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Ipswich Town 0-0 Wycombe Wanderers - Match Report
Tuesday, 26th Nov 2019 22:16

Town had a goal controversially ruled out just before half-time and Tomas Holy saved a second-half penalty as the Blues and Wycombe drew 0-0 in a top-v-second clash at Portman Road. Just before half-time, Luke Chambers’s header was diverted into his own net by Curtis Thompson but referee Alan Young wrongly disallowed it having consulted his linesman with the players already lined-up for the restart. In the second half, Holy stopped Joe Jacobson’s spotkick after Chambers had fouled David Wheeler.

Town were without Flynn Downes, who was subbed late on against Blackpool on Saturday against Blackpool, as they returned to three at the back.

Holy was back in goal with Will Norris on the bench, one of four changes from the team which drew 2-2 at the weekend, while James Wilson joins skipper Chambers and Luke Woolfenden in the back three.

In midfield, Cole Skuse lined-up alongside Jon Nolan and Emyr Huws with James Norwood and Kayden Jackson up front. Janoi Donacien - with Kane Vincent-Young still not ready to return after his groin operation - and Luke Garbutt were the wing-backs.

For Wycombe, ex-Blues youngster Matt Bloomfield skippered, while Adebayo Akinfenwa and Dominic Gape came into the side for Nnamdi Ofoborh and Alex Samuel, who dropped to the bench.

Wycombe’s on-loan QPR forward Paul Smyth hooked an early strike wide for the Chairboys but Town - unusually attacking the Sir Bobby Robson Stand in the first half - saw most of the ball in the early minutes but without threatening until the 11th minute when a mishit Garbutt freekick from the left reached Wilson at the far post.

The centre-half stabbed towards goal but it struck a Wycombe player, on the hand according to supporters but not referee Alan Young.

Moments later, the Blues had an even better shout for a penalty when Nolan’s shot from just outside the area more clearly hit Jacobson's arm but again referee Young was unmoved.

Town, looking far more dangerous than they had for most of Saturday’s game against Blackpool, continued to ramp up the pressure and in the 14th minute they came within inches from the opener.

With rain starting to fall steadily, Jackson crossed from the right and Norwood stooped to nod home from a couple of feet out but was unable to get enough on the wet ball to direct it goalwards.

On 18 Jacobson shot straight at Holy from distance, then at the other end Norwood hit a similarly speculative effort wide.

Akinfenwa had been kept in check by the Blues in the opening stages but on 25 the man-mountain frontman outmuscled Chambers on the edge of the box and was away on goal. Fortunately for Town Holy had come off his line quickly and blocked with his shins.

But overall Town were presenting the greater threat and in the 29th minute, after a 25-yard Garbutt freekick had hit the wall, the resultant corner was cleared out to Huws but the Welshman scuffed his shot wide.

A minute later, Nolan was booked for a foul on Bloomfield. Jacobson looped the freekick to the back of the box but just beyond Akinfenwa.


On 34 Garbutt was booked for a late tackle on Wheeler as the Wycombe midfielder cleared, although there appeared to be little contact.

Moments later at the other end, Jacobson curled a freekick from just outside the area on the right wide.

Skipper Chambers wasn’t too far away from his second of the season in the 41st minute when he flicked a corner from the right but just beyond the far post.

The Blues had looked threatening from set pieces all half and in the 44th minute they thought they’d gone in front.

After the initial ball in had been half-cleared, Chambers headed Garbutt’s cross goalwards, it caught Thompson’s head on the way through, flew past Jackson behind him and beat keeper Ryan Allsop to his left.

Town celebrated the goal as the Wycombe team surrounded referee Young and the players were already lined-up for the restart before the official, who had already had an inconsistent half, spoke to his assistant Aaron Farmer and then disallowed the goal.

It wasn’t clear whether Farmer’s flag had immediately been raised or why it had been disallowed, although the assistant presumably erroneously believed Jackson had got the last touch and was either offside or had handled.

The Town players were furious and Norwood talked himself into the referee’s book for his protests towards the assistant. The former Tranmere man now has five bookings for the season and will miss the Blues’ next league game at Coventry a week on Saturday.

Just before the break, Smyth was cautioned for a foul on Woolfenden, then Donacien was harshly yellow-carded for a foul on Thompson, much to the anger of a now furious Portman Road.

The whistle was greeted by boos aimed at towards referee Young, who had somewhat lost the plot in a chaotic final few minutes in the wake of the bizarre circumstances surrounding the disallowed goal.

Yellow cards were flashed for innocuous Town challenges with worse tackles and lengthy time-wasting - particularly from Chairboys keeper Allsopp - having gone unpunished earlier on.

Had the goal counted, Town would have deserved their lead having been on top for most of the half and having created a couple of decent openings with Norwood unfortunate not to get more on Jackson’s cross earlier in the period. The Blues had also looked dangerous from most of their set pieces.

Wycombe had threatened on fewer occasions and had seen much less of the ball but with Akinfenwa always capable of causing problems and Jacobson’s set pieces a threat.

Midfielder Skuse, who was making his 250th league start for the Blues, required treatment soon after the restart after taking a blow to the leg but eventually was OK to continue.

Anthony Stewart saw his name added to referee Young’s book on the hour for a foul on Norwood. Garbutt curled the freekick high and wide, not the first time his set-piece precision had been below its usual high standard. A minute later, Wycombe swapped Smyth for Scott Kashket. On 71 they swapped Felixstowe-born Bloomfield for Nick Freeman.

Town had struggled to get on top and put Wycombe under any pressure in the second half but in the 73rd minute, after a freekick on the left had been half-cleared, Nolan struck a shot which deflected.

The Blues quickly threatened again with Norwood feeding Nolan on the edge of the box but the ex-Shrewsbury man was unable to get over the ball and it looped well wide.

On 79 Allsop was finally booked for time-wasting as he took an age over a freekick midway inside his side’s half. Two minutes later, Woolfenden was yellow-carded for protesting after being pulled over by Akinfenwa as he sought to head away a cross.

Once Town had dealt with the corner, they switched Wilson for Gwion Edwards and Huws for Danny Rowe as the Blues switched to 4-4-2 for the closing minutes. Soon after, Thompson added his name to referee Young’s lengthy list for a foul on Donacien.

In the 85th minute Wycombe had a golden chance to win the match. After Donacien had given the ball away midway inside the Town half, Wheeler broke into the area as he was hauled back by Chambers. Referee Young pointed straight to the spot, despite Town protests that the pull had taken place outside the area and merely the fall inside it.

Jacobson, who scored the Chairboys’ late winning penalty on Saturday against Doncaster, took the kick and hit it to Holy’s right but the keeper clawed it away to the delight of the home support.

Portman Road’s volume increased for the final minutes. Will Keane replaced Norwood and was quickly into the action, shooting just over from the edge of the box, then unsuccessfully attempting to nod back Garbutt’s freekick, which again had been overhit.

As the game moved into six minutes of additional time, largely for Wycombe time-wasting, Kashket and then Akinfenwa were both yellow-carded for fouls.

Deep injury time an Edwards shot was blocked inside the box but moments later referee Young’s rather overused whistle was given its final use of the evening.

Town will feel very hard done by having had their first-half goal disallowed but never really threatened in the second period and in the end probably didn’t do enough to deserve the win. The Blues didn’t register a shot on target while the Chairboys’ centre-halves, particularly Stewart.

Wycombe, who battled gamely for the point they clearly came for, will think they threw away their chance to win it from the penalty spot, although Holy made an excellent save.

Referee Young’s display will have been the main talking point for fans leaving the ground. Video evidence clearly showed Town’s disallowed goal should have been awarded, while several of the 11 bookings were needless with other challenges were worthy of cautions.

Overall, the draw sees Wycombe remain top, still five points clear of the Blues who have two games in hand, with Peterborough four further points behind.

Town: Holy, Woolfenden, Chambers (c), Wilson (Edwards 81), Donacien, Huws (Rowe 81), Skuse, Nolan, Garbutt, Jackson, Norwood (Keane 88). Unused: Norris, Judge, Nsiala, Dozzell.

Wycombe: Allsop, Jacobson, Gape, Stewart, Wheeler, Bloomfield (c) (Freeman 71), Smyth (Kashket 61), Thompson, Grimmer, Akinfenwa, Charles. Unused: Yates, Phillips, Samuel, Aarons, Ofoborh. Referee: Alan Young (Cambridgeshire). Att: 19,215 (Wycombe: 793)


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runningout added 22:19 - Nov 26
Hard not to be critical of ourselves . Respect to Wycombe
-15

