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Cambridge United 1-1 Ipswich Town - Match Report
Saturday, 4th Feb 2023 17:07

Town’s long wait for a league victory at the Abbey Stadium continues after the Blues were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Cambridge United. Harvey Knibbs gave the U’s the lead on 24, before Town keeper Christian Walton saved a penalty from Joe Ironside eight minutes later. The Blues made three changes at the break and one of those subs, Kyle Edwards, created an equaliser for Freddie Ladapo nine minutes after the restart but Kieran McKenna’s men were unable to find a winning goal.

Town named the same team which beat Morecambe 4-0 at Portman Road 11 days ago with Leif Davis and Wes Burns both fit enough to start having returned to training following minor knocks in midweek.

Davis was in his usual role wide on the left with Burns on the right with Harry Clarke, George Edmundson, Richard Keogh at the back and Walton in goal.

Skipper Sam Morsy was alongside Lee Evans in the centre of midfield with Nathan Broadhead and 15-goal top scorer Conor Chaplin behind central striker Ladapo.

Cambridge made one change from the side which drew 0-0 at Lincoln last week with Knibbs coming into the side for Ben Worman, who dropped to the bench.

Former Blues midfielder Paul Digby skippered, while ex-Town forward Jack Lankester was on the bench alongside one-time Portman Road trialist Shilow Tracey.

Ryan Bennett, released by the Blues' academy at 16, and Suffolk-born Michael Morrison started at the heart of their defence, their first starts for the U’s at the Abbey Stadium since joining - in Morrison’s case rejoining - the club earlier in the month.

Town started on top and in the third minute Chaplin scuffed a volley from the left of the area after a very long Clarke throw from the right had reached him. Another two minutes later also reached the forward but he was unable to get in a shot.

The game quickly settled into a pattern, Cambridge sitting back in their half of the field as the Blues looked to find a way through them.

On 16, Broadhead, Davis and Chaplin interchanged on the edge of the area on the left as they sought to find space to shoot with the latter eventually hitting an effort which was blocked.

Five minutes later, Evans scuffed a free-kick from 30 yards wide, Clarke having been caught by Digby as he took the ball past the former Town man.

Aside from Walton catching a cross, Cambridge had shown nothing going forward but in the 24th minute they went in front via their first shot of the afternoon.

Edmundson miscontrolled the ball out of play on the Town left and from the throw, Digby played it to Knibbs, who brought it forward down the middle before hitting a powerful shot which beat Walton to his right.

Three minutes after taking the lead, the home side had another opportunity, Knibbs digging out a cross from the left towards Joe Ironside at the far post. Home fans claimed the striker had been fouled by Davis but the linesman’s flag was raised, saving referee Sam Barrott a decision.

But just after the half hour, with Town still to recover from conceding the goal, the U’s were awarded a penalty.


Edmundson clumsily felled Conor McGrandles in the area on the left but play continued and Knibbs found the net. However, referee Barrott had already blown and pointed to spot, much to the home side’s frustration.

Ironside took the kick and hit it low and hard to Walton’s right but the keeper got across to brilliantly tip it round the post. The Blues number one celebrated as he might as his teammates congratulated him.

From the flag-kick, Cambridge claimed another penalty but the ball clearly hit Keogh’s back rather than hand.

On 40, Morsy was booked for bodychecking Knibbs midway inside the Cambridge half with the Blues still huffing and puffing against a determined backline, while the home side were presenting more of a threat on their forays forward.

The half-time whistle was met with cheers and applause by the home fans and by one or two boos from the Town support.

Having started in control but without being able to create a serious chance, the Blues had allowed Knibbs a free shot at goal at a time when the U's had shown nothing going forward.

The Blues seemed to be rocked by conceding and Cambridge would have doubled their lead had referee Barrott allowed play to continue after Edmundson’s foul rather than immediately pointing to the spot. Fortunately for Town he did and Walton made a very impressive penalty stop.

Town had most of the ball in the Cambridge half in the latter stages of the half but without finding a way through the massed ranks of the Cambridge defence with home keeper Dimitar Mitov still to make a save.

The Blues made three changes at the break, at least some of them likely to have been forced by injury. Davis, who had been a doubt going into the match, Evans, who had undergone treatment during the opening period, and Clarke replaced by Edwards, harshly red-carded at the Abbey earlier in the season in a Papa Johns Trophy tie, Marcus Harness and Janoi Donacien.

Town went about looking for a goal, Ladapo looping an early header into Mitov’s arms from a right-sided cross.

On 50, an Edwards shot from just outside the area on the left deflected wide for a Town corner in front of their fans.

However, in the aftermath of the flag-kick, the ball was cleared and Keogh found himself in a foot race with Sam Smith, which the Cambridge man won. But the veteran defender used all his experience and guile to slow the striker up and Walton dived in at his feet to claim, taking a boot to the head for his trouble. After treatment, the Town keeper was able to continue.

Edwards, who scored twice against the U’s at Portman Road in the 3-0 win earlier in the season, had had an impact since coming on and in the 54th minute, the winger created the Blues’ equaliser.

The former West Brom man tricked his way round the outside of Liam Bennett, not for the first time, before sending over a cross which Ladapo steered across Mitov and just inside the post. The striker celebrated his 14th goal of the season with the travelling 1,400 fans behind the goal.

Just before the hour, Burns was tripped on the right by James Brophy, just outside the area. Chaplin smashed the free-kick through a crowd of players, Mitov blocked and the ball fell kindly for Cambridge, who cleared.

Two minutes later, a Chaplin shot from just outside the area caught a defender on its way wide with the Blues well on top and playing at a higher tempo in the first period. From the corner, Edmundson won the ball in the air but couldn’t make a clean contact.

Town almost made it 2-1 in the 63rd minute, Harness clipping over a cross from the right for Ladapo, who flicked a header towards the far post where Chaplin just failed to get a touch as he slid in.

The Blues continued to dominate and on 66, after a long spell of Town possession, was fed in on the right of the box but shot high and wide from a tight angle.

Cambridge were forced into a change four minutes later after Lloyd Jones suffered a knock, George Williams taking over on the left of the home side’s back three.

On 73, Burns was played in down the right by Harness, but the Welshman’s cross flew across the six-yard box too high for anyone to get a touch. As the U’s prepared to restart, Town swapped Chaplin for George Hirst.

The on-loan Leicester man was involved immediately, chasing a Morsy pass played into the right of the area and cutting across to Broadhead, who got a touch but while colliding with Mitov, who claimed and required treatment for a knock to his hand before continuing.

In the 76th minute, Donacien was played in on the right of the box and chipped over a cross which took a deflection and looped goalwards but Mitov was able to stop it, not entirely comfortably before claiming.

Soon after, Cambridge won a corner and subsequently kept the ball in and around the area with the Blues struggling to clear their lines but eventually getting the ball away.

In the 81st minute, Town switched Broadhead for Cameron Humphreys, while the U’s replaced Ironside with Tracey.

With the game in six minutes of injury time, Liam Bennett broke away on the Cambridge right and sent over a teasing cross, but no teammate had reached the area. Soon after, following a U’s free-kick not far outside the Town area, Digby was booked for pulling back Harness as Town counter-attacked.

The Blues continued to look for a winner, a Edwards corner was cleared as was a Donacien long throw with the Cambridge defence remaining resolute.

Town, whose only win at the Abbey remains a League Cup win in 1993, had been much better after the break and the equaliser, excellently created by Edwards, coming as early as it did gave them ample opportunity to push on for the winner.

But, while they dominated, the Blues didn’t create too many further clear-cut opportunities with Broadhead’s chance from Hirst’s cut-back perhaps the best, while the U’s remained a regular threat on the break.

Another draw against opposition they ought to be beating sees the Blues lose ground on the teams behind them, fourth-placed Derby and Bolton in fifth both having won. Town are now only two points ahead with the Rams having a game in hand on them and the Trotters having played a match more.

Sheffield Wednesday’s 1-0 home victory over Plymouth means the Owls are now top on goal difference ahead of the Pilgrims with Town six points behind ahead of Wednesday’s visit to Portman Road next Saturday.

