Catman

In a week where two-footed tackles have been a hot topic, midfielder John Spicer lost his head in first-half injury-time when he lunged at Town's Tommy Miller.

Referee Phil Dowd had little option but to reach straight for his top pocket, and Spicer became the third Burnley player in the last two games to see red.

That ensured new Clarets boss Owen Coyle will have a festive headache as he ponders games against Sheffield Wednesday, Bristol City and Blackpool in quick succession while he also lost Robbie Blake to injury.

The visitors defended well after Spicer's dismissal to hold out for a point which extends their unbeaten away record to seven games, but they had to ride their luck when Miller smashed a long-range piledriver against the crossbar in the first half.

Kiraly was also called into action time and time again to preserve the deadlock and he produced a string of fine saves to keep the Tractor Boys out.

With Ipswich unbeaten at home and Burnley so good on their travels, this always looked to be one for the neutrals and within two minutes Alan Lee latched on to Danny Haynes' deep cross only to see Kiraly pull off a superb reaction save.

The return of visiting captain Steven Caldwell after 10 games out with a torn tendon added an extra dimension and he was forced into action soon after to block Pablo Counago's right-footed drive.

In between times Miller came within a whisker of opening the scoring with a thunderous 30-yard drive against the crossbar.

But Burnley were holding their own and Kyle Lafferty could have done better after 11 minutes with a header which drifted across the six-yard box.

Town's rhythm was disrupted when unlucky Spaniard Luis Castro Sito was forced off with an injury having only just regained his first-team place following 11 months in the wilderness.

Haynes then blazed wastefully over the top before Counago headed at goal, only to see Kiraly in the right place again to keep it out.

Spicer's moment of madness in first-half injury time changed the pattern of the game as he launched himself feet first into a challenge with Miller.

Following the sendings off of Joey Gudjonsson and Chris McCann against Preston last week another suspension was the last thing Coyle needed. But before he addressed that headache there was the small matter of the entire second half to negotiate with 10 men.

Ipswich sensed their chance to press home the numerical advantage and Owen Garvan tested Kiraly again six minutes into the second half before Miller - back in the starting line-up after a virus -

unleashed another long-range drive.

The Clarets' tactics were now abundantly clear. Having switched to a 4-4-1 they packed men behind the ball in an effort to run down the clock.

It was crude but effective, although their cause was not helped when Blake was forced off injured on the hour.

It took some more heroics from Kiraly to keep them level after 64 minutes. He got his body behind Jon Walters' 20-yarder before three minutes later the shot-stopper caught Lee's header.

Counago then fired close twice in quick succession with time running out while David Wright headed wastefully over the crossbar late on.

 

Catman

Ipswich V Leicester
Defender Richard Stearman bundled in Stephen Clemence's 12th-minute free-kick to give Ian Holloway's side the lead before brilliantly clearing off his own line to deny Ipswich a deserved equaliser.

Patrick Kisnorbo then headed in a carbon-copy second for the Foxes and despite the match being disrupted in the second half by an injury to referee Keith Hill, the home side held on for three vital points.

Jim Magilton's side - who have only dropped four points at Portman Road all season but are yet to win on the road despite playing some attractive football - showed their fragile side by failing to defend a single set-piece convincingly.

But with Magilton set to be handed up to £12million to spend in next month's transfer window after Marcus Evans' £44million takeover of the club, Ipswich could yet prove promotion candidates come May.

The Tractor Boys had the first chance of the game when Alan Lee made a rampaging run down the right and his clever cross with the outside of his foot found Gavin Williams in space but he shot tamely at Marton Fulop.

Ipswich full-back Dan Harding was then booked for a crude challenge on James Chambers and the home side took the lead from the resulting free-kick.

Captain Clemence delivered a fine inswinging cross from the right which was missed by a clutch of players around the penalty spot and Stearman diverted it in with his chest from barely three yards out.

Fulop then had to race off his line to foil Lee after Owen Garvan had bisected the defence with a lofted pass before Stearman headed clear from his own goalline to deny the waiting Pablo Counago after Jon Walters' deep cross had beaten Fulop.

And Kisnorbo doubled the lead in the 33rd minute when he powered a header down into the bottom right corner from another excellent Clemence free-kick from the right wing.

The second half started in comical fashion when Ipswich defender David Wright's clearance smashed into referee Hill's face.

Hill stayed down and required medical treatment for several minutes but was initially able to continue and instantly turned down Counago's penalty appeal as the away side pressed for an early goal.

Hill was then forced to leave the field in the 57th minute with linesman Richard Smith taking over and fourth official Wayne Porter coming on in his place.

The match struggled to get going again after the disruption but Ipswich captain Jason De Vos should have pulled one back in the 66th minute.

De Vos got in front of Kisnorbo to meet Williams' right-wing corner but stabbed his effort down into the turf and wide.

Magilton then made a triple substitution in a bid to inject some life into the match but Ipswich's only effort of note in nine minutes of injury time saw Lee shoot straight at Fulop from the edge of the area to ensure that their dire away run continues.

 

Catman

Ipswich V West Brom
The Baggies had plenty of opportunities to take the lead during a furious first half in which both teams hit the woodwork but Tony Mowbray's men were punished as Wright and De Vos headed late goals to extend the Tractor Boys' unbeaten home record to 12 games.

Ipswich winger Jonathan Walters was guilty of wasting the home side's first good chance when he blasted over from the centre of the penalty area before on-loan Manchester City man Ishmael Miller spurned a gilt-edged free header from just five yards at the other end.

Miller and Zoltan Gera looked a constant threat for the visitors but both were unable to capitalise on their chances before Danny Haynes and Spaniard Pablo Counago were both unlucky not to give Ipswich the lead - Counago hitting the post with an angled drive.

And it was not long before the woodwork was rattled at the other end in spectacular fashion as Baggies top scorer Kevin Phillips took the ball on his chest before unleashing a looping volley from 20 yards which hit the crossbar with goalkeeper Alexander beaten.

After a first half littered with chances, the 24,000-strong crowd had to wait until the 60th minute before either goal was threatened when Phillips' drive from the edge of the box was saved by Neil Alexander.

But just as Baggies manager Tony Mowbray had thrown on strikers Roman Bednar and Craig Beattie in order to inject some life into his team, the hosts struck to reinforce their devastating home form.

Midfielder Liam Trotter went on a mazy run to the by-line before pulling a flighted cross back towards full-back Wright, who headed his second goal of the season to give the home side a 74th-minute lead.

And with just six minutes left Town carved open the West Brom defence once again to make it 2-0 against the league leaders.

De Vos powered home a header this time as he found himself in yards of space in the Baggies box before nodding Gavin Williams' whipped cross to make it 2-0.

It could have been 3-0 as substitutes Alan Lee and Billy Clarke combined before the former was denied by the sprawling figure of Dean Kiely in the West Brom goal.

 

Catman

FA Cup 3rd round Ipswich V Portsmouth
The 22-year-old had failed to make an impact on Harry Redknapp's team following his summer arrival from Preston.

However, Nugent, sent on at the break, produced a clinical finish from a long ball into the Ipswich area after 51 minutes to grab a first goal since late September.

It also handed his manager a timely reminder of his abilities just when Pompey are set to lose key men to the African Nations Cup.

Ipswich - who lifted the famous old trophy 30 years ago - were always up against it after youngster Liam Trotter had been somewhat harshly dismissed by referee Mark Halsey following a late sliding challenge on Pedro Mendes in the 24th minute.

However, the Suffolk side rallied late on and almost snatched an equaliser through substitute Alan Lee's close-range header and then Danny Haynes' low shot.

Pompey, though, continued their progress under Redknapp, and look a good bet for a long-overdue decent cup run this year.

Ipswich - currently in the play-off places and aiming to be playing against top-flight opposition regularly next season - started brightly.

After such an impressive opening to the campaign, Pompey have stuttered in recent weeks, dropping back to eighth place in the Barclays Premier League.

However, with seven away wins from their last eight, the south-coast side remained dangerous on the road.

After six minutes, the visitors forced a corner, which floated over to the far post and former Ipswich defender Hermann Hreidarsson was just wide with a downward header.

Full-back Glen Johnson then got in down the right, and his low angled shot was saved by Town keeper Neil Alexander.

Ipswich, the form home side in the Coca-Cola Championship, were seeing plenty of the ball in midfield without making any real progress around the Pompey penalty area.

The home crowd had a moment to cheer when striker Pablo Counago latched onto a long ball into the Pompey box, but he was hustled out of possession by the experienced Sylvain Distin.

After 24 minutes, Ipswich were controversially reduced to 10 men.

Academy graduate Trotter - whose smiling face was pictured across front of the matchday programme - slid in on Mendes, leading with his studs right in front of the assistant on the far side.

The Portsmouth midfielder jumped out of the way, but was still caught by the somewhat rash challenge.

After a long lecture, and seemingly consolation with his colleagues via the headset, referee Halsey deemed the one-footed tackle dangerous enough for a straight red card - much to the disbelief of the Portman Road faithful.

Understandably, Halsey was then jeered at every decision, only getting the home fans on his side when awarding a free-kick some 30 yards out on the right.

Owen Garvan sent over a dangerous deep ball into the Pompey box, but it was headed clear.

Portsmouth seemed content to wait patiently for an opening but too often chose the wrong pass when in promising positions as Pape Bouba Diop blasted his shot from 20 yards high into the stands.

Ipswich rallied at the end of the first half, and Counago flicked on a near-post corner, which Johnson put cleared off the line under pressure from Billy Clarke.

Portsmouth made a change at the break, with Mendes replaced by Nugent.

It was a bright start following the restart by the home side.

After 47 minutes, a break down the right saw Haynes pick up the ball and drive on to the edge of the box.

His low shot across goal was well saved by David James, quickly down to his right.

However, Pompey soon took the lead.

After 51 minutes, a long ball upfield from Sol Campbell caught out the Ipswich centre-backs, with Nugent getting ahead of Alex Bruce.

The summer signing from Preston made no mistake, taking the pass on into the penalty area and slotting past Alexander from eight yards.

It was almost 2-0 after 63 minutes when Nugent sent a half-volley on the turn against the crossbar following a deflected cross by John Utaka down the right.

Pompey should have gone further ahead when Hreidarsson's low cross went straight along the six-yard box and to Utaka the far post, but somehow the Nigerian completely missed his shot.

Ipswich rallied during the closing stages, with substitute Alan Lee forcing a diving sage from James.

However, the Suffolk side could not find a way back into the tie despite three minutes of stoppage-time - as James again denied Town with a fine save at full stretch from Haynes.

 

Catman

Ipswich V Stoke
Danny Haynes had fired the Portman Road hosts in front on Saturday but Fuller hauled the Potters level before half-time in the top-of-the-table Championship clash.

The visitors had the first effort on goal after just four minutes when Liam Lawrence's cross found Fuller, whose well-struck shot was saved by Neil Alexander.

But it was play-off rivals Ipswich who went close to taking the lead three minutes later when a cross from Haynes almost caught out Steve Simonsen, although fortunately for the Stoke goalkeeper he just managed to tip the ball over.

Both sides continued to push for an early breakthrough, and Stoke spurned an opportunity after 12 minutes when Danny Pugh volleyed over when well placed after a cross from Rory Delap.

Ipswich then had Alexander to thank for keeping them on level terms after 15 minutes.

Lawrence let fly with a 25-yard pile-driver but Alexander just managed to deflect the ball wide of the post.

But just as the visitors appeared to be getting the upper hand, Ipswich struck to take a 19th-minute lead through Haynes, who drilled the ball home from 18 yards.

To make matters worse for Stoke they were forced to make a change through injury with Gabriel Zakuani coming on for Andy Wilkinson.

As the game continued to switch from end to end Simonsen was quickly back in the thick of the action as he parried a well-struck effort from Haynes.

But Stoke were back on level terms when Fuller fired home after being put in by Pugh just after the half-hour mark.

The second half began in far more cautious fashion with a series of free-kicks disrupting the flow of the game.

Ipswich's Alan Lee had the first real chance of the second half but he sent his 55th-minute shot sailing over the crossbar.

The visitors' John Eustace then tried his luck from all of 30 yards but was unable to get his shot on target just before the hour mark.

Both sides seemed content to shoot from distance with Ipswich's David Wright the next to try his luck, but he also failed to trouble the goalkeeper.

Stoke were enjoying more possession but chances remained at a premium.

Alexander had to rush out of his goal to nick the ball away from the feet of Fuller after he had rode a couple of challenges into the box, with the Potters striker appealing for a penalty.

But Ipswich then went desperately close to regaining the lead after 71 minutes, with Haynes firing in a free-kick which Simonsen athletically tipped over the bar.

That, however, proved to be the final chance to settle it as Stoke held on for a deserved share of the spoils.

 

Catman

Ipswich V Blackpool
Blackpool were denied their third straight home win as 10-man Ipswich came from behind to snatch a 1-1 draw at Bloomfield Road.
Town remain the only team outside the top flight yet to claim an away win this season, but the 1,500 fans that made the journey from East Anglia were relieved to come away with a point following Castro Sito's 63rd-minute dismissal.

Claus Jorgensen had given the hosts a deserved lead in the 39th minute and the Seasiders dominated for long periods.

But just two minutes after going down to 10 men, Jon Walters headed home his 10th goal of the season to end a six-game losing streak on the road.

Stephen McPhee was handed his full debut for Pool in place of Scott Vernon and the former Hull striker was eager to impress from the outset. He looked lively but fired well wide inside the first minute.

A misplaced header from Pool defender Stephen Crainey then looked to

have played in Ipswich striker Gary Roberts, who came in for Burnley target Alan Lee, but a firm challenge from Kaspars Gorkss denied Roberts a clear shot at goal.

Paul Rachubka was called upon to make a comfortable save from Walters, but that was the visitors' only shot on target in the first half.

Blackpool regained the upper hand with Ben Burgess heading narrowly wide from Gary Taylor-Fletcher's right-wing cross in the 26th minute.

The two combined again moments later, although Burgess this time directed his header straight at Town keeper Neil Alexander.

Michael Flynn then blazed over from Burgess' lay-off, but Pool claimed the opener just a minute later as McPhee latched onto Burgess' knock-on down the left and took the ball around the keeper for Jorgensen to tap the ball home from eight yards.

Flynn then fired wide following good work by Wes Hoolahan and the home side remained on top after the restart, with Shaun Barker heading wide from Hoolahan's corner before Taylor-Fletcher burst through the Ipswich defence only to shoot straight at Alexander.

Danny Haynes drilled a 20-yard effort just past the far post following a rare foray forward by Ipswich, and their hopes looked dashed when Sito was red-carded for a dangerous challenge on Hoolahan.

Sito won the ball but with the current clamp-down on two-footed tackles, the referee had little choice but to give the Spanish full-back his marching orders.

Almost immediately, McPhee missed a gilt-edged opportunity to double Blackpool's lead, heading wide from inside the six-yard box from Burgess' cross.

And that would prove to be a costly miss as a minute later, Walters rose unchallenged from Roberts' corner to head in off the underside of the crossbar.

Blackpool then pushed forward in search of the winner, with Alexander pulling off a fine save to deny Gorkss following Hoolahan's short-corner to Crainey, while Flynn volleyed over from the resulting corner.

But Ipswich kept the hosts at bay, with a long-range effort from Hoolahan the closest they went to claiming the winner.

 

Catman

Ipswich v Plymouth
Manager Jim Magilton was left exasperated after Ipswich Town's goalless draw with Plymouth Argyle in the Championship on Tuesday night. The Blues totally dominated and had a succession of chances - yet could easily have lost were it not for a crucial penalty save from goalkeeper, Neil Alexander.

Bemused Town boss Magilton said: "Taking everything into account, it was a magnificent effort from Plymouth.

"They showed a real desire to get a result and, if they keep playing like that, they'll win more matches than they lose.

"On another day we could have scored three or four and we certainly had enough clear-cut chances.

"Our general play was very good and we started the second half brightly, but our goalkeeper made a fantastic save to keep us in the game.

"A goal then would have given them something to protect."

Magilton was pleased with new boy Alan Quinn, who was making his debut after joining in a £400,000 deal from Sheffield United.

"Alan's a very good player," said the Ipswich boss.

"He likes using the ball and he's enthusiastic - he has a real desire to go out and play and he'll get better and better."

Ipswich controlled proceedings, having more than a dozen chances to break the deadlock.

Alex Bruce and Jason De Vos saw efforts cleared off the line in quick succession, Pablo Counago headed against the base of a post and there were also a host of missed opportunities by Quinn, Owen Garvan, Danny Haynes and Jon Walters.

Town were handicapped by their wasteful finishing while Plymouth were indebted to an heroic performance from Luke McCormick.

The goalkeeper turned on the style in the latter stages, making brilliant saves to deny Counago and Walters.

Ironically, though, it was Ipswich keeper Alexander who made the crucial saves - despite being a virtual spectator for most of the game.

One came after Plymouth were awarded a second-half penalty, when Dan Harding handballed under pressure from Rory Fallon.

Steve MacLean, the Pilgrims' £500,000 record signing from Cardiff, took the spot-kick but his effort was pushed away by McCormick.

Plymouth boss Paul Sturrock was delighted with the points and said: "Football is a very strange game and we got a result which we didn't merit.

"There was a sluggishness about us, in terms of thought and movement.

"A lot of teams have come here and been stuffed and we were on the back foot from the first whistle, but we dug deep.

"It felt like we had four deaf mutes in our back four and communication problems among our foreigners reared its ugly head again.

"In the first half there were waves of attacks coming at us and that continued after the break."

 

Catman

Ipswich v Sheff W
Ipswich finally clinched their first away win of the Championship season as Alan Lee's goal clinched a 2-1 victory at Sheffield Wednesday. Lee's close-range finish following Alex Bruce's 71st-minute cross earned the Tractor Boys their first success on their travels in 17 attempts since a 2-0 success at Luton last March.

Defeat for Wednesday leaves Brian Laws' side embroiled in a relegation battle, perilously close to the bottom three with just two wins from their last 11 league matches.

Ipswich had made a flying start, with Alan Quinn returning to Hillsborough to haunt Owls fans with a thunderbolt opener from 25 yards in the fourth minute, but Marcus Tudgay levelled for the Owls soon after.

Former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Quinn, a £600,000 transfer-window signing for Ipswich from Sheffield United, received a short pass from Jonathan Walters and unleashed a venomous shot into the top corner.

But the early setback galvanised Laws' side and they deservedly drew level.

Jermaine Johnson's fine shot was tipped round the post by Ipswich's debutant goalkeeper Stephen Bywater, a deadline-day loan signing from Derby.

But from the resulting corner Graham Kavanagh, back at Hillsborough on loan from Sunderland, saw his shot blocked and Tudgay reacted quickest to slide the loose ball into the bottom corner from 15 yards.

Ipswich began to get on top in the second half, but chances were limited until Lee converted Bruce's right-wing cross for his 10th goal of the season.

Ipswich midfielder David Norris, another player making his debut following his switch from Plymouth Argyle, headed Quinn's first-half cross wide, but the home side bossed play before the interval.

Tudgay headed Burton O'Brien's cross wide and Kavanagh's free-kick, following a foul on new Owls loan signing Enoch Showunmi, was held by Bywater.

Two more new Ipswich signings, Velice Sumulikoski and Nick Colgan, were on the visitors' bench.

Wednesday picked up where they left off at the start of the second half, but although they pegged back the visitors were unable to carve out any clear-cut goalscoring chances.

Owls boss Laws replaced Ronnie Wallwork with Wade Small for tactical reasons in the 58th minute.

But Ipswich threatened via long-range efforts from Quinn and David Wright before they regained the lead with 19 minutes left.

Bruce crossed from the right and visiting striker Lee clipped the ball home from six yards.

Norris then saw his shot from the edge of the penalty area blocked by Owls defender Tommy Spurr as the visitors began to sense a first away success of the season.

Wednesday responded with a long-range effort from O'Brien, but it was all the home side had to show for their second-half efforts.

Town manager Jim Magilton sent on 26-year-old Macedonia international Sumulikoski for his first appearance on English soil for Owen Garvan in the 77th minute.

Lee had another goalbound effort blocked by Spurr, while all the Owls could muster at the other end was Spurr's angled shot from 12 yards that the defender dragged wide.

 

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