BobbyPetta11 added 22:21 - Nov 26
chambers chambers chambers
-8

Sporall added 22:22 - Nov 26
Runningout, think that should read:
Hard not to be critical of Wycombe. Respect to Town.
13

ringwoodblue added 22:23 - Nov 26
My observations after tonight are:
1. One shot on target (none from our front two) is unacceptable
2. Our home form continues to be our weakness
3. We are losing our momentum and others like Pompey and Oxford who we have to play soon are gaining momentum
4. The quality of refereeing in this league is pants
5. Long way to go but automatic promotion is looking less certain than it did a week ago
27

cat added 22:24 - Nov 26
2 points from 6 is simply not good enough. Failure to win these type of games will prove costly. No urgency or intensity with pedestrian pace and zero creativity,? but an enjoyable game with a cracking atmosphere created by some rather inept officials. On today's showing it beggars belief how Wycombe are top.
22

Foreverdon_Blue added 22:27 - Nov 26
The most important thing tonight was not to lose this one!
6

EssexTractor added 22:30 - Nov 26
Easy to get very emotional about tonight
But here in my view some facts
Wycombe as a footballing side probsbly the worse to visit this season
Wycombe as a time wasting team 10/10
The referee is obviously a League one referee..we have seen so many who are poor
As for us...sadly despite having the ball for long times...we had little goal,threat
Bemused by Norwood, who seems to now be doing an impression of Joe Garner...arguing, committing fouls and simply stands in one spot..loses the ball , that's him out of it
Impressed by Wolfenden
Impressed again by Donacien who now looks to be in the team given Kane's now long injury absenc
To go up,,,which this crowd so deserves...needs new players ..Simple
19

happybeingblue added 22:33 - Nov 26
lambert moaning about ref saying we dominated again..blimey we did not have a shot on target and players were ill disciplined getting needless bookings ...thank god holy bailed donacian/chambo clanger moment. i thought it was a poor game lacking in quality ball spent a lot of time in the air real league 1 stuff i guess.but hey i guess other supporters really enjoyed it and thought it was a good result :) the mind boggles another good midweek crowd though
9

DifferentGravy added 22:39 - Nov 26
No shots on target is terrible. Perhaps in all of this training that todays 11 have been doing whilst 'rotating' the squad...they should practice shooting. Nothing like game time to sharpen the play.....and training is nothing like it

Another 12 days until next league game.....so potentially two games in 30 days for some of these.......and people wonder why there is no cohesion. Not convinced by the 352 at all. Really missing Young and the extra dimension he gives.

7

rodthergasman added 22:43 - Nov 26
dominating games but not winning.60%of the game and nothing to show for it.goals win games, we can't score to save our lives. sign a striker who can put the ball in the net,if we don't I can see us strugaling.


4

RobsonWark added 22:46 - Nov 26
Chambers is doing his best to ruin our season again! But hey...he will be picked for the next match. He is the only player who can not be rotated. Why would he be? He is Premier league at talking a great game!It's a shame he doesn't know how to defend.
-9

planetblue_2011 added 22:47 - Nov 26
Absolute disgrace the referee & linesman ruined the game. How on earth was the goal not given & how on earth was it a pen when what I see the player dived in the box.
Brilliant save by Holy he is a brilliant keeper anyway. Keep him in goal I say!!
If the goal was given I think we would of nailed them 2nd half. We wasn't quite at it in the end & cant blame the players, as for having so Many wrong decisions & yellow cards being thrown at them.
Atmosphere was electric can't beat it!!
2 points lost by a dog 💩 referee & a 💩 dog linesman 💩💩💩💩💩
6

brassy added 22:48 - Nov 26
hate to think what we would be like in the championship.
12

runaround added 22:49 - Nov 26
The game will be remembered for the awful officiating with the decision to disallow our goal one of the worst I have ever seen in our most important game of the season. Club needs to put in a complaint about the officials tonight so that hopefully we might start to get decisions our way. We were excellent first half but not so good second. Have to get back to winning ways & really impose ourselves on these teams. I hate the way Wycombe play with the time wasting & diving & I really hope they fail to get promoted in controversial fashion
8

AK74 added 22:50 - Nov 26
Tonight's match was originally scheduled for 12 October but was called off due to international call-ups. At that time we had just won 5 on the spin and we were 11 unbeaten. Oh yeah and KVY was consistently our best player. On to tonight and KVY is injured and our form has been patchy. But hey at least we could call upon our internationals Dozzell, Judge, Georgiou, Downes, El Mizouni & Dobra. How many of them played tonight? None. Just saying.
28

shouldistayorcounago added 22:51 - Nov 26
You're all digging Chambers out but the foul happened outside the box - yes I'd rather he didn't make any foul at all but it was not a penalty. Hard to feel anything but rage about the standard of officiating tonight.
We did not take enough shots clearly, but at the same time it's a miracle that some of the play was as fluid as it was when they had the ref and the young lino in their back pocket all night.
Big up the Big man between the sticks for preventing a total robbery.
9

TimmyH added 22:51 - Nov 26
Don't like banging on about referee's/officiating but tonight as to a degree on Saturday they looked pretty inept BUT that doesn't take away other than the ruled out goal we didn't have a shot on target ONCE!...really not acceptable considering the rotation policy by PL and resting players for the FA Cup for these important games.

