Ipswich Town 2-1 Burton Albion - Half-Time
Saturday, 15th Feb 2020 16:03

Goals from Alan Judge and Kayden Jackson have given the Blues a 2-1 half-time lead over Burton Albion, the Brewers having taken an early lead via Jamie Murphy.

Judge, Luke Garbutt, Will Keane, Gwion Edwards and Jon Nolan all returned to the Blues line-up.

Garbutt was back as left wing-back having missed the last two with a thigh injury, while Edwards was on the right having served his two-match ban for 10 bookings. Janoi Donacien dropped out of the 18.

Josh Earl moved to the left of the three centre-halves with Luke Woolfenden on the right and skipper Luke Chambers in the middle with James Wilson on the bench.

Judge took up the more advanced midfield role ahead of Flynn Downes and Nolan with Cole Skuse and Emyr Huws among the subs.

Up front, Keane came in for James Norwood, who was among the subs, alongside Jackson. Teddy Bishop returned to the 18 after his knee injury.

Burton made three changes with Stephen Quinn, Joe Powell and Oliver Sarkic in for Kieran Wallace, Scott Fraser and Nathan Broadhead, who were on the bench.

With Storm Dennis beginning the blow around the ground and rain falling, Town started on the front foot and ought to have gone ahead in the fourth minute.

Earl played a great pass out of defence on the left to Judge, who moved it on to Jackson, and the striker sent in a low cross to Keane in space in the middle. The former Hull City man took a touch, probably due to the wind, but as he shot Reece Hutchinson toed the ball away from him.

Within a minute, Burton went in front. Ryan Edwards found Jamie Murphy in acres of space on the left, from where the on-loan Rangers winger cut inside and hit a low shot to Tomas Holy’s left and into the net. It looked a very poor goal to concede from a Town perspective.

Having got their goal, the Brewers were well on top with the Blues struggling to make any impact going forward. On 10 Murphy was again found in space to the left and unleashed a shot which Holy saved.

Five minutes later, Joe Powell hit a well-struck effort from 25 yards which Holy watched carefully in the wind and turned over.

Town began to get more into the game and in the 20th minute should have levelled. Downes intercepted a loose pass just inside the Burton half and sent Judge away on goal. The Irishman shot past Brewers keeper Kieran O’Hara to his right but his effort hit the angle of post and bar.

Three minutes later, Garbutt was shown the first yellow card of the game for a foul on Quinn, brother of ex-Blues midfielder Alan.

On 27 Earl sent over a swirling cross from the left which Judge turned wide at the near post.

Town again should have equalised a minute later when Keane played in Jackson on the right of the area. With the wind getting stronger, the striker was forced wide but took the ball past the advanced O’Hara. However, the ex-Accrington man rushed his shot and hit the side-netting from a tight angle.

But the Town support didn’t have to wait too much longer for a goal. On 29 Jackson again away on the right and this time sent over a low cross from the byline which Judge turned into the far corner of the net, perhaps off a defender’s toe.

The Irish international celebrated by removing his boot and throwing it towards the East of England Co-op Stand.

Having got back on terms Town looked a more confident unit and in the 34th minute, Garbutt whipped in a freekick from the right, Chambers flicked on and Conor Shaughnessy nodded it behind ahead of Keane, who looked odds-on to score had it reached him.

Burton began to see more of the ball and in the 42nd minute Sarkic curled a freekick towards goal which Holy claimed comfortably down to his right.

But in the 44th minute the Blues went in front. A wind-assisted Tomas Holy long ball saw Jackson in on goal after defender Richard Nartey totally misjudged the flight. The striker took a deft touch inside the area before looping over O’Hara and into the net to claim his 10th of the season.

Burton keeper O’Hara appeared to turn his ankle as Jackson scored and after treatment was replaced by Ben Garratt.

Seconds before the whistle, the Blues almost made it 3-1. Jackson left his man for dead on the right and sent in a low ball which Keane cleverly turned goalwards with his heel, however, Garratt was able to block.

The end of the half was greeted by applause from the Town faithful after an entertaining half in difficult conditions with the Blues having done well to turn things around after conceding the early goal.

Having gone behind, Burton had a spell on top when they might have killed the game off but Town gradually found their feet again and had had chances prior to Judge and Jackson’s goals.

The wind had certainly had an impact on the match, not least on Jackson’s goal, and may well have a further part to play in the second half.

Town: Holy, Earl, Chambers, Edwards, Jackson, Nolan, Judge, Downes, Woolfenden, Garbutt, Keane. Subs: Norris, Wilson, Skuse, Norwood, Bishop, Sears, Huws.

Burton: O’Hara (Garratt 45), Brayford, Edwards, Quinn, Akins, Hutchinson, Shaughnessy, Sarkic, Nartey, Powell, Murphy. Subs: Wallace, Fraser, Broadhead, Sbarra, O'Toole, Thomas. Referee: Charles Breakspear (Surrey).

Photo: TWTD

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