Cambridge: Mitov, Digby (c), Jones (Williams 70), Brophy, Ironside (Tracey 81), Smith, R Bennett, Morrison, McGrandles, Knibbs, L Bennett. Unused: Mannion, Haunstrup, Lankester, Okedina, Worman.

Town: Walton, Clarke (Donacien 46), Keogh, Edmundson, Burns, Morsy (c), Evans (Harness 46), Davis (Edwards 46), Chaplin (Hirst 73), Broadhead (Humphreys 81), Ladapo. Unused: Hladky, Jackson. Referee: Sam Barrott (West Riding). Att: 7,154 (Town: 1,485).


Photo: Matchday Images



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jayceee added 17:10 - Feb 4
Only so many times you can "unlucky" in a season. Again we were the better team, but the result not good enough. Desperately need that winning streak to start. Like now.
13

chopra777 added 17:12 - Feb 4
Stage fright again. We need a shrink and a hypnotist. Cambridge have been fighting for their lives recently. No game is easy. We have a good squad but KM is not picking the right team. At Walton proved his worth. Come on Town pull yourself together and get back to winning ways.
9

AYACCA added 17:12 - Feb 4
We can't buy our way out of the league. Start putting proper performances together and do the job properly. Time to stop fart arsing around with pretty tactics and get some shots off and don't let players walk through the defence
24

Tractorboy58 added 17:12 - Feb 4
Oh dear !
8

pg888 added 17:12 - Feb 4
Ending up in the play offs with all the teams below us on winning runs would be a complete disaster but looks like the reality now sadly. Let's hope for a cup run!
13

Portman51 added 17:13 - Feb 4
At least now we can concentrate on the cup!
12

RedDust added 17:13 - Feb 4
Is 442 illegal? Does it seem that McKenna over thinks everything rather than going balls out and givImg the players freedom to win the game the way they know they can?
10

OliveR16 added 17:14 - Feb 4
A wonderful, well-resourced promotion opportunity is being thrown away before our eyes. Sad times.
25

Lightningboy added 17:14 - Feb 4
Absolute shambles.

Far too many of our players look like they've accepted that the top 2 is too much like hard work.

Lost count of the amount of times our players got overtaken just jogging casually to get to the ball.

If you don't shoot you don't score - this obsession with trying to walk the ball into the net is killing our season.
31

barrystedmunds added 17:14 - Feb 4
Play offs!!!! You're having a laff!! At this rate we're destined for 9th……. AGAIN!!!
14

TimmyH added 17:15 - Feb 4
Not good enough...consistently too many mistakes particularly away from home, lucky only to find ourselves 1 down at half time and draws aren't helping.

Too many players playing inconsistently, hoping that Edmundson would find a birth at the back again but he had a howler today along with some others. 19th November the last time we won away!...that's why we're being reeled in by the sides below us...
19

DaGremloid added 17:16 - Feb 4
Simply not good enough. This is partly the result of resting/rotating the team — they just don't seem to be match sharp. But that's not the only problem. In the past 3 months we have done nothing but prat around with the ball in our own half and showing a really irritating reluctance to shoot. Pass it backwards, pass it sideways, pass it around amongst the defenders and the goalkeeper...and this when we're drawing or losing! I'm getting sick of it. Run at the bloody opposition — we scored when we did that today. Run at defenders — draw a foul — shoot! No wonder we hardly ever get a penalty — we never run at defenders in the box!

I've always backed McKenna and I'm not one calling for his head but there are worrying signs tactically and in team selection. Maybe his inexperience is starting to show a little? The players themselves need to look in the mirror though — I mean what's happened to Morsy and Evans for example? They used to be the engine room but Morsy in particular seems to have gone off the boil. We should probably cut Evans some slack because of his injury lay-off, but that isn't doing us any favours while we're pushing for promotion.

And I'm also sick to death of some people continually blaming the referee every time we lose or draw. Really? Do you honestly believe there is some vendetta against Ipswich among the referees? We shouldn't need to be worrying about the odd poor decision anyway. If we're as good as some make out with our ‘best squad in the league' we should be well out of sight each game before it matters.

