IPSWICH 0 CITY 0
It was a gloriously sunny day at Ipswich and samples of local Adnams ale were served to supporters to quench the thirst as they turned up. The Ipswich fans were expectant and hoped the Roy Keane magic would help kick start them to a first home win on the path to promotion. The local papers all predicted a home win.
After an emotional start before the match with local fans singing along to Bobby Robson’s favourite songs the match kicked off with City fielding Fryatt up front and Nielsen in for his first match at right back. Tunchev and King were on the subs bench.
City started well passing crisply from back to front with Wellens always available. He likes to bring the ball from the back and rarely wastes a pass. City continued to boss the first half and quietened the crowd. Ipswich surprisingly played a long ball game and this played into City’s hands. Brown (my man of the match) and Hobbs coped with this well and Berner and Nielsen were both strong on the flanks. Ipswich rarely threatened apart from a Walters shot well saved by Weale.
Nielsen seems an uncomplicated player and controlled Martin well. He was always ready to go forward, although he needs to improve his crossing. His long throws were always dangerous. One was volleyed over by Howard without any other player touching the ball…..
City’s best chance of the first half came from a clever free kick which led to a great Dyer cross being headed over by Brown when he should really have scored.
Fryatt was looking really sharp and twice got behind the defence. Dyer whizzed a free kick just past the post.
The first half ended slightly disappointingly that we were not 1-0 up. We knew that Ipswich were bound to start the second half better after a Keano ear bashing.
Ipswich came out for the second half in different mood and this lifted the crowd. City supporters had been in great voice in the first half. Keano took off Stead and Harley and brought on Priskin and Wickham. Immediately they began to press City and for a short spell we lost our composure a bit, clearing the ball hastily and it kept coming back from our forwards. However, our defence held firm and gradually we got through this tough passage of play.
Fryatt started to tire and looked like he had a knock on his ankle. Waghorn came on and also King for N’Guessan who had started to give the ball away too much. Adams later came on for Dyer.
What was most encouraging was the way City then came on stronger later in the half and restricted Ipswich to very few chances. A back header from Howard just missed the post and there was an obvious penalty for City when a defender handled the ball. It was missed by the officials despite City’s protests and was one of many baffling decisions by the ref and his assistants.
So City played the clock down quite comfortably and gained a well earned point. There was much to admire in City’s professional performance against one of the promotion favourites. With a bit more luck we might even have snatched 3 points.
We have become a strong unit and have carried on our success so far from last season. The new players are knitting in well into the system and giving Pearson options for the batch of matches coming up. Concern about striker options still seem to fill the fans message boards but let’s be patient and wait to see what Pearson is planning. He normally gets it right!
City: Weale; Neilson, Hobbs, Brown, Berner, N'Guessan, Oakley, Wellens, Dyer, Fryatt, Howard. Subs: A King (63 for N'Guessan), Waghorn (63 for Fryatt), Adams (75 for Dyer) Not Used: Logan, Morrison, Tunchev Dickov.
Booked: Wellens, Howard, Waghorn, Weale.
Ipswich: R Wright; D Wright, Delaney, McAuley, Martin, Peters, Stead, Balkestein, Healey, Walters, Trotter. Subs: Wickham (46 for Stead). Priskin (46 for Healey), Garvan (63 for Martin) Not Used: Bruce, Colback, Supple, Smith,
Booked: McAuley.
Referee P Crossley Attendance: 22,454.
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation