Ayyuba Jambang and Jesse Nwabueze were on target as Town’s U21s came from behind to beat Watford 2-1 in a topsy-turvy game at Portman Road.

Under the new floodlights which were installed in the summer as part of the Premier League upgrade, the game got under way in teeming rain.

With manager Kieran McKenna watching from the stand, the Blues started brightly with Tudor Mendel-Idowu cutting in from the right before scraping his shot wide in the third minute.

Town had the ball in the net in the sixth minute when Ayyuba Jambang played a ball down the right for Tommy Taylor, who crossed for Oli Davis, who tapped in but with the flag raised against Taylor.

Two minutes later, skipper Jacob Mazionis brought the ball forward and fed in Davis on the right of the box but the Town number nine’s shot was blocked out for the first of two corners.

From the second, centre-half Mazionis rose high but the wet ball scuffed off his head and wide.

On 11, Town’s New Zealand U20 international keeper Henry Gray sent Davis away on the left with a long pass and the striker cut in, played a one-two with Matty Roberts before hitting a shot which Watford keeper Jonathan Macaulay blocked with his face.

Town had made a very impressive start with the Hornets hardly able to get out of their half.

In the 13th minute, Davis seized on a poor Kaykay Almeida backpass ahead of Macaulay as the Blues press forced an error, but the keeper was able to save the striker’s first-time effort.

Four minutes later, with Town still well on top, Ayoola headed over from a corner from the right. On 18, Mendel-Idowu was shown the game’s first yellow card for a high boot on Watford centre-half James Clarridge.

Two minutes later, the former Chelsea and Anderlecht youngster, who joined Town in the transfer window, went round the outside of his man on the right of the box and crossed to Davis, who headed over.

It had been all Town but in the 20th minute Michael Adu-Poku shot into the side-netting from a tight angle on the right for the visitors.

On 24, Taylor once again sent Mendel-Idowu in space on the right as he had on a number of occasions already. The wideman crossed to Davis, who blazed over, but in any case looked to have strayed offside.

In the 34th minute, Adu-Poku broke down the right for the Hornets and Pierre Dwomoh struck a shot from the edge of the area which was easy for Gray.

Watford were starting to see more of the ball having ridden their luck in the first half an hour as the Blues dominated.
However, on 36, Taylor this time sent Davis away on goal but the striker allowed the Hornets defenders to get back and yet another chance had gone begging.

A minute later, Davis did have the ball in the net, hitting a shot on the turn from 15 yards out past Macaulay to his right but the linesman’s flag shot up, much to the Blues number nine’s frustration.

Watford were next to threaten, Adu-Poku showed his pace on the right and found Jake Watkiss on the left. The left wing-back cut back to Zav Massiah-Edwards, who hit a low shot across the wet turf from just outside the area which Gray palmed out for a corner to his left. On 44, Watford’s Dwomoh was booked for delaying a restart ahead of a Town free-kick.

Just before the whistle, Town struggled to clear a corner from the right, the ball eventually falling to Clarridge, who hit a low shot which Gray did well to save down to his left, the keeper claiming it at the second attempt.

There was little doubt the Blues should have been ahead at the break having been well on top for the most part with Taylor having created a number of opportunities which Davis had been unable to take.

Watford couldn’t get out of their half for much of the period but came into it more latterly with Town keeper Gray forced into a couple of late saves.

The Hornets started the second half on top and in the 53rd minute Tobi Adeyemo headed a Watkiss free-kick from the right off the top of the bar at the far post.

There was a big scare for the Blues when Adu-Poku stole the ball from Ayoola and it took it towards goal before cutting to his left to Adeyemo, who ran straight into Mazionis and the chance was gone.

Davis scuffed when well-placed on the edge of the box, then Adu-Poku was sent away on the right and cut the ball back to Adeyemo on the edge of the area, but Blues midfielder Emmanuel Okunowo did well to get back to put it out for a corner. Watford made their first change on 59 with Ian Kanga taking over from Almeida.

And a minute later, right on the hour mark, the Hornets went in front. Watkiss was found in space on the left by Massiah-Edwards and the left wing-back brought the ball forward before hitting a well-struck shot, which deflected off a defender and past Gray.

Having gone behind, the Blues swapped Taylor and Mendel-Idowu, the pair having been Town’s biggest threats in the first half but perhaps less effective in the second, for Daniel Babb and Nwabueze.

Soon after coming on, Nwabueze sent a cross over from the right which was just too far in front of Davis.

