bluemike wrote:Wow !!!! What a Five star performance from Town. It was so important to back up the Leeds game with another positive showing to dispel any fears that it was a one off and the lads did it in some style. Upon seeing the starting line up I was actually concerned we had gone too attack minded and that our fragile defence was going to be left exposed to the Sunderland counter attack and while that was the case on a few occasions Town really had way too much going forward and Sunderland just could not cope with it, a side containing Garner, McGoldrick, Waghorn and Celina had to create chances and we did it in abundance.
From the off Town took the game to the visitors and as early as the 6th minute we took the lead from a deft flicked header from Martyn Waghorn, reacting quickest to Garner's cross he angled his header just right to leave Steele with no chance, it was just the start we craved against fragile opposition. Once again we fail to defend after scoring and from a corner we gift them a free header with Iorfa looking to have lost his man all too easily. Despite the set back Town really were on top and the lively Waghorn was causing them all sorts of problems as was celina who delivered Two or Three quality balls into the box from which Garner had a half chance from a header. Chances were coming Town's way with regularity and waghorn spurned a great chance to grab his second as his effort went wide. It wasn't long before we did get back in front, Celina being ushered away by waghorn who fired in a rocket of a corner for Jordan Spence to meet it with a perfect header that sailed into the net, it was no more than Town deserved as apart from the one lapse we really deserved to be at least a goal ahead. It was all Town with Waghorn having a wail of a time, Skuse was very effective in the Middle of the park and Adeyemi was marshalling Sunderlands playmaker Luke Cattermole really well, McGoldrick was starting to have more of an influence too but we still looked just a bit shaky at times at the back. The last real chance of the half saw Adeyemi's header comfortably saved by Steele. It had been a good half of football from Town with some lovely football played at times, plenty of movement off the ball and loads of options going forward, our passing was crisp and incisive and we could possibly be a bit frustrated at only being One goal ahead.
The start of the second half saw Bart called into action almost immediately and what a save it was, acrobatically tipping over Cattermole's header when he looked a cert to score, it really did go some way to atone for his c*ck up at Leeds Saturday, however from the resultant corner he almost went from hero to zero as he again flapped at the ball in no mans land, this time though he got some good fortune as went wide. I've got to say our third goal was an absolute beauty and real quality, a joy to watch. Following a passage of numerous passes Garner found Iorfa who's cross was superbly backheeled by Waghorn into the path odf the on rushing Celina who took a touch before smashing the ball past Steele, it really was a quality goal and followed some top notch football. Town were on fire now and it wasn't long before it was 4-1, Waghorn again the provider, this time he burst clear before sending a pin point cross into the box where Didsy slid in to get the vital touch before the hapless keeper could collect, Portman Road erupted as the Blues were ripping them apart at will.
There was still plenty of time to go when Aiden McGeady scored a stunning strike to reduce the arrears and it left Town with plenty of work still to do, a game that really should have seen us out of sight was now just one Sunderland goal away from being a real nail biter. Town made a double change with Fifteen minutes left, the superb Waghorn and Celina being replaced by Nydam & Ward as Town appeared to go 4-4-2 in an attempt to see out the game. To be fair to the visitors they had a really good Ten minute spell where ball after ball was lofted into our box where Chambers and Spence headed clear time and time again, thankfully we rode the storm and there was still time for us to get our Fifth of the night. A brilliant run by Didsy left defenders in his wake before playing in sub ward who took it around the keeper before smashing home from a crazy angle, it looked like he had taken it too far but what a finish to cap a fab night and a top display.
There were so many good performances tonight with Waghorn the pick for me, at times he was unplayable, scoring One and setting up Three others he gets my MOTM hands down, Celina, Garner and Didsy all put in top perfornaces too while Skusey for me had a super game, I never knew he had such an array of passes in his locker, Tom Adeyemi can be well pl;eased with his efforts too and when the mini Sunderland onslaught came late in the game the defence stood firm from a barrage of balls into the box. Playing such an attack minded team we were always going to get caught once or twice and som it proved but over all we more than deserved the win, in fact the scoreline slightly flattered Sunderland.
Bart (6) Iorfa (6) Chambers (6) Spence (7) Knudsen (6) Skuse (8) Adeyemi (8) McGoldrick (7) Garner (7) Waghorn (9) Celina (7)
SUBS :- Ward (6) Nydam (6) Sears (6)
What a five star show from Town, Five goals from Five different scorers and Fifth in the table, at times the crowd was rocking the North stand actually resembled the way it was back in the day when this type of performance was the norm. Most pleasing for me is the way the hoofball has totally gone from our game, our passing is improving all the time and going forward we cause anyone problems, we still have room to improve at the back and with players due to return hopefully it will come but it is hard to find fault after a night like that, we needed to show Leeds was no fluke and we did just that. Two of the Three home games have been won and now for Bristol City who it has to be said will be the hardest of the lot but in this sort of mood we can go into it with real confidence. Relegation fodder ?? Do me a favour !! Such was our impressive performance we even got a rendition of " EI EI EI O, up the football League we go, when we win promotion, this is what we'll sing, we are Ipswich, we are Ipswich, McCarthy is our king" !!! FICKLE BASTARDS.
COYB'S