Saw the good and bad side (again) of Chambers tonight and just hope he doesn't slip into mistake after mistake as per last season after an initial solid first couple of months. Well 2 home games and 2 points from 6 is a pretty average return and feels like the momentum of our season is now slowing down.
8

RobsonWark added 22:51 - Nov 26
Message to Paul Lambert: Do you want to get promoted this season or do you just want to keep all the players fit and game ready? Why can't you pick a settled side ffs who can learn to play as a team? Keeping playing fit (by wrapping them in cotton wool) is not going to win us promotion! PLAY YOUR BEST TEAM EVERY GAME AND IF SOMEONE GETS INJURED REPLACE THEM WITH SOMEONE ELSE! IT'S SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SIMPLE!!!
12

blue86 added 22:54 - Nov 26
Feels like it's all gone a bit flat, and I'm nowhere near as confident about our chances at the mo. Chambers is a great servant and captain to our club, but that's another penalty! Luckily holy saved him, and we at least took a point. Dont know if this squad rotation is helping really? I guess we will find out later in the season, but I'm not feeling as optimistic at present. Anyways coyb.
3

TimmyH added 22:59 - Nov 26
Yeah and just fancy that, a good 1st half followed by a poorer 2nd half, who could have predicted that?...when oh when will we play for 90 minutes? I really can't remember the last time!
5

Suffolkboy added 22:59 - Nov 26
Again the stats don't lie; NO evident shots recorded on goal but no end of shots !!
WHAT are we paying these professional footballers to do ?Why are there reports of ‘scuffed ‘ efforts , or mis hits , etc etc : this smacks of a lack of cool heads,professional calculation under pressure OR more simply inability ( or could it be lack of practice in some instances ?)
As for Norwood ,he deserves a blast of criticism for his verbal nonsense : if that should anger him then well and good ,and it might just cause him to rethink and concentrate his efforts even more on actually contributing ,AND putting the ball in the net !
Time me thinks for PL to show some real mettle ,set the records straight with the personnel AND get the results going again .
AS to the hopeless officials ,it is to be hoped ,nay expected ,that any a Referee who had to show 11cards will be up before the Beak ,have his card marked and subject to a bit of re - education .
But COYB we expect more !!
8

blues1 added 22:59 - Nov 26
Robdonwark. Never read so much rubbish. He has bar a couple of occasions defended superbly this season. If indeed he did pull the guy back tonight then it was clearly outside the box, and the right thing to do, because he may well have scored otherwise. The fact the guy dived into the box and a totally inept referee gave a penalty is not his fault neither. And you say he cant be rotated? Before sat he hadn't played for 3 matches due to rotation. So if ur gonna post things, u should at least get ur facts right 1st
3

OldClactonBlue added 23:00 - Nov 26
Sorry, just not good enough.
Sank to a low level of hoofball to match the opposition. Terrible ref but if we insist on kicking the ball in the air all the time, with too frequently not even keeping the ball in play, how can we expect to be successful.
If we have such good players, and there is not much evidence of that, then surely we need to play good football. We are not.
Frustrated that the goal was disallowed but it wasn't the first mistake ever and won't be the last. Much more frustrated however that we played so little football and created so few chances as a result.
6

RobsonWark added 23:03 - Nov 26
AK74 added 22:50 - Nov 26
"Tonight's match was originally scheduled for 12 October but was called off due to international call-ups. At that time we had just won 5 on the spin and we were 11 unbeaten. Oh yeah and KVY was consistently our best player. On to tonight and KVY is injured and our form has been patchy. But hey at least we could call upon our internationals Dozzell, Judge, Georgiou, Downes, El Mizouni & Dobra. How many of them played tonight? None. Just saying."

VERY WELL SAID!! Just shows what complete and utter rubbish this whole thing about keeping players fresh is.
10

DebsyAngel added 23:03 - Nov 26
Terrible match. First half full of wayward passing from us. Should have scored. Disgrace of a referee - the bias shown towards Wycombe was embarrassing. Goal should have stood and just thankful Holy saved that penalty. Glad to leave a few mins early to beat the rush to be honest.
1


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