Nathan Broadhead, Kayden Jackson and Kyle Edwards were on target as the Blues comfortably beat Accrington Stanley 3-0 at Portman Road, the visitors ending the game with 10 men following keeper Lukas Jensen’s late dismissal. Broadhead saw Town on their way to their fourth win in a row with the opener on 12, Jackson made it 2-0 on 56, before sub Edwards curled in an injury time free-kick after Jensen had upended Harry Clarke and been sent off.

Town made two changes from the team which beat Burton Albion 4-0 at the weekend with former Accrington men Jackson and Janoi Donacien both coming into the XI.

Jackson started wide on the right with Wes Burns on the bench, while Donacien took over from Clarke, who was also among the subs, behind him.

Stanley made two changes from the team which beat Forest Green at the weekend with Dan Martin and Anthony Mancini coming into the side for Sean McConville, who earlier in the afternoon had been banned for two matches and fined £750 for abusive and insulting language to a match official following the recent Papa Johns Trophy semi-final tie against Bolton Wanderers, and Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, who was one of only six players on the bench.

There were scruffy moments from both sides in the early stages and on eight, Conor Chaplin hooked a ball down the right for Jackson to chase and visitors’ keeper Jensen hit his clearance against the Blues wideman, the ball looping well away from goal.

And four minutes later, Town took the lead. Massimo Luongo exchanged passes with Broadhead in the centre circle before playing a superb ball in behind Accrington’s high line to Jackson on the right.

The forward cut back inch perfectly to Broadhead, who turned his fourth goal in four home games into the net from close range, the goal almost a carbon copy of the one he scored on Saturday.

On 14, Anthony Mancini struck Stanley’s first effort of the game from a free-kick but Christian Walton comfortably saved down to his left.

Town still weren’t at their fluent best, but in the 20th minute Donacien won the ball when sliding in on Rosaire Longelo deep in his own half, then came off best in a second challenge on the right, this time with Mo Sangare, before continuing down the flank and crossing for Ladapo, who flicked a header which Jensen caught above his head.

Accrington were forced into a substitution in the 23rd minute when Longelo was replaced by Jack Nolan having suffered a knock in the tackle with Donacien. A minute later, Ladapo shot low through to Jensen from the edge of the area.

Just after the half hour, Chaplin fed in Jackson, who had been Town’s main threat, but this time his cross for Ladapo was cut out.

In the 33rd minute, Chaplin drove forward before slipping a pass to Ladapo who poked towards goal but Jensen was able to save.

Town weren’t having it all their own way, however, and on 37 there was an uncomfortable moment for Walton when he collided with Town’s third ex-Stanley man, Cameron Burgess, as he punched away a free-kick from deep but the Blues keeper had got enough on it.

Burgess became the first Town player to get his name in the book in the 43rd minute for a foul on Mancini, which looked harsh.

As the game moved into three minutes of injury time, Accrington seriously threatened for the first time, Walton tipping over from Aaron Pressley after Mancini had fed him having got away from Woolfenden on the left, then from the resultant corner Mitch Clark hit a strike from distance which the Blues keeper claimed.

Town twice came close to adding to their lead in the remaining moments, Leif Davis sending over a brilliant cross from the left which Harvey Rodgers somehow diverted away from Ladapo with the striker appearing certain to score from a few yards out.

Moments later, the Blues did have the ball in the net for a second time, Chaplin stroking home what would have been his 20th goal of the season from Jackson’s low ball but with the linesman’s flag raised.

Town were worthy of their lead at the break despite not always having been at their best. Jackson’s pace running in behind the Accrington defence on the right had been the Blues’ main threat and might well have led to more than just Broadhead’s excellent goal.

Accrington had caused Town a few more problems than most recent opposition but with their late shots their only real chances.

Chaplin struck the second half’s first effort in the 48th minute but the ball skewed wide off the side of his foot from Jackson’s knockdown.

On 50, Ladapo claimed a penalty having been manhandled to the ground by Rodgers behind him but referee Lee Swabey wasn’t interested. Moments later, Morsy’s low strike was blocked.

The Blues were starting the half very positively and in the 54th minute a Davis corner from the left fell to Chaplin but the top scorer’s shot deflected into the air and into Jensen’s arms.

However, a minute later, it was 2-0. Broadhead tricked his way past Baba Fernandes on the left and took the ball along the byline before cutting back to Luongo, whose effort was deflected onto the bar off Sangare. However, the ball fell loose to former Stanley striker Jackson, who slammed into the net, his fourth goal of the season.

Just after the hour mark, the visitors swapped Rodgers, Mancini and Seb Quirk for Butler-Oyedeji, Korede Adedoyin and Doug Tharme, while Town replaced Broadhead, his job done having scored one and assisted one, and Luongo, again impressive in central midfield, with Marcus Harness and Cameron Humphreys.

In the 64th minute, Jackson burst away down the right and crossed. The ball was behind Ladapo but reached Davis, who shot wide when he will feel he should have scored.

Five minutes later, a low Davis corner from the left once again found Chaplin unmarked but the forward’s shot was blocked. On 73, Town switched Ladapo and Davis for George Hirst and Clarke.

Harness flicked over at the near post from a Humphreys corner two minutes later with the Blues comfortable and looking likely to add to their goals.

On 81, Clarke was sent away on the left by Humphreys and played inside to Harness, whose shot deflected over.

In the aftermath of the corner, there was a scare for Accrington when Walton returned Jensen’s long throw from inside the Town half and Chaplin read the offside line but shot straight at the Stanley keeper. With six minutes left, Town swapped Chaplin for Kyle Edwards.

Accrington spent a spell camped in the Blues’ half but without creating a chance, then in the first of five minutes of additional time, the visitors were reduced to 10 men when keeper Jensen was dismissed.

Edwards played in Clarke on the left and the recent signing from Arsenal raced towards the area, beating Jensen to the ball before being upended by the Accrington number one just outside the box.

Referee Swabey immediately showed his red card and, after a lengthy wait, Accrington swapped forward Pressley for sub keeper Liam Isherwood, who almost immediately had to pick the ball out of the net.

Blues sub Edwards took the free-kick and sent it into the top corner to Isherwood’s right to seal another comfortable home win.

Town were well worth their fourth victory in a row - while their fifth clean sheet on the bounce rarely looked in doubt - and might well have scored more during a second half they dominated aside from Stanley’s late spell.

Jackson deserved his goal against his old club, while Edwards curled in an excellent late free-kick, although Clarke - who as on Saturday replicated former skipper Luke Chambers’s celebratory fist-pump in front of the Sir Bobby Robson Stand - will feel he would have scored his first goal for the club but for Jensen’s wild challenge.

Town, who remain third, still five points behind Plymouth who came from behind to beat Derby 2-1, are next in action on Saturday at Bolton, who weren’t in action this evening and are now fifth, six points behind the Blues and level with Barnsley, who are now up to fourth.

Town: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Burgess, Jackson, Morsy (c), Luongo (Humphreys 63), Davis (Clarke 73), Chaplin (Edwards 84), Broadhead (Harness 63), Ladapo (Hirst 73). Unused: Hladky, Burns.

Accrington: Jensen, Clark, Longelo (Nolan 23), Sangare, Rodgers (Butler-Oyediji 63), Pressley (Isherwood 90), Martin, Mancini (Adedoyin 62), Quirk (Tharme 63), Conneely (c), Fernandes. Subs: Adekoya. Referee: Lee Swabey (Devon). Att: 22,413 (Accrington: 59).

Photo: Matchday Images

CustardCream added 21:58 - Mar 7 Another very good performance, not perfect but clinical when we needed to be. Broadhead and Jackson were brilliant all night and although he didn't score, Ladapo was brilliant with his back to goal holding the ball up. It seems almost unfair on teams like Accrington that they have to come up against a midfield of Morsy and Luongo, they're a class above and look to have a good relationship building My whinges if I had to be negative are JDs final ball and how often we floated corners straight into their keepers hands. Also a shame about Plymouth but as we've heard KmcK say, we can only focus on our own jobs.

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Jugsy added 21:59 - Mar 7 Dispatched. We've been getting better and better, and it still looks like we've got gears to go through. Saturday is massive! Anyone going, hope you have a great day. To those wanting McKenna out, look forward to your thoughts at the moment. We're building momentum at the right time of the season. Let's go Town!
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Miaow added 22:00 - Mar 7 I think that's now eleven halves of football we've played without conceding? Pleased that Jackson got a goal and Broadhead scored again. I think the red card may have been a bit harsh but it was a lovely free kick and good to see Edwards net again. Just need to get Harness (and Hirst) back amongst the goals. The referee was the usual rubbish we're accustomed to. Respect to the Accrington fans that travelled - I'm not sure that there were even 59 of them!

5

DaGremloid added 22:01 - Mar 7 Brilliant, Town! Four wins on the trot — FIVE clean sheets in a row! This is more like it! We're back to our start of season form. Okay, so we should be beating the teams we've played recently but you've still got to go out and do it. The next five games are way more difficult but winning and winning well recently will breed huge confidence. We look a different team to the one that were so poor between Nov-Jan. Very well done to the team and KM.

19

blueboy1981 added 22:05 - Mar 7 We can only keep Winning ! - Plymouth are not faltering, and not looking likely to … !! Barnsley keep rolling on their Winning streak. Hanging onto a Play Off spot has to now be the objective - Will we be up to Winning Promotion by that means ? - the outcome of next few Games will go some way to an answer to that Question. Well Done Guys - a Win, and another Clean Sheet, we cannot ask for more than that.

2

zonderdan added 22:09 - Mar 7 Very professional performance tonight. It felt a lot more assured and comfortable. Not sure what game Mick Mills was watching. It wasn't perfect but It wasn't that bad Mick. Luongo another great game. What a partnership he is forming with Morsy. Well done boys.
4

chopra777 added 22:10 - Mar 7 We March on to the Toughs**t stadium. Good evening entertainment on ifollow.Well done lads.
0

ringwoodblue added 22:10 - Mar 7 I'm impressed that whoever comes into the team seem to do well as Jackson proved tonight. No Morsy yellow card was also a bonus tonight. We keep doing what we need to do but we are still 5 points behind Plymouth in the table and 10 points behind them in equivalent fixtures but 11 games to go with plenty of surprises, twists and turns to come. It's just great to be up there with a chance. Well done McKenna and the lads.

3

Fat_Boy_Tim added 22:15 - Mar 7 Blueboy1981 - ‘hanging onto a playoff spot'?? You what? If we were in Plymouths position with a quarter of the season to go, would you be saying we are home and dry? Of course not. We have a chance of going up in the top 2. Let's keep going for it.
8

Esseeja added 22:15 - Mar 7 We had to win the last 4 games at least to keep the belief, anything less would have been utterly disappointing, even if our opposition have recently just kept allowing us to play to our strengths too easily (thus why I'm not getting carried away until after saturday if we win), that first goal where they forget where Jackson was made me cringe a little as a fan. Great to get another win, Luongo improves the game Morsy tries to play, and I am really excited by his current performances, it helps because I previously thought Morsy was not creative enough, but with Luongo next to him it just works, and his passes, and general attacking play, are more threatening. Broadhead has fantastic ball awareness in the box. Comfortable job for our defenders today. Donacien, those passes into the box, his biggest weakness.

3

SoCalTownFan added 22:21 - Mar 7 As a McKenna out advocate since about Christmas I am still yet to be convinced Jugsy We blew it with our form in Nov/Dec/Jan/start of Feb. Sure we've won a few on the trot, but the last 4/5 games have been against pub teams. The Forest Green- Great boozer. Accrington Stanley - who are they? Burton- The Marmite Arms. Let's talk again after our next 5, all against promotion contenders and see how the land lies then. I would LOVE it, to be red faced and humiliated as you wave a league table at me, with us 10 wins on the bounce in second having destroyed the playoff pack (assuming Plymouth lose a couple too; they've got to surely, please?)

-12

Saxonblue74 added 22:31 - Mar 7 Comfortable and professional if not at times entertaining. We can do no more than we are doing right now. Excellent from Donacien and Jackson proving we're more than covered for every position. Plymouth still getting the rub of the green but that can't be helped.
1

blueboy1981 added 22:45 - Mar 7 Fat Boy Tim - I suggest you take some notice of our next line of Fixtures, before questioning my comment ! Let's see how we perform in them shall we ? - before we get ‘carried away' !! Let's hope it's 5 more Wins, which it needs to be for you to be right ! - before we have too many more ‘Hissy Fits' shall we … ?? The True Test begins NOW !!
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Cadiar added 22:52 - Mar 7 Another good win, Another clean sheet. Veryprofessionalall round. Great to see Edwards score, he could have thrown his toys out of the pram when Hull came in for him but he & everyone else seem totally committed & it's showing. Strange how the Jackson/Ladapo assassins have gone Very quiet recently. Both had good games tonight, I don't think people realise just how hard Ladapo works & I think he's the man to lead the line as the games are going to get tougher but hopefully our opponents will try to play which could open things up. Big game Saturday. Usual inane comments from Blueboy & as for SoCal 🙄

2

Bazza8564 added 22:58 - Mar 7 A big over eager and a little sloppy but we got the job done. Big games coming up that will be a series of big tests but at least our form and ability to put sides away has returned, and 5 clean sheets is a great way to head onto a tough run
8

Suffolkboy added 23:04 - Mar 7 Really can't think of more that KM as our Mgr might have done this season ;all teams are likely to have blips but ITFC have a graph and momentum moving vey much in the right direction ,at the right time,and in the best manner we could hope for ! The team has been exceptionally wisely bolstered by January incomers , whose advent had been well planned ,and whose presence has materially improved the team ,and indeed their individual performances are strengthening . As supporters we must all buy in to the incredible on- going enthusiasm and effort from ALL of the top management . Let's not forget,either , the rapid and extensive improvements which are being effected all around ITFC . This is already a season of great hope , and for great hopes of things yet to come ! Well done ! COYB

8

TimmyH added 23:04 - Mar 7 Solid but unspectacular display tonight with some good passages of play particularly 1st half between Luongo and Jackson the former who brings physicality along with some good range of passes. A tad disjointed when losing possession at times giving Stanley some half chances but got the job done overall so well done all for 4 in a row. Now comes a different level of games...in a few matches time I think we'll know if we're still in of a shout of the autos or whether it's just the play-offs.

5

Gforce added 23:13 - Mar 7 We are certainly in great form and long may it continue. But looking at the remaining fixtures,we would have to do something special to finish in the top two. Ours are definitely the toughest.Of the remaining 11 games,13 in Sheff Wed's case,Plymouth have to play six of the bottom 7/8 teams,Wednesday have to play five of them and ourselves just two. Plymouths final 3 home games are all against the kind of teams we have just beaten ,with their home form games you would expect them to win. Anything can happen in football,but to achieve top two,looking at those fixtures ,it will be very difficult. Let's hope we get a big rub of the green in a few games.

6

Master_Montage added 23:28 - Mar 7 Have to say I found tonight's game a little frustrating. Accrington we're a poor side which we didn't really take advantage of. For me, although our possession stats are high we spend too much time at the wrong end of the pitch. We never seem to put the opposition under sustained periods of pressure ( look what that can do in the last fifteen minutes of the first half on Saturday). Tonight we didn't move the ball quick enough and a lot of passes went astray. Having said that I thought Luongo was very good again tonight, his pass for Jackson in the build up for the first goal was real quality. We need to be more fired up for Saturday's match.

3

PhilR added 23:30 - Mar 7 Albeit against weaker opponents, we have won the last few games convincingly. These were the sort of games we have struggled with at times this season. Defensively we look much more solid, and I like the look of Harry Clarke, strong and quick. Some very shrewd additions in the January window have transformed the look of the team and its balance - our midfield and attack, stronger, more threatening - and great to see a wonderful ball in behind for the first goal and lovely direct skills from Broadhead making the second. The team must carry a lot of confidence into the next few games. Really excited to see how we compete with some of the better teams in the division, and I feel a new sense of belief as we go into them.

2

Umros added 23:33 - Mar 7 Glad for the early goal again to prevent the evident timewasting progressing. Another Dour non league style side dispatched. Onwards and upwards
2

ipswichboi added 00:25 - Mar 8 Can only beat what's on front of you! Barely out of third gear tonight. Let's see how we go Saturday. If worst comes to worst then I'm very confident of beating any team in the Play Offs over two legs, its the Final that I'm worried about.
0

Wacko added 00:35 - Mar 8 I think Edwards did the pass to Clarke at the end Phil :)
0

BarleyBoy added 00:46 - Mar 8 Comfortable win ( in the end ) against a poor side showing little, if any ambition from the off. Tbh, should have been “comfortable” much earlier & again, far too slow moving the ball from the back. Casing point our opener…..quick, penetrating ball to feet, first time Kay off to runner, byline & tap in; this approach will create opportunities against most opponents & yet we struggle to repeat it & descend into these slow, ponderous passages instead of going for the jugular; this is my only concern against the better sides in our run in. The positives have already been mentioned in the developing partnership of Morsy/Luongo ( must-starters for me here on in). Would like to see greater impact from the perennial changes on the hour…..did seem to go flat until the red card & Edwards' sweet 3rd……..Harness is a concern & needs to get his mojo back……can only recall 1 successfully executed pass in nearly a dozen attempts!! ) Anyway, job done & greater challenges await do fingers crossed we maintain this timely momentum & Argyle start to develop their annual run-in wobble. COYB

1

ThaiBlue added 05:20 - Mar 8 Got the job done even if we were not that spectacular must say walton distribution was terrible and puts the back 4 under pressure.
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