On 62, Josh Lewis was booked for a foul on Adu-Poku as the pacy forward broke towards the area on the right. Watkiss put the free-kick over the bar.

Watford, by now well on top, threatened again in the 64th minute, Adu-Poku forcing Gray to save down to his right.

A minute later, goalscorer Watkiss unleashed another effort from the left but too close to Gray, who saved.

With Town looking out on their feet, Adu-Poku cut in from the right past Ayoola and found himself in space in the area but Mazionis did superbly to get a cross to block.

A minute later, Leon Ramirez-Espain slammed a shot off the bar and over with the Blues’ goal living a charmed life at this stage. Ahead of the goal-kick, Town swapped Ayoola for Daniel O’Connor.

The Blues were rocking with a second Watford goal seeming only a matter of time, but in the 72nd minute, they levelled.

Jambang, who had moved forward into Mendel-Idowu’s role with Babb at right-back, brought the ball forward before hitting a low shot across Macaulay and into the net off the inside of the post.

Three minutes after the leveller, Davis cleverly turned and got away from his man from a ball into feet but again Macaulay saved his shot.

Moments later, Nwabueze was yellow-carded for a foul. Ahead of the free-kick, Watford made two changes, Jonathan Lawson replacing Massiah-Edwards and Aidan Coyne coming on for skipper George Abbott.

The Hornets claimed a penalty from the free-kick in a brief goalmouth scramble but the flag had been raised. Adeyemo took a kick to the head in the incident but continued after treatment.

The game was increasingly open in the latter stages and on 85 Watford weren’t too far away from going back in front, Mazionis making another excellent saving challenge on Adeyemo, the loose ball running out to Albert Eames, who shot over.

The Hornets went even closer moments later when Adu-Poku appeared to kick the ball from the grounded Gray’s hands. It ran wide to Adeyemo and eventually a Lawson shot was scuffed wide with Gray still out of his goal. The Kiwi keeper subsequently made his annoyance with the referee clear.

Watford were afforded a fourth concussion substitution in the 87th, Joshua Keyes replacing Adeyemo, who suffered his knock to the head earlier in the half.

Town had been second best for most of the half and at 1-0 down appeared to have no way back into the match, but on 88 Nwabueze (pictured) won it.

The sub brought the ball forward towards the edge of the box before hitting a low shot to Macaulay’s left and into the corner of the net.

Clarridge smashed a late free-kick wide of Gray’s left post as the game moved into five minutes of injury time, but the Blues stayed solid to hold out to win a thoroughly entertaining game which swung one way and then the other.

Having been much the better side in the first half, the Blues were made to rue missing a hatful of chances when Watford took charge after the break and took what at that stage was a deserved lead.

John McGreal and David Wright’s Town looked down and out with the Hornets well on top, but Jambang’s excellent leveller saw the impetus swing back the other way and Nwabueze complete a spirited comeback with his late strike.

Town: Gray, Jambang, Lewis, Mazionis (c), Ayoola (O’Connor 71), Turner, Mendel-Idowu (Nwabueze 61), Okunowo, O Davis, T Taylor (Babb 61), Roberts. Unused: Fleischer, Boswell.

Watford: Macaulay, Abbott (c) (Coyne 78), Watkiss, Dwomoh, Clarridge, Almeida (Kamga 59), Eames, Ramirez-Espain, Adeyemo (Keyes 87), Adu-Poku, Massiah-Edwards (Lawson 78). Unused: Browne.

Photo: TWTD

franz_tyson added 09:09 - Oct 9 Ayyuba Jamrag looked quite useful in periods.
1

Razor added 13:43 - Oct 9 A great game and a pleasure to watch----one or two very promising players, the pooor old number 9 must even be wondering how he did not notch!
0

Razor added 13:43 - Oct 9 A great game and a pleasure to watch----one or two very promising players, the pooor old number 9 must even be wondering how he did not notch!
1

Pessimistic added 15:29 - Oct 9 It was a very watchable encounter and this became particularly apparent in the second half when the game became much more open. I was very impressed with Tommy Taylor and Mendel-Idowu in the first period and was shocked when they were both substituted on 61 minutes. That said, John McGreal knew what he was doing because it was super subs Jambang who levelled things and Nwabueze who won it for the Blues!

1

blues1 added 19:49 - Oct 9 Pessimistic. Jambang players the whole game. Started at rb then moved to rw when subs were made.
0

Blogs 298 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls