weren’t involved in either of this afternoon’s matches.

League One Stevenage included former Town forward Jordan Roberts in their starting line-up.

The game kicked-off in heavy rain on a fast, wet pitch. Due to the conditions, keeper Walton struggled to claim an early high ball following a corner but will have been relieved to have been given a fairly generous free-kick by referee Will Finnie.

Boro had started brightly and in the fifth minute they went in front. The ball was played in from the right by Alex MacDonald and Jamie Reid turned and hit a shot through Edmundson and then through the unsighted Walton.

Town gradually began to adjust to the conditions and on 14 Taylor smashed a shot from the edge of the box which deflected wide.

With Stevenage still having had more of the game, Edwards let fly from 25 yards in the 24th minute but saw the ball land well into the empty stand behind the goal.

Three minutes later, Town old boy Roberts robbed Baggott just outside the box to the right and took the ball on before curling a low cross-shot which Walton gathered at a stretch.

As the game moved to the half hour mark, Aluko played a superb ball through for Edwards to chase but home keeper Kristian Hegyi was quickly off his line to block on the edge of the area.

As the half drew to a close, the Blues were seeing more of the ball but still without looking particularly convincing and were still a goal down when the whistle blew.

Town had started slowly and gave away what manager Kieran McKenna will feel was a disappointing early goal.

From there, the Blues never really got going in the sodden conditions with Aluko’s through ball for Edwards the highlight of a not overly enthralling half from a Town perspective.

Stevenage: Hegyi, James-Wildin, Butler, N Thompson, Piergianni, MacDonald, Roberts, Smith, Reid, L Thompson, B Thompson. Subs: Ashby-Hammond, Freeman, March, Trialist, Hicks, Alexandrou, Skyers.

Town: Walton, Ball, Edmundson, Baggott, Leigh, Morsy (c), Taylor, Aluko, Edwards, Broadhead, Jackson. Subs: Slicker, Hirst, Bradshaw, Foyo, Valentine. Referee: Will Finnie (Luton).

Town

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