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Ipswich
Town v West Bromwich Albion
Portman Road,
Ipswich. 4th April 2004, 4.00pm. |
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Make no mistake, this was yet another huge result for the Baggies.
With Norwich winning, Sunderland not having a league game and other
results going our way, a win in this game was always going to be
important. In the end, a useful Ipswich side made a game of it and
probably deserved a point, but the Albion grit showed through once
more as Horsfield popped up with a winner in the fourth minute of
injury time.
The only change to the starting line up saw Horsfield return from
injury to replace Rob Hulse. Sakiri retained his starting place,
as did James Chambers.
The first half was fairly even with plenty of midfield endeavour
but little in the way of goalmouth action, at least early on. Westlake
and Bent both had chances for the home side, but Horsfield went
closest when he out-muscled Santos to latch onto Hughes' flick and
fire a long range effort inches wide of the post.
Hoult did well to save from Jim Magilton's long range effort, but
minutes later, he was left in a heap on the floor following a robust
challenge from Santos. Hoult managed to continue until half-time
with Gaardsoe taking the goal kicks, but his long term back injury
had obviously been aggravated.
Horsfield, who was being well-marshalled by Matt Elliott, almost
managed to get on the end of Robinson's cross-shot after the left
wing back had cut inside. At the other end, Bent had the ball in
the net but he was adjudged offside when Wright flicked the ball
over the Albion defence thanks to some disciplined work from the
Baggies back line.
Just before half time, however, MILLER latched onto a neat ball
by Richards, sprinted past Moore and slotted a neat finish past
Hoult to give the home side the lead.
ALbion perhaps should have been back on level terms just seconds
later when some good work from Hughes saw the ball break to Sakiri
some 15 yards out, but Johnson could not get out of the way quick
enough, and the Macedonian's effort rebounded to safety.
At half time, Megson replaced Sakiri with Koumas and, unsurprisingly,
Joe Murphy replaced the injured Russell Hoult.
After a slow start to the second half, Albion started to pick the
pace up and almost grabbed the equaliser. Some good work on the
right saw Johnson take the ball off Hughes's feet and fire in a
shot that Davis saved well.
Horsfield had the ball in the net on 58 minutes after Hughes had
put him in, but his effort was ruled offside.
From an Ipswich attack, a quick throw from Murphy fed Koumas and
his long diagonal ball was met by Horsfield in the box. The former
Blues man controlled the ball on his chest and poked the ball goalwards
only to see Kelvin Davis save with his feet.
Albion had looked the better side in the second half, but Megson
brought Dyer on for Kinsella on 67 minutes, moving Gregan into midfield,
to give the side a more attacking feel.
After numerous fouls against him, Horsfield finally won one against
Elliott on 30 minutes. AJ tried to take it quickly to Robinson,
but thankfully the referee pulled it back for being taken in the
wrong place. It benefited the Baggies as KOUMAS stepped to curl
the ball in off the far post in a repeat of his goal for Wales in
midweek.
A minute later, Dyer attacked the Ipswich defence and the ball broke
for Miller, but Johnson got there quickest and poked the ball through
to Horsfield. He played a neat pass into the box for DYER to smack
the ball past Davis to give Albion the lead with his second goal
in two substitute appearances.
Albion looked to have the game won but seven minutes later, a long
ball from Richards saw Moore, Murphy and substitute Kuqi all challenging.
Murphy looked to have been fouled but the ball dropped for BENT
who nudged it past Gaardsoe into the unguarded net.
Gregan and Dyer both went close as Albion went for the winner in
the closing stages.
Then, in the fourth minute of injury time, Koumas broke from the
halfway line and fed a neat ball through to Hughes in the box. The
Ninja looked to shoot but squared it for HORSFIELD who side-footed
the ball into the net to give Albion the points.
There may have been a suggestion that Horsfield was offside when
Koumas fed Hughes, but with all this phase one and phase two business,
I'm sure the 12-year-old linesman was confused. Ipswich probably
played well enough for a point, but the Baggies never give up!!
RESULT - IPSWICH TOWN 2 WEST BROMWICH
ALBION 3
Marks
Hoult - 7 - Solid, but maybe should've gone off earlier.
J Chambers - 7 - Did nothing to lose his place - solid game.
Gaardsoe - 8 - Never looked troubled.
Moore - 7 - A good performance from Big Dave, but a lack of communication
with Murphy for the second goal.
Robinson - 7 - Solid game.
Gregan - 7 - Another good performance.
Sakiri - 6 - Didn't do much wrong but lacked inspiration.
Johnson - 8 - Great performance from AJ.
Kinsella - 6 - Steady.
Hughes - 7 - Looked dangerous.
Horsfield - 6 - Elliott did a good job on him, but he still managed
to score.
Murphy - 6 - Maybe could have been stronger for the goal, but otherwise
did OK.
Koumas - 8 - MOM. Absolute quality second half performance, sprayed
the ball about well, used it intelligently and scored a wonderful
free kick.
Dyer - 7 - Another excellent showing and a great finish.
The Manager - 8 - Great substitutions again; he was right to start
Sakiri after last week, but right to change it at half time.
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Ipswich
Town (4-4-2):
Davis; Wilnis, Santos, Elliott, Richards; Wright, Magilton, Miller,
Westlake (Reuser 72); Bowditch (Kuqi 61), Bent. Subs not used: Price
(GK), Mitchell, Diallo. |
West
Bromwich Albion (3-5-2):
Hoult (Murphy 45); Gaardsoe, Moore, Gregan; J Chambers, Johnson,
Kinsella (Dyer 67), Sakiri (Koumas 45), Robinson; Hughes, Horsfield.
Subs not used: Facey, Clement.
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Scoring: Miller (43)
1-0, Koumas (71) 1-1, Dyer (72) 1-2, Bent (78) 2-2, Horsfield (90+4)
2-3.
Bookings: Ipswich Town - Richards (foul 60). West Bromwich Albion
- Gregan (ungentlemanly conduct 41), Hughes (foul 88).
Referee: G Laws (Tyne & Wear).
Attendance: 24,608.
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