Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Lincoln City 2-1 Ipswich Town - Half-Time
Sunday, 29th Dec 2019 15:59

Luke Garbutt hit a trademark freekick but the Blues are 2-1 down at Lincoln at half-time. The Imps went in front via Harry Anderson on six, Garbutt curled in an equaliser in the 32nd minute but Tyler Walker restored the Imps’ lead in injury time.

Town boss Paul Lambert made three changes from the team which drew 0-0 with Gillingham on Boxing Day with Andre Dozzell and Flynn Downes returning to the midfield and skipper Luke Chambers at the back.

The Blues, playing their final game of the decade, again lined-up in a 4-4-2 system with Chambers - returning from his one-match ban - alongside Luke Woolfenden at the heart of the defence and Garbutt and Janoi Donacien the full-backs. Will Norris continued in goal.

Dozzell and Downes were in the centre of midfield with Gwion Edwards on the right and Alan Judge on the left with James Norwood and Kayden Jackson up front.

Cole Skuse and Jon Nolan were missing from the squad having not travelled after suffering minor knocks on Boxing Day, while Toto Nsiala was also left out of the 18 having started the Gillingham match.

Lincoln, who were unchanged from their 1-0 Boxing Day defeat at Oxford, included former Town loanee Callum Connolly among their subs.

Imps defender Michael O’Connor headed a freekick from the left straight at Norris in the fifth minute after a scruffy opening spell.

And a minute later, the home side went in front. Jake Hesketh broke towards the area and played a clever reverse pass into the path of Harry Anderson, who took it on and hit a shot across Norris and into the corner of the net.


The Blues, who again had made a slow start, looked to get back into it and on 10, after Edwards had picked up a loose ball midway inside the Lincoln half, Norwood saw a shot blocked by Neal Eardley, then Garbutt blazed over.

A minute later Downes scuffed wide from the edge of the box after breaking through a crowd of players as the Blues showed signs of getting into some rhythm.

Town claimed a penalty in the 14th minute when Jackson beat Josh Vickers to the ball on the byline and appeared to be upended by the keeper. Jackson was adamant he had been fouled but referee James Oldham and his assistant weren’t interested and the Blues were awarded a corner.

Two minutes later, Imps midfielder Joe Morrell, who was born in Ipswich, struck a shot from the edge of the box which Norris gathered at the second attempt.

The Blues were getting on top and having most of the ball but without creating a clear-cut opportunity, while Lincoln were presenting a greater danger on the break.

As the game reached the half-hour mark Town began to build up a head of steam, Downes hitting a shot which was deflected wide from the edge of the box. From the corner, Chambers nodded it back across goal to Edwards, whose header was unconvincingly punched away by Vickers.

A Blues equaliser was looking more and more on the cards and in the 32nd minute it came. Dozzell, who after a quiet start was increasingly involved, was fouled 25 yards out just to the right. Garbutt took the freekick and brilliantly curled it into the bottom left corner of Vickers’s net giving the keeper no chance.

It was the on-loan Everton man’s sixth goal of the season and a freekick every bit as good as his similar set-piece strike against Tranmere earlier in the season.

Lincoln came back into the game following the Town leveller but without seriously threatening before the Blues were forced into a change. Donacien had undergone treatment on a knee problem earlier in the half and was clearly being hampered by the knock. On 41 the St Lucia-born full-back made way with Sears taking over on the right of midfield with Edwards going to right-back.

Within two minutes, Edwards was booked after Jorge Grant went to ground after very little if any contact as he looked to turn away from the Welshman.

From the freekick, the home side went very close to going back in front. The ball was eventually played to Grant, who crossed from the left to Anderson who stabbed off the outside of the near post from a few feet out.

But the Imps support didn’t have to wait too much longer for a second goal. With the game in injury time, a long ball sent Tyler Walker away on his own in the Town half from where he looped the ball over Norris who had advanced well out of his goal and under the bar.

There was no time for the Blues to hit back before referee Oldham brought the half to a close.

Town had again started slowly and found themselves behind before they had got going. However, they subsequently got themselves on top and deserved their goal when it came.

But they allowed the impetus to swing back to the Imps in the final minutes of the half and conceded another poor goal from a defensive perspective.

Town will need a big second half if their winless League One run isn’t to extend to seven matches.

Lincoln: Vickers, Toffolo, Bolger, Bostwick, Eardley (c), Morrell, O’Connor, Anderson, Hesketh, Grant, Walker. Subs: Smith, Payne, Chapman, Connolly, Melbourne, Lewis, Akinde.

Town: Norris, Donacien (Sears 41), Woolfenden, Chambers (c), Garbutt, Dozzell, Downes, Edwards, Judge, Norwood, Jackson. Subs: Holy, Wilson, El Mizouni, Kenlock, Huws, Keane. Referee: James Oldham (Derbyshire).


Photo: TWTD



Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.



Carrotblue added 16:01 - Dec 29
What the cattle truck was Norris doing for the second goal get holy back!!!
3

tractorboybig added 16:03 - Dec 29
are we relegation favourites yet......bet lambert has his money on it.
2

speccybaz added 16:04 - Dec 29
Too many poor decisions being made on and off the field. Two defenders on the bench and Donacien replaced by Sears????
3

DifferentGravy added 16:04 - Dec 29
Cant see where our next win is going to come from. Very sad state of affairs
2

jas0999 added 16:05 - Dec 29
Disappointing. A lot to do in the second half now - problem is the defence. Can we keep them out?

Holy must now be given an opportunity to start regularly. Norris is an average keeper who is on loan. Play our player!
3

brittaniaman added 16:11 - Dec 29
COYBs !!!!!!!!!!!!! down to 4th now only 1pt from 7th what the Hell has gone wrong ????
0

martin587 added 16:17 - Dec 29
Defending is abysmal.🙈
0

Suffolkboy added 16:17 - Dec 29
Almost total lack of confidence ,slow starters, slow thinkers and why oh why is this occurring ?
Sadly a palpable lack of direction, in public at least , appears to threaten what ought to be a steady season of material progress ,and we have now every right to look to the team at the very top of the Club for some sort of explanation and answers .
On the pitch some players are simply not regularly performing to our levels of expectation ,individually or collectively : but such comment would be common place in any season ,and this time around its a little more poignant !!
Come on you lot ,give us something to love !!
COYB
0

Tractorboy1985 added 16:35 - Dec 29
Truly shocking performance! He's clearly lost the dressing room! LAMBERT OUT!
1

richardpaul added 16:40 - Dec 29
4-2 to Lincoln Its just driving me into my bottle of single malt Oh dear
1

19781981twtd added 16:46 - Dec 29
Just gone 4.2 down what the f*** is going on going from certain promotion favorites to no hopers either lambert doesn't what it or the players dont want him yet another season promising so much and delivering jack itfc RIP sh** OWNER,MANAGER and TEAM sick and tired !!!!!
0

richardpaul added 16:50 - Dec 29
Wycombe getting tanked Maybe we could get a result there but they might have a reaction and fill their boots Oh well back to my bottle
0

richardpaul added 16:57 - Dec 29
5_3 What a joke I' m off to talk to the trees This team wouldn't make it in the championship so should just throw in the towel now What a farce for all those who were conned into buying the season tickets and turning out in numbers by that snake oil salesman Lambert I salute you all for your optimism but reality is biting and this squad of 22 is JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH
0

Elizabeth added 16:57 - Dec 29
One word SHOCKING!!!!!!!!!!!
0

LWNR2013 added 16:59 - Dec 29
Not a great year! Happy 2020 all
0

LWNR2013 added 17:00 - Dec 29
Has he picked up his jacket yet?
0

19781981twtd added 17:03 - Dec 29
Embarrasment a complete shambles just when you get some hope along comes a pathetic ipswich team full of has beens wanabes and journeyman after a pay check there is not one heart in his sleeve true blue in this squad they are disgrace to the short . End of frustrated rent !!!!
0

Pezzer added 17:07 - Dec 29
Quite simply disgraceful to concede 5 in this league. Chambers and Skuse not the future. Basic errors week in week out by Lambert- too many changes too often, postponing games unnecessarily and even with changes not playing those selected in their best positions.
Add to this what seems to be poor coaching on the training pitch- the performances have been disjointed, lacking in passion and often reminiscent of headless chickens and one has to wonder if Lambert and his methods are the right way ahead in such a low league with the squad we have. Very sad that we have yet to find the right man for our club- is it really too much to ask for a manager to really fit in with the principles of ITFC. Terrible start to 2020 and the last press conference given by Lambert was pathetic.
1

Welshblue72 added 17:10 - Dec 29
OMG what is happening to our team. Once again out gunned by a team who only scored 3 goals all December and smash 5 passed us. 3 attempts on target isn't good enough even for play offs let alone automatic promotion. Lose to Wycombe on Wednesday and be outside play offs. Torn by my hope and desires for promotion with PL is he the man to take us there I'm not so sure anymore ☹️
0

dirtydingusmagee added 17:11 - Dec 29
Dead team walking
0


You need to login in order to post your comments

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls

About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© TWTD 1995-2024