Oh well. At least we've got the FA Cup...
41

bernie added 17:17 - Feb 4
Not bloody good enough!!
12

Master_Montage added 17:18 - Feb 4
Simply not good enough and the same things happen over and over again. Fail to test teams in the first half when they defend deep, gave away another soft goal and then fail to finish the game off when finally got on top in the second half. McKenna needs to find a different way to play these lower in the table sides. Play more balls over the top, play two up front, play with wingers. I don't know what the answer is, but if we carry on like this (and this now stretches back to the beginning of October) we will playing division 1 football again next season I'm afraid.
21

SoCalTownFan added 17:18 - Feb 4
McKenna needs to be stepped down, before it's too late and the season slips away. Playoffs, if we are lucky, isn't good enough because even if we do get into the playoffs, we won't win the playoffs.
-6

pablo123 added 17:19 - Feb 4
Replace kmk now , b4 it's too late !!!! Absolute shambles and the buck stops with him !!! Cambridge are awful.as their recent record shows !! Yes I'll be marked down of course but he's not up to this , and our owners won't wait another year
-3

tobymeadz91 added 17:19 - Feb 4
Sadly, first time since MCK appointment, wouldn't be shocked if he's sacked tonight after that performance… talking the talk not walking the walk and WHAT was that first half …

Soooo many negatives not many positives
-2

Gforce added 17:20 - Feb 4
The owners are not going to be happy with this.No away win in five now.Top 2 is gone,and I don't fancy our chances in the play-offs one bit.
Really don't think I can face another season of watching 75% of teams ,play acting and parking the bus and running around like they've just won the league,when they get a draw against us.
11

ButchersBrokenNose added 17:23 - Feb 4
A point does us no good at all. We have to be beating the likes of Cambridge if we even want to stay in the play-offs (glances nervously over shoulder at Derby and Bolton). Automatic promotion is looking increasingly unlikely.

Mickey Stockwell summed it up on iPlayer: "Every time Cambridge get the ball our defence looks shaky." How can we hold Burnley to 0-0 one week and then look like conceding every time Cambridge run at us? How can the highest-scoring team in the league fail to score more than one goal against a team fighting relegation?

Stand by for a barrage of comments saying, "Don't panic," "There's plenty of games left," "We just need some luck for a change." Personally, I'm getting myself ready for another season in this pub league.
28

Rimsy added 17:25 - Feb 4
That was poor. The players amazingly look low on confidence and for the first time, Mckenna looked panicked and not knowing how to influence the game, what were those half time subs about? Changing most of the defence didn't scream that he has a handle on things. Not quite out of it yet but many more performances like this and league 1 beckons for another season.
15

Lightningboy added 17:26 - Feb 4
@DaGremloid

100% spot on.
5

TractorfactorSteve added 17:27 - Feb 4
Groundhog day all over again.
10

SickParrot added 17:28 - Feb 4
We didn't turn up until half time - that's happened too many times this season, and it's another team that parked the bus who we couldn't beat. We made a great start to the season but everybody has worked out how to play us now. We do have a lot of good players but we lack the consistency, know how and grit needed to get promoted. In our last 13 games in the league we have only won 4 and taken 19 points. This is mid table mediocrity. Unfortunately, KM shows no signs of learning from all our poor results, so it's difficult to be optimistic about the rest of the season.
16

planetblue_2011 added 17:29 - Feb 4
We still can't win these type of games with the new boys in the team!! Loosing ground big time!! Derby are up are arses now🙈
7

jas0999 added 17:30 - Feb 4
Simply not good enough. Unacceptable result in a game we should win. It was a must win - no getting away from it. I appreciate we have no given right to win and a couple may not happen. But so many draws against very poor opposition. KM MUST find a way to win. I doubt Gamechanger will accept failure to get promoted this season. Especially after the investment - they will demand a return.

Our form is not good enough. Results haven't been good enough. Significant improvement required …. Urgently.

Underachieving. Poor